Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1867-08-30
BEN. Wade AT Marietta.

+' CW1Cu Is 1OStmdSler,J
Ben. Wade AT Marietta.
We. give below an eloquent extract from
the great speech of Senator Wade, deliv-
cred at Marietta on the Goth inst:
EXACT AND EQUAL JUSTICE TO ALL MEN.
have an old text, my friends, which |
have preached from for more than thirty
years. Inever have varied it, and never
expect to vary it, 1t is this Exact and
equal Justice to all men without reference
to color, condition or race" That is my
political creed, which now for thirty years
/ have proclaimed from almost every
stump in the State, believe, sir, that is
the doctrine favored by the Almighty, and
| believe that he that breaches from any
other text will not be favored of Him who
is the Father of us all. -rN vz,{,.2 --.fa
And was the issue of last year? 1t was
on that constitutional acknowledgement
by two thirds of Congress and more, TO the
people of the seeding States. | was say
ing to these people, if you will adopt that
amendment, you may come into Congress
and be represented there providing you
will send true loyal men, who love Repub-
lican government Were these hard terms?
Was there anything in this tyrannical or
harsh, OF such as honest and just men
ought not to do? We want no traitors in
the councils of the nation, and by fa-
vor Of God we never I'LL have any. lap
plause. =. ma 50, os,s ,es-3 3,oo .fs.IB
-" =" Now what argument do they put forth
on the other side against the constitutions
al amendment that our Legislature in their
wisdom and intelligence, proposed to their
constituents last winter? The constitu-
tional amendments put forth by Congress
was this: That if the seeding States
would allow the colored men to vote, then
they might have the representation in Con
gress, based upon their numbers. LII they
refuse TO trust the cOlorcd men, and would
not permit this great measure of justice
and human rights to prevail, then they
should be restricted in their representation
in proportion. Was there anything wrong
in that? Is there any man here who
would wish to put a premium on traitors,
and increase their representation because
they had raised their arms against the best
government on earth to overthrow and des-
troy it? That was what the Democratic
party wanted to do; that was the position
of the Democratic party in this and other
vailed there should be only certain repre-
sentation for the slaves-fvc of them
should count equal to three free men,
That was according to the old Constitution.
That is what it was when its trainers made
it-while slavery prevailed in all the Sc
coded States, and in some of the others.
We propose to these peopleithat, since we
had freed every slave, if they intend to
how ,tntfA fhA Morth
States for every free man, they must give
these free men the right of suffrage. Ii
they are not good enough to vote, we said,
they are not good enough to have you get
votes in Congress by reason of their num-
bers.-That was all he said to them. That
was all we asked of them ''
Coming down to what 1 asserted before,
| say those men, because they had commit
ted treason, and had forfeited their right
to- hold slaves, should not, therefore, have
much larger representation in Congress-
We did not believe that the traitor, instead
of being hung for his crime, should have a
greater influence in the Government he had
just been seeking to destroy.
Now, what are some of the arguments
that, in England, to-day, they are making
against the right of the. great mass of the
people to have voice In the government
of that country? There is no man there
who is so ignorant but they are willing apd
ready to hang him if he transgresses the
law The law excuses no man Oh account
of his ignorance. 1t is a maxim of com
mon law as old and as rigidIy administered
as any in the whole catalC que of their laws;
and yet man may be so ignorant that he
shallnot have O. voice in making that law
whose action may finally bring him to the
block, We'll, they say he is ignorant !;
these great, high matters of government
arc altogether out of the reach of these
poor, ignorant laboring man. They don't
know enough to vote. They have not had
the benefit of a finished education, and
therefore they ought not to have anything
to say about the affairs of the government.
Will that kind of doctrine stand on this
side of the Atlantic Ocean and with the
American people? Isitnot the very quint-
essence of all monarchy and aristocracy?
Why, sir, every government is a free, re-
publican democracy, in exact proportion
as it extends the right of participation, in
its affairs to its Citizens, one and all. In a
despotism no man but the monarch himself
ispermitted to have anything to do with
the government. His will is law, and he
has the sole administration of affairs, and
the sole disposition of the rights OF all he
governs. He can do as he pleases he can
make a peace or he can plunge the nation
in war--everything is under his control
he is the only master and the only head
none Of. the people are permitted for mo-
mcnt to have anything to say about it.
That is a despotism, and every govern
ment is despotism in exact proportion as
it excludes its citizens from the right of
participating in that government.
Is not that good logic? Is there Dem
ocrat or Republican here who can deny
one word of that logic? Do you wish to
adopt the arguments of the British tories
who to-day are struggling to keep down
the great mass Of British citizens whom
they have ground to powder for genera
tions, but who, in consequence Of the
glory of our example. the reflex of which
has flashed over the Atlantic Ocean, and is
raising the humblest to sense of their Just
rights, are asserting their claims to suf-
frage? / hope to God we shall stand by
our true principles until we have taught
the men of every nation to come forward
and claim that need of government that
justly belongs TO them. zaeaal,a 4 ei'I1a459'
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mh FILL NO GLASS FOR NE. ..