Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1867-01-15


protection'of all the rights of the peopln in
those communities. Nf
MIR. LOCKWOOD obtained the floor, and
made long and elaborate speech, in favor
of the adoption OF his resolutions. In the
course of his remarks, Mr.. Thornhill asked
him whether he regarded the Southern
States in the Union or out OF III MT. Il.
replied that he had no well-deined views
on that subject.
Mr.. HILL, the efficient Representative
from Defiance, obtained the floor, and made
an able speech in reply to Mr.. Lockwood.
He said he was opposed to the adoption
of the resolutions by this General Assem-
bly, for several reasons; and, first IL was
claimed by the friends OF the resolutions
that the constitutional amendment to
which they related, had already been dis
posed of by the people at the ballot-boX,
and by nearly every State Legislature In
the Union. Nor did he believe that the
resolutions, If adopted, would have any eff
feet whatever towards the restoration OF
peace in this country. The party of which
the gentleman was a member, would not be
bound By the resolutions If adopted. 1t was
true that by the most corrupt appliances
ever knoWnin the history of American poll
tics, they had achieved what they claimed
to be an Endorsement of the constitutional
amendment at the late. fall elections,
but he denied that the subject had ever
been deliberately considered by the people.
He would also remind gentlemen on
the other side of the House, that the very
| Congress which proposed the constitutional
amendment did notcOnsider it as finality.
| But few days since Mr.. Sumner, their
Header in the Senate, in discussion with
| Mr.. Wade, of Ohio, denied that this
amendment settles the great questions of
| the country. He regretted to hear the gem
| tleman deprecating the idea of State SOW
ereignty, and claiming the right Of the ma
| tion to protect its citizens. Where had a
| State ever deprived a citizen OF life, liberty
or property During the late civil conflict,
| all the imDrisonments and confiscations OF
| property had proceeded from the central
! Government, both in the Union and In the
/ late Confe6eracy. Orders of arrest did not
proceed from State, but from national au-
| thorities. II the gentleman desires to oknow
where liberties and rights had been Illegally
mterfered with, he would remindh him. that
it was right here in Ohio; that our citizens
had been cowardly dragged from their
homes at the dead hour of night and tried
before tribunal unknown to the laws OF
the land, and had penalties inflicted un-
| known also to every tribunal before whom
|
was meant by the reserved rights OF the
nation. He had often read Of the preroga-
tives of kings and crowns-but this was the
first time he had heard of the reserved
right of this nation of ours. He had been
taught that all power not delegated by the
National Constitution was reserved 10 the
States and to the people. He did not like
the word nation as applied to our politics.
We were not nation In that sense. Who
was the nation in 1868? Was it the PIesi-
dent, Congress, or General Burnside
Was Andrew johnson the nation
now? or was it Congress or the Supreme
Court? Each State had certain rights TO
itself under our system OF Government
Ohio was sovereign State, with her own
| Governor, Legislature ard courts, and was
independent Of Congress in all things which
pertain to her internal affairs. He was OPP
posed to State Legislature instructing
Congress. The people had their Repre-
sentatives in Congress fresh from their
midst, who know, or ought to know, the
wants of their constituents.
We were sent here to transact business
for the people of Ohio, and not as mouth
piece through which to speak to Congress.
Mr.. WELSH followed Mr.. Hill, making
a very bitter speech against the South and
the Democratic party.
Mr.. SCHNEIDER obtained the floor, and
spoke on the same side.
Mr.. YOUNG moved the reference of the
resolutions to the committee on Federal
Relations.
Mr.. PUTNAM was opposed to reference.
The motion of Mr.. Young prevailed.
Mr.. ALEXANDER offered the following
resolution, which was adopted:
Resolved That the Judiciary committee
be instructed to inquire into the practica-
bility and necessity Of legislating In such
way as to enable the County Commits
sicners of the several counties in this State,
to construct bridges over streams upon the
route of toll turnpikes now in course of
construction and hereafter to be built
holding the cost of said bridges as so much
stock in said turnpikes so aided in their
construction, and report by bill or other
wise.
The House then adjourned.