The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1867-09-04

Governments Oi bic OUlou uub NtCpllNcu VI
Ill powers of selfgovernment and subject !
ID to the will Of military COMMANDERS
And we are told that this is All incident |
and consequence of the war! Let us see.
The war came upon us-l will not trace
it's causes ormark its progress--avowedly
it was war on the one side to Withdraw
from the Union; ON the other side, to main
tain it. Mr.. Lincoln, Mr.. Seward and Con-
gress affirmed it. "Armed force" said Mr..
Lincoln, had disturbed the practical rela-
lions of the States to the Federal Govern.
ment. That force must be met and over
come, and then these relations will be re-
stored" LET members of the Senate and
of the House return and be welcome to oc-
cupy the seats which they left vacant"
said Mr.. Seward. "The rights and digni-
ty, and equality of the States shall remain
said the resolutions of Con-
gress. 1t would, perhaps, be too much to
expect that in the midst OF such a war,
passion should always be restrained by
reason, aud all the acts Of the Government
be kept within constitutional limits. Ger
tain it is, many Illegal acts were commit
ted. The rights of individuals were tram
pied on, the rights of the States were dis
regarded. But these facts were strenuous
ly defended as being legal, or at least as
being necessary. They were alleged to be
incidental to a condition Of war, and would
cease when the war ceased. And if any Of
you ventured to suggest that this was not
the teaching of history, you were delicate
ly called copperhead, disloyal and the idea
that the object or the effect of the war
could be to change the Constitution orsys-
tenn of government was loudly and con-
stantly denied The war came to an end;
the armies of the Confederates were defeat
ey. The armed force was met and over
come: Sherman and Johnston met in
North Carolina. The truce dispersed the
forces of the Confederates, and left in full
operation the laws of the Federal Govern
ment over all the seeded States.
This was logical conclusion of the war.
No plan of reconstruction, no amendments
to the Constitution, were needed. This
broke down every barrier to the legitimate
exercise of Federal authority, This restor-
ed the Union. This reinstated the practi-
cal relations of the States. But it was in
stantly rejected. Then the President de-
yeloped his plan of reconstruction. 1t con
sisted of an amendment of the State Con-
stitutions repudiating the Confederate debt
and abolishing slavery throughout the
States. The States adopted it, and yet the
Union was not restored. Congress propos.
ed the Constitutional amendment OF 1866
whereby the States were made to purchase
peace and power by the surrender of ali
control over the right of suffragei and al
objection to the Civil Rights bill. And be-
fore these terms were fairly understood
Congress propounded another plan, and tc
see that the work was well done; the new
Congress met in extra session on the atf
of March, and to fill up any crevice which
time might open, through which one sin
gle ray Of popular right might shine in up
on the people, meets again in extra session
on the 4th ofJuly. This plan abolishes TIL
State governments. 1t subjects the peopl'
to mere military despotism. 1t gives tn
right of suffrage to the enfranehissd ne
gros, and takes it away from the white man
It degrades the State Governments from
their equality in the Union, and from thei
position as protectors Of the Union; an
from their position as protectors OF tn
rights of their citizens. 1t subverts an
destroys the Constitution of the Unite
States land then holds outto the people tn
hope that if they will cheerfully acquiesc
in these things, if they will not only ps
tiently submit, but if they will with alacr
, ty and zeal and gratitude appear to b
happy to submit to them, then, unles
Congress changes its mind, unless anothe
, plan shall be suggested, unless the confi
cation plan of Mr.. Stevens shall be though
fitting reward for superservlceabie loya
{ ly, they may be permitