The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1867-09-07

bV'eIumcub tHaH any OIneF Gtbte what
ever; State more classic and glorious
IN history than the Parthenon Of Greece
or the Pantheon OF Rome State struck
out OF existence by the first section Of
this infamous bill. Sir, | have been up
on the plains Of Marathon and by the
passes Of Thermopyln, and my heart has
warmed as | reflect upon the history Of
the noble Greeks that there saved their
native land; but never, never, amid all
such classic scenes have ever felt the
enthusiasm which inspired me upon the
rising grounds Of Mount Vernon, before
the tomb of Washington, or upon the
| plains Of Montpelier, or upon the heights
Of Monticello, or when have fallen upon
my knees before the tomb Of Marshall
In no part of the earth wherever an
American may go, in no place where his
tory makel1 record Of life, il there ground
so classic and so glorious as that within Q
fifty miles radius around the city Of Rich
mond, in Virginia. There, within that
radius. was born the father OF his coun
try; there flashed out the fiery and elec
trio oloquence Of Patrick Henry; there
was born the President Of the first Con
gross; there the homes Of the Randolphi
and Harrisons; there the illpstrious JEFF
ferson aud Madison and Monroe; there
was born our Winfield Scott, aid there
have been nursed into existence rome o
the most illustrious commanders oF Out
Federal Army.
Aud yet this State whose record il thu
bright all over in history, deformed
Congress, Il mutiliatcd Congress, a Con.
Rrcss born FROM the blood aud genius oi
Virginia, strikes out from the Union that
glorious star, the star Of Virginia, LOST
pleiad in our own history; pleiad that
will return back with some returning rob
TO shine brighter and more beautiful in
the constellation Of our country, brighter
than Orion or the PIeiades ever shone in
the astronomical history Of the Geogra.
pher.
South Carolina, too, is struck out, the
land Of Rutledgc and Of Pinckney, and ol
Marion aud Of sumpter.. Georgia, also
that gare the country the two great State.
Of Mississippi and Alabama Sir, what.
ever may have been the errors Of those
States Of the original Thirteen, whatever
wrongs in the misjudgment Of the Consti
tuition they may have ipAicied upon the
country, whatever crimes they may have
committed, 10 the warmth Of your hearts
if you were but men 10 your feelings and
sympathics, you would feel now as you
feel Tor struggling Greece or foF the Gre
tans in their contest with the Turks, who
are not iuaicGiLg upon those people thG
barbari.ies in principle greater than thos'
you propose 10 inaict ia the act bcfor'
you.
!, Now, cir, two Of these ten States, Lou
isianA and Arkrnsas, oblitera,ed by you
bill. are part Of the great Louisiana pur
, chase. The faith Of treaties in tho mos
solemn obligations il violated here in th'
act which you propose 10 pass into laV
by depriving them oi all protection 70
their liberty and property. Arkansas
you will remember, or you will all know
il part of the Louisina purchase. Ar
kansas and LCuisina were part Of that ter
+ ritory of France, aud which under IN
treaty Of that purchase (lS03,) articl
+ three, has the following solemn compact
THE inhabitants Of the ceded terrific
~ shall be incorporated into the Union O
the United States and admitted as 500
as possible according TO the principles o
the Federal Constitution. 10 the enjoy
men. Of all the rights, advantages an
immunitics OF citizens Of the United State
and, in the meantime they shall be main
tained and protected in the enjoyment c
! their liberty, property and the religio
; which they profess"
> This bill violates that treaty, that so
, emn treaty. and France, with all her pow
: er. will have the right, the legal right.
this bill becames law, TO appear befor
, us, and to claim that all the civil institu
, tions, all the rights-thc rights of libert
; and property-which We have shall ais
E be theirs rs citizens of the United States
. We arc solernnly pledged 10 foreig
. Powcrio govern the people of these State
E according to the Federal Constitution, nc
!. by military commissions nor by marti,
! laws; and hence what we are doing is NJ
: only violation of high moral principles
> but in violation OF . most solemn treat
: We have made with France for the pu
chase of Louisina.
a Now, have the members of this Hou:
5 given any attention to what we are lega
!, izing, what it is that is to be deemed va
l. i'd? Before We enter into that speei,
> Of leg!s'ation, | wcdld ask the honorab
= gentlemen on the other side if they kno
0. how many military laws or edicts the
Ie render valid? beg them before the
/. proceed to the passage of this act to ha'
before them some military Little
= Brown" edification of the laws which the
: are to render valid. Sir, have read Il
II Pandects of Justinian, and / revere tho
"a Pandects as monument of human Wi
: dom.
l. The third section of this bill directs Il
$, registration ! know not by how mar
le boards in the Southern States, but pr
q. sumo the computation is small when 81
i, that they must number some two thousar
is in all, for they have already cost $500
It 900, and sum as much more is necess
le ry in order to keep them up. The
Or Boards of Registration are made up
It white, black, and mulatto, the black pr
70 dominating in many cases, or the mulat
ID balancing tho Board, so that there will
G. an equal number, half white half blac
;" These boards thus created are forbi
m den to regard the oath which the citize
i'd take, and at their pleasure they may stri
in from the list the name of any one alre
es dy registered who in their Judgment il
.,t ororarlxy tonk kho cath Ard raonrd az