Owyhee bullion. [volume] (Silver City, I.T. [Idaho]) 1866-1867, 1867-08-22
RECONSTRUCTION.
SPEECH OF
HON. G.. A. ELDRIDGE
on WISCONSIN.

titled "An act to provide for the more
efficient government of ahe., rebel
States" passed on the I'd day of March
1867, and the act supplementary there.
to, passed on the % day Of March,
1867.
Mr. Stevens, of Pennsylvania. 1 had
promised to allow the gentleman from
Wisconsin Mr.. Eldridge] fifteen min
utes Of my time, but having been so en-
croached upon in several ways l shall
ask him to be content with ten.
Mr.. Eldridgc. hope | may not be
limited to ten minutes. | certainly un-
derstood that was to have fifteen or |
would not have accepted any.
Mr.. Stevens. at the time / made
the arrangement | did not know that
should be so cncroached upon,
Mr.. Eldridge. Well, Mr.. Speaker,
by grace we live, move, and have our be-
ing. laughter 1t is by grace | am
allowed ten minutes of time to speak a.
gaust this abominable bill. | hope that
| am not irreverent in returning my
thanks to the gentleman from Pennsylva-
MIA for this gracious gift Laughter. ]
am disappointed and embarrassed, GER
tainly, by not having the fifteen minutes
agreed for cannot, therefore, enter
into any thing like a discussion Of this
measure or say what | had intended.
l cannot now stop to argue (though
the question is involved in any proper
discussion Of this or any like measure)
that the States to which this bill is iu-
tended to apply are still of right legally
aud constitutionally States in this Union
That they are is as undeniable as that
the Union itself is still in existence Ii
they are not living States in the Urion,
saved and preserved to it by the war,
thea all the blood shed and treasure
spent within the last six years was in
vain. 10 inc the Union OF the Cousti-
tuition is a living, ever Inspiring idea-a
vital iaci. an undestroyed and III udestruc-
tlbe entlty-composed Of all the States
that ever formed "A part Of it, aud utterly
incapable Of beng or enduring without
thcm. And, If living States III the Un.
ion, they are entitled to every privilege,
every right, which the Constitution pro-
vides Tor any State.
But it is proposed by this bill to de-
clare all the government Of ten States
vold, absolutely VOID, and to leave ten
million people without constitution Of
government. without laws, without courts,
without, III fact, any prescribed govern.
ment whatsoever " as there ever SO
unheard Of, so monstrous proposition
Most crimes have names, as murder aud
treason, but this is crime too shocking
to be named. Aud yet the eloquent
gentleman from Ohio Bingham in ad-
vucatlng this bill declalms of American
Magma Uharta, of constitutional right, If
liberty and law. Sir, this bill is at war
with every principle that underlies this
Government, and at war with every prin-
ciple OF civil liberty intended to be Sc
cured by our Constitution. 1t surreu-
ders aud destroys Magma Charla, wheth-
er American or British, and loads down
the Anglo-Saxon with load Of chains
and expressions that no Anglo.Saxon can
bear without dishonor, without disgrace.
1t makes continuous war upon a people
who have been overthrown and disarmed,
and holds them in the grasp of military
power in time of peace, without right,
without justice, and in manner never
resorted to, except for purposes Of pun
ishment to harass and distress an enemy.
Gentlemen who advocate this bill have
much to say about justice. What is
meant by justice? Is justice only to be
applied On one side. Are we alone to de-
termine what isjustice between ourselves
and our neighbors? ? The very fact would
be injustice to them? PrUstrate and
powerless, their necks beneath the feet
Of their oppress rs, the chance Of justice
is small indeed.
But as the original bills were intended
to accomplish all the purposes of this,