Dallas herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1849-1873, 1867-03-23

o on large masses ofmen. IL disfran
,, chises them by hundreds of thou.
t sands, and degrados them all-oven
: those who are admitted to be guilt.
= less-from the rank of frccmen to
= the condition of slaves.
;, The purpose and object of the bill
Q the general intent which pcrvadcs
; it from beginning to ends to
0 change the entire structure and
character of the State Governments
0 and to compel them by force to the
l adoption of organic laws and rcgu-
| lations which they are unwilling to
t accept if left to themselves. The
{ negroes have not asked for the priv
5 ilcge of voting-the vast majority
: of them have no idoa what it means.
This bill not only thrusts it into
: their hands, but compel them, as
, well as the whites, to use it in n
particular way. If they do not form
Constitution with prescribed ar
tcles in it, and afterwards elect n
Legislature which will act upon GER
tain measures in prescribed way,
neither black nor white can be re-
lievcd from the slavery which the
bill imposes upon them. Without
pausing here to consider the policy
or impolicy of Atricanizing the
Southern part Of our territory, |
would simply ask the attention of
Congress to that manifest we'll
known and universally acknowl-
edged rule of constitutional law,
which declares that the Federal
Government has no Jurisdiction, au-
thority, or power to regulate such
subjects for any State. TO force the
right of suffrage out Of the hands of
the white people and into the hands
of the negroes is an arbitrary viola
tion of this principle.
This bill imposes martial law at
once, and its operations will begin
so soon as the General and his troops
can be put in place. The dread
alternative between it's harsh rule
and compliance with the terms of
this measure is not suspended, nor
are the people afforded any time for
free deliberaton. The bill says to
them, take martial law first, then
deliberate. And when they have
done all that this measure requires
them to do, other conditions and
contingencies, over which they have
no control, yet remain to be fulfilled
before they can be relieved from
martial law. Another Congress
must first approve the Constitutions
made in conformity with the will Of
this Congress, and must declare
these States entitled to representa-
ton in both Houses. The whole
question thus remains open and un-
settled, and must again occupy the
attention of Congress, and in the
meantime The agitation which now
prevails will continue to disturb all
portions of the people.
The bill also denies the legality of
the governments, of ten Of the States
which participated in the ratitica
ton of the amendment to the Fede-
raj Constitution abolishing slavery
forever within the jurisdiction Of the
United States, and practically cx
cludes them from the Union. If
this assumption ofthe bill bo correct,
their concurrence cannot be con-
sidered as having been legally given,
and the important fact is made to
appear that the consent of three
fOurths of tho States-thc requisite
number-has not boen constitution
allv obtained to the ratification of
that amendment thus leaving the
question of slavery where it stood
before The amendment was officially
declared to have BECOME part of
the Constitution.
That the measure proposed by this
bill does violate the Constitution in
the particulars mentioned, and in
many other ways which | forbear to
cnumerate, is too clear to admit of
the least doubt. 1t only remains to
consider whether the injunctions of
that instrument ought to he obeyed
or not. think they ought to be
nbeyed, for reasons which | will
proceed to give as briefly as possi-
bic.
In the first place, it is the only
system of free government which we
can hope to have as nation. When
it ceases to be the rule of our con-
duct, we may perhaps take our
choice between complete anarchy, n
consolidated despotism, and total
dissolution of the Union; butnation-
al liberty, regulated by law, will
have passed beyond our reach.
It is the best frame of govern
ment the world ever saw. No other
is, Or can be so well adapted to the
genius, habits, or wants of the
American people. Combining the {
strength of a great empire with un-
speakablo blessings of local self-gov-
demonstrating central power
to defend the general interests, and |
recognizing the authority Of the /
States as the guardians of industrial
rights. it is 'the sheet-anchor of our
safety abroad and our peace at home" l
It was ordained "to form a more per-
feet union, establish justice, insure '
domestic tranquility, promote the {
general welfere, provide for the '
common defence and secure the bles-
sings of liberty to ourselves and to |
our posterity." These great ends
have been attained heretofore. and :
will be again, by faithful obedience
to it, but they are certain to be lost {
five treat with disregard its sacred
obligations.
1t was to punish the gross crime
of defying the Constitution, and to
vindicate its supreme authority. that I
we carried on a bloody war Of four {
,-aors- duration Shall we now ac- {