The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1867-03-01

habitants of the State, and the right of
suffrage Is denied them by the State.
How then, are they to be included
among those who constitute the basis of |
our representation? If this be so, that |
this class must be excluded, then Penn
sylvania must either submit to reduc-
ton of her representation in Congress,
or confer upon these unnaturalized male |
inhabitants the right of suffrage. l |
say Pennsylvania, but other States are
in the same condition, but have in
stanced Pennsylvania because she is one
of the States embracing the largest for |
eign population and hence would be one
of the greatest sufferers under this |
amendment. California too, must con-
fer upon her Chinese and other Asiatic
"male inhabitants" this solemn right of
suffrage, or she will be degraded by a
diminution of representation. And
while Pennsylvania loses and would
suffer In the loss of representation, New
England would actually be the gamer,
as her whole foreign population does
not equal those of the same class in
Pennsylvania. Now, gentlemen of the
radical party in this House, are you pre-
pared, by your votes on this amend
ment, to sacrifice the interests of our no.
BILE old Commonwealth to still more ag-
|
managed, through the radical party, to
acquire such unbounded influence in
our national councils? Are you will
ing still to be the hewers of wood and
drawers of water for that section? Have
you no State pride--no love for your
native State-no regard for the interests
of her citizens, that you will do this
thing? l fear not, or you would refrain
from casting your vote for this amend
ment.
But / have already said more than l
intended on these two sections.
come now to the third section. BY
this section every person who has here
tofOre been q member of Congress or
gny officer of the United States, men,
Der of the Legislature, or held any 9TH
er executive or judicial Office in the
State, and as such taken the oath to
Support the Constitution of the United
States, but who subsequently shall have
engaged in insurrection or rebellion
against the same, or given aid and
comfort to the enemies thereof, shall be
ineligible to the Office from Senator or
Representative in Congress, elector of
President and Vice President, or hold
any Office, civil or military, under the
United States or under any State.
!, At first view, a provision in the Con-
stitutiOn, that no person guilty of trea-
son against the Government shall be
permitted to hold Office under that Gov
ernment, would seem not unreasonable,
and to make it more specially unobjcc-
tionable in appearance, the trainers of
this section have limited the disqualili-
cation to such as had before been hold
ers of office, and as such had taken u
solemn oath to support the Constitution
and vet in violation of this oath had
subsequently engaged in insurrection or
rebellion, or given aid and comfort to
the enemy. Now, surely, no doubt
thought the trainers of this amendment
the moral sense and patriotism of every
one will sustain such Il proposition. But
Mr.. Speaker, / must be permitted to
say, that Notwithstanding the risk |
may incur of being charged with want
of "loyaltyn or a blunted moral sense,
| regard this third section as the wick
eldest and the most dangerous of the
, whole five which so to make up this
amendment"
Let us scrutinize this section little
more closely.
: First, then, who are they-what class
ofour citizens, that by thissection are II n.
dered illegible to to office in the State
or nation? You will observe it is not
those who have been legally convicted
of the crime of treason tor, in the Ian
guage of this section, of the crime of
being engaged in insurrection or rebel.
: lion against the Government, or of Civ
3 ing aid and comfort to the enemies
: thereby Mono legal conviction is re-
4 qured before the disqualification at
0 taches. If he has been guilty, he is dis
e qualified for Office, whether ever tried
:, and convicted of the crime or not. But
/, you will say, and say properly, that in
/ order to make this section of any effect
: whatever, the guilt must be established
: | grant it. But here comes the difficult
/. ty. Here begins the danger. Look
e over this section carefully and tell mt
v if you find in it anything which re
5 quires that an individual shall not b'
= ineligible to office until he has beel
: tried and convicted of treason, or oi
@ the crime mentioned in said act, by
f court of competent jurisdiction. Their
il is nothing of the kind in 1t. How thei
i is the person charged to be tried? Befor
e what tribunal can he be required t.
: meet the charge of treason or diSloyal
: ty? What opportunity is to be afford
v ed to him to cXculpatc himself? Sup
n pose the case of a member elect to tn
O present Congress, or the one which vii
r meet on the fifth of March next. III
II appears before the House with his Ger
r tificate of election, duly authenticate
n and claims his seat; but as he is abou
e to take the oath, an honorable membe
t, rises in his place, and charges that thi
e member elect is ineligible under TIL
n section of the amendment by reason o
his having given aid and comfort to til
v enemy during the rebellion. OF cours
). this suspends all further proceeding
/, until the question of guilt or innocenc
( shall have been disposed Of But Wha
IS court, what tribunal shall adjudicate tn
II case? You answer, "the House Il
II which he claims II seat" l grant 20
l. that each House of Congress has tn
$. right to Judge of and decide upon III
v qualification of its own members.
Is it finds u member ineligible 1t may re
n iect him. But if the disqualification
= ineligibility results from crime for Whic
ID he is amenable to law, should not tn
10 House require trial and conviction IN
es proper court before it proceeds TO decide
" Is it possible that the trainers OF TIL
l. amendment intended to transform TN
t. legislative body into n criminal courl
is for the trial of its members on crlmlnt
if charges, for crimes committed years bI
le fore their election, and for which the
id were and are still amenable to tn
ld laws of the land? \ body composed
es individuals elected from every sectlo
" or district from every State in the Cnio
l. and who represent not only the intel
)c ests and Judgment of those by Whol
I'd they were elected, but their passion
a. and prejudice, also. Suppose tlat III
in individual elected and claiming II SEA
If should come from one of the States 10
.at 4 In