New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1867-01-26
PRICE FOUR CENTS.
THE AMENDMENT.
WENDELL PHILLIPS SPEECH AGAINST IT'S
RATIFICATION.

! WENDELL PHILLIPS SPEECH AGAINST IIS
RATIFICATION.
A hearing was held in the Representatives Han OF
the Massachusetts, State House JAN a. before the
Joint Committee on Federal Relations 10 listen to
arguments in favor of against the passage by the
Legislature, of the proposed Amendment TO the Com
stitution of the United States.
WENDELL PHILLIPS after stating the several propositions
Of the amendment proposed 20 discuss the points laid
| down He said this amendment had been nine months
before the country; nine months IN ts age OF rapid
progress was almost age; legislation itself By sheer
necessity had materially changed In nine months Hd
aid not desire TO oppose the general policy oi C0n9es
but events had Tpened so fast that II the ameLheht ay
ON tho table OF Congress for the first time today was ~
no means certain it would receive majority ~ yotest
The feeling Of Congress and OF the lcyai masses had
| been changed materially The amendment had uoated
ms far behind the present wish OF the nailon az bad
! the amendment OF 1861. Practically u Was vi h'tS
value. Falling back on the Executive snd thS
| Supreme Court, the South bad made up its MIND
| 70 oppose the amendment Between these two IT wa5
evident that t would not Dc carried Tor the NOitb ao
could not carry IT, The action ~ MASSACHUSETTS, eret
fore could OF Importance except AS mere expest
sion Of her opinion. No man who visits washington nAs
| mere attempt. The amendment, technically, say
nothing about reconstruction; % makes thrte separate
propositions, but has nothing ,ohlE rre ~ y ~ S LN
recty this great question: Nei we are yea 20 DesSeI
by the action Of the Republican NallOnel COhIniatr5
| gress a basis OF reconstruction. Inc iaemDeh
idea and Mr.. Phillips quoted from q speedy
Of Gov Ward Of New-Jersey TO the same effect 7hd
caliy all through the last Eau Soulsccd tho southerI'
states TO accept the men me @IG tey SGd ro
this view il massachusetts, rejects the amendments VIII
ay that rejects the Congressional plan Il
cSoustruction lie Thought he had demonstrated that
the amendment, It stands to-day Is or no pfaeucst
value one reson why should not accept the amend.
mcut is that we should pledge ourselves TO prncipq
while others pledged themselves to nothing nc h0ptd
| poning action il she didn't refuse IT,. There was
time enough 10 make DiG h ., some prSr
ca value The fact VIC have got far beyond the pT0f
10 must fGbt for more Theatrical legislation s absurd
| il don't settle vital principles. but suppose ms
President is impeached and that Mr. BOutwelis bill y
carried, then Will our cause be strong and TIC south VIII
viii accept the amendment and Massac husetts, having
committed herself the measure. cannot refuse to give
not pass the amendment il that there Is no esseDai
cause for SO doing We pledge "seySs 10 NJ
We cannot read the future, so would have orr banda
Even II the south comes n knows, after Messrs.
Boutwell, and Sumner have fought theif battle ana Ealhd
the iay hut the south win ur back just in INC In9end
of victory and save themselves accepting the amend
ment. Then what rOlly Tor these northern stales ~
bind themselves TO a position 90 which thS sOGiheIii
States W not be bound. nyOudo not refuse that amend
ment, postpone IT; say to-day ~ J, OF no soft o.
