Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1867-01-23
UNIVERSAL SUFFRAGE.
Reconstruction speech of Thaddeus
Stevens i'm support of his Bill for
the Reorganization of Government
in the Southern States.


finally acted upon. l desire tPat as earl
as possible, without curtailing { bate. thi
House shall come to some conclusion as t
what shall be done with the rebel States
TINS becomes more and more necessar,
every day, and the late decision of the Su
preme Court of the United States has ren
dered immediate action by Congress upoI
the question CT the establishment of gov
ernments in the rebel states Indispensable
That decision, although in terms perhap
not as infamous as the Dred Scott decision
is yet far more dangerous in its operation
upon the lives and liberties of the Iowa
men of this country. That decision ha
taken away every protection in every On'
of these rebel States from every loyal mar
black or white, who resides there. Tha
decision has unsheathed the dagger of tht
assassin, and places the knife of the rebe
at the throat of every man who dares pro
claim himself to be now, or to have been
heretofore, loyal Union man. If tht
doctrine enunclated in that decision bC
true, never were the people of any country
anywhere, or at any time, in such terri biz
peril as are our loyal brethren at th'
South, whether they be black or white
whether they 60 tiere from the North. OF
are natives of the rebel States. Now, Mr.
Speaker, unless Congress proceed ut ones
20 do something to protect these people
/ from the barbarians who are daily muir
dsring them, who are numbering the 10y
al whites daily, and daily putting into Sc
eret graves not only hundreds but thOLs-
ands of the colored people of that country
unless Congress proceeds at once to
adopt some means for their protection, /
ask YOU and every man who loves liberty,
whether we will not be liable to the just
| censure of the world for our negligence,
| our want of ability to do so. Nov, sir, II
/ is for these reasons that insist on the pas
sage OF some suci measure as this This l;
| a bill designed to enable loyal men, so taI
as could discriminate in these States, &c
form governments, which shall be in loyal
hands, that they may protect themselves
| from such ou.rages as L mentioned In
States that have never been restored since
the rebellion from a state Of conquest, and
which are this day held in captivity un'
der the laws of wal, the military authorl'
lies. under this decision and its extension
into disloyal States dare not order the
commanders of departments to enforce the
laws of the country. One Of the most
atracious murderers that has ever been let
loose upon any community has lately been
liberated under this verv decision, because
the Government extended it, perhaps ac-
cording to the proper construction, to the
conquered loyal States. \ gentle
man from Richmond, who had personal
knowledge of the facts, told me the cir
cumstances of the murder. A cOlored
man, driving the family of his employer,
drove his wagon against wagon contain
ing Watson and his family. The wagon
of Watson was broken: The next day
Watson went to the employer of thu col
ored man and complained. The employer
offered to pay Watson every dollar that
he might assess for the damage that had
been done. "NO," said he, Il claim the
right to chastise the scoundrel.' he fol-
lowed the colored man, took out his re-
volver. and deliberately shot him dead IN
the presence of that community. No civil
authority would prosecute him; and when
taken into custody by the military author
ity, he is discharged by order of the P.esi-
dent, under the most injurious and lniqul-
tous decision Now, sir, if that decision
be the law, then 1t becomes the more nee
essary that we proceed to take care that
such a construction as that shall not open
the door to greater injuries than has al
ready been sustained. Thus much have
said at the outset of my remarks, which
shall not be very long The people have
once more nobly done their duty day
1 ask, without offense, will Congress have
the courage to do its duty? or will It be
deferred by the clamor ofignoranee, big
otry and despotism from perfeetinS rev.
olution began without their consent. but
which ought not to be ended without
their full participation and concurrence +!
Possibly the people would not have inau-
gurated this revolution to correct the pal
pable incongruities and despotic tenden-
cies of the Constitution; but, having it
forced upon them, will they be so unwlse
as to suffer it to subside without erecting
this nation into perfect republic? Near.
ly six years ago bloody war arose be-
tween different sections Of the United
States. Eleven States, possessing a very
large extent of territory, and ten or twelve
millions of people, aimed to sever their
connection with the Union, and to form
ar independent empire founded on the
avowed principle of human slavery, and
excluding every free State from this con
federacy. They did not claim to raise an
insurrection to reform the Government Of
the cOuntry-a rebellion against the laws
but they asserted their Independence Of
that government and all obligations to its
laws. They were satisfied that the United
States should maintain its old Constitution
and its laws. They formed an entirely
new Constitution new and distinct
Government, called the confederate
Stales of America" They passed their
own laws without regard to any former
national connection. Their Government
became perfectly organized, both IN It's
civil and military departments. Within
the broad limits of these eleven States the
"Confederate States" had as perfect and
absolute control as the United States had
over the other twenty-five. The COnted-
crate States refused to negotiate with the
United States, except upon the basis OF
ndependence-of perfect national equali-
ty. The two powers mutually prepared
to settle the question by arms. They each
raised more than halfa million of armed
men. The war was acknowledged by
other nations as a public war between in
dependent belligerents. The parties ac-
knowledged each other as such, and claim
Ell to be governed BY the law of nations
and the laws of war in their treatment of
each other. On the result of the war de-
pended the fate and ulterior condition
of the contsnding parties. No one then
pretended that the eleven States had any
rights under the Constitution of the Uni
ted States, or any right to interfere IN the
legislation of the country. Whether they
should ever have, all men Of both sections
without exception, agreed wonid depend
upon the will of Congress, if the United
States were victorious. The Confederate
States claimed no rights unless they could
conquer them by the conquest OF arms
President Lincoln, Vice President john
son and both branches of Congress repeat
edIy declared that the belligerent States
could never again intermeddlo with the
affairs of the Union or claim any right as
of the United States Govern
ment until the legislative power OF the
government should declare them entitled
thereto. OF course the rebels claimed no
such rights; for whether thei, States were
out of the Union as declared. or were dis
organized and ''Out of their proper rela-
lions" to the government, as some subtle !
contend, their rights under I
the Constitution had all been renOuhced |
and abjured under oath, and could not be
resumed on their own mere motion How |
far their liabilities remained there was /
more difference OF opinion. The federal
arms triumphed. The Confederate armies
l., Inn nnssra rafI On