The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1867-02-25

IL. 1
to leeisate like men, and not to pass law s1u
ambiguous words and phrases that no one
can understand.
Mr.. Speaker, do not wish to deprive INV
own race from voting, but do propose to vest
the organization of the government in the
hands of true loyal men, though as the late la
mented President Lincoln said, there be only
five thousand in the State. l propose that
they shall control the State governments,
whether they be white or black. Place the
government in the hands of the loyal men
alone, let them organize 1t, and when they
have done SO, if they choose to admit the
otner class to vote, 1t is then their privilege to
eh,ranehise them, and We are not responsible.
MT. speaker, pass this bill and it is the final
stroke, the death-blow to the Union men end
men OF color In the South They will have
no pfotecton, their ri hts will not be recog-
hiZed. nope the Union party of this House
VIII not ln1lict this punishment upon their
friends in the South. Give them a enance tn
protect themselves, and leave them to saw
when the disloyal people shall be allowed to
participate in their State governments.
The amendment OF the Senate will read
very well If you strike out the word "peopleo
and insert "loyal men," having it read that
"all shall be entitled to vote except those who
were engaged in the rebellion" / entreat
gentlemen to make the language plain; to
say what they mean by loyalty. and what con-
stitutes disloyalty. Make it plain and use no
ambiguous words.
Here the hammer fell
" lt MIR. ARNELB's SPEECH.
Mr.. Speaker, at this hour, midnight, the
remarks make shall have the merit of brey-
ty. For speech-making generally have but
poor respect. l belong to that class of men
who believe what a man does is infinitely
more valuable than what he says. Yet l can
not sit by quietly without expressing my pro-
test, ay, my horror ofthe principle incorporat-
ed in the fifth section of the bill before the
House, that makes rebel electors the basis of
reconstruction. l do not believe that the
country is ready to abandon the doctrine that
loyal men mnst control. That such prOpo-
sition should be made even, in the American
Congress, strikes me with apprehension. Is
this the fruit of our long struggle? Can the
heart and the brain and the patriotism of the
Thirty-Ninth Congress frame nothing better
than this? Why, pass this bill as it comes
from the Senate, and you hand over the South
10 hopeless and irretrievable rebel rule and
ruin. 1t is the "iron chamber" in the Inoui-
sition, and seemingly fair and beautiful and
inviting; yet in the end, with closing and mar
rowing walls, will crush its poor victims to
remorseless and unavailing death. Say the
best OF it, it is delusion and a cruel snare.
What does this section propose to do? To
set aside the rebel governments of Andrew
johnson and to build up other rebel govern
ments in their stead thai will over
shadow the first as the mountain
oversbadows the dark rock at its base
think we have had enough of rebel rule
acted in terrible tragedy. But the answer to
all this is, Congress will have control OF them.
Do you distrust the Fortieth Congress? What
ought to be distrusted ana Indignantly reject
ed is rebel rule. If the Thirty Ninth Con-
gress, with the cries Of murder and suffering
borne tO it upon every breeze from the South
is disposed to shuttle of its duty, what right
have we to expect aid from any future Con-
gress? What is really the object of recon
struction? To establish loyal governments at
the the South. How? This Senate bill pro-
poses to do it by giving the matter entirely
into the hands OF the rebels. Some one saws,
Except such as may be disfranchised by re-
bellion." All! Who is to disfranchise them ?
Themselves. Now, considering their native
mOdesty and backwardness in such matters,
when is this likely to occur? The fifth sec
ton to this bill gives the entire power and the
leadership to the rebels. And whoever gets
the leadership at the South viii prevail. The
colored man is the last reinforcement of the
Republic; yet this bill proposes 10 give his
aid to-whom? To the national cause, to
rights? Oh, no! but to the enemy, to treason!
Are we encompassed with some hideous
nightmare that men talk so wildly?
Gentlemen tell us that we must not dislran
chise the masses OF the South OF the ''intelli-
Sence and honor" OF the South. Was it not
this Intelligence and honor" that opened
your three hundred thousand Union graves,
whose occupants to-day are moi safe from
SneerS In their very collins, And have JfIcsc
MARTYRS mt died in vain 49,,
Is rebel reconstruction? Under the mask
and claim of fairness ] see stalk to the front
the armed traitor. And, Mr.. Speaker, when
the "respectability of numbers" Outweighs tile
demands OF worldwide justice, tremble Tor
the safety OF my country. Will this nation,
even by mdirection, set the precedent that
'hrst-class" criminals cannot be punished?-
False, hollow paSanism pointed its votaries
to higher idea OF justice than tnls. Apollo
was banished from the court Of heaven for
crime, and made to keep the flCcks OF Adme-
tus. t.1i "'
Mr.. Speaker, what rose to say particular.
ly was that in my opinion there is no cure
for the evils that atflict the country, but to
render hopeless the rebel element at che
South. Congress exhibits an unaccountable
indecisien in this matter. Let it no longer
hesitate, but do its duty. ...
One other thing wanted to say. In every
one OF the non-reconstructed States there is
Union sentiment that only needs your sup
port to assert itself; poor, downtrodden, os-
tracised, maligned, and prosecuted class: yet
men who hoped on and prayed on, and to-day
hope and pray on, when seemingly every
friend but God has left them appeal 10
you on their behalf. A word n ore and |
close. @ -A
pray this house not to strike down at one
fell blow the organizations of Tennessee, Mis-
souri,, and West Virginia. The North pledges
itself to stand by the Unionists of these States.
We ask their representatives to fulfil this
pledge. Time has shown the wisdom of the
action of the loyalty OF these States. In Ten
nessee we have planted ourselves upon the
broad platform OF the rights of man." All
this has been effected by loyal suffrage. A
new civilization is beginning at the South
Do not turn it backward. We are getting
further and further away from old beliefs and
prejutlices, and are approaching nearer to
new and better ones. In Tennessee we are
skirmishing, bringing on the battle, and re-
member it Is the nations battle, and the vic
tory when won, will be the nations victory
Daily, trickle, falter in the great work, and
We are gone. We must fight at close quarters.
hope that the Senate bill in its present form
will not be agreed to. d.