then whether TO accept IL orno We wiz not be 09nh
while rest OF the country not bound Inc body ot
the public mind represented ID lle supreme Noett WI
not I've bound; the BODY representing Soutefn interests
pnDId we a. Tepresenng tic radical element OF thu
country nut ourselves down and be -hacded by pgnci'
ectionabo in tho world would not he shaehtd
i want to be free others. would urgently. tbte-
fore impress on Massachusetts the necessity 81 pspo
ing action II she does not absolutely refuse H. IL ms
enough 10 amend the Constitution when practical ga
ton Is involved When Congress by this second ainendl
ment, sits down and bids the southern states 10 c9ms
mans government, practically shutting ont the
| negro race, nc called IL swsndle, While MI. WIZ
snail and others Of his ciass aud to the Southern oya
lists who stood by US during our stTnggiei we give y9s
not party To such monstrOus piece OF injustice, Do9
TO say nhumahity' turning 10 lnS ultG sf0 t We
that certain men would De Gi,lianeI!std, lhsy c3Nn
not 20 70 the baotboX and throw their vote bet Go,
any man doubt what tie popular feeling Of the South ~
today Early IN 1876 tho Souh ready 10 accept
ANYTHING hut when johnson In July, animated that ID
feet aud undertale to securc inside Of tie Union q
had failed 10 outside OF IL by battle There u eas9
in history where minority sat down and were Conto Btcd
10 Try their contest only once You can go anywhere
the South and find the S0OO0 people thoroughly Ned'
drd To their ideas rs We are Wade Hampton to-day bee
evcs that TO admit the negro 10 share IN the Governs
uent TO teach tho of the people Is dangerous
They have sacrificed wealth social position every -
and the southern people do not pretend to believe thsl
Tut they DO entertain such ideas Tho effort OF the NORTH
is 20 disarm the south nom the possibility OF behun4
again. The North says We welcome You Daek, Dart yo1
must not come III such condition as 10 ne competent I
renew the fight. Is not that common sense Compare
South Carolina with ourselves, now many Bun Runs would
t take 10 sweep TIC DecaIalon Oh lndepehoen.e out
Massachusetts, il viii take just many defeats to sHeeH
rtocracy cat OF south Carolina Ihesoathern people ad
thoroughly welded 20 the idea that IL would be anrch
to educate the negro. Wade Hampton is man OF con!
|
sentative man. The North must be North OF cOnNlc1
tous in order meet the South its own grounds The
south have not given up the batte-they nave obiy
changed the methods Of carrying On then warfare. BUt
he might be told that the third section of the 6nendmeI
DISTINGUISHES these Rebel leaders and they could not
vote but il was a sham Who believes that II JEFF DsNis
lad ubdued the North and carried ont his boast that ha
would reconstruct Massachusetts like unto s0Htd
Carolina, and dsfranchised Charles Sumner GeOIga
8. Boutwell,, John \. Andrew aud ten thousanJ
others like them, who believes, he said that thela
influence in Massachusetts would be gone although
they could not 40 20 the ballot box. Who IL golu n
down South Carolina TO enforce these amendmcnts
Surprising Is elected TO Congress from OF thelu
districts and remOnstranee up that he was eecte
by 5000 disfrauchsed votes, and the man viii vote rgb
he viii be admitted, but not he viii be rejected. III va
we sure She Republicans were 10 always 10 tbd
dominant party might be safe, bat that may not Ia
the Henry Wilson could not keep s all last Sum.
mcr till he had voted in two Senators from COloradot
although they had the word white in their Constitutions
aud ne is not exception the rue-be ~ an ca I
| ample. The third section cannot De eAecuted-
! What are we going dol Va must put tla
| elements OF the Government down there on oua
side DO put the parchment side, put the elcs
mcnts-fOr we cannot build the Government down South
Hampton with printed paper. Mr.. Wilson says we shal
have President mind n1o6s We not OF that
IL would not take but the changing Ut 1900 votes 10 elect
Andy Johnson President, and tRat Is perhaps not hard
matter do with the help OF the Federal patronage. Now
in view Of these facts said Mr. p what IS the remedy "a
tbisi 10 to put 100000 negro votes I'm the scaN III
was in favor Of DISTINGUISHING prominent Rebels bat II hd
trust Wade Hampton. Mr. Phillips, In conclusion urged
that Massachusetts, should not stuy herself by fatyH
this amendment and sat down amid great applause
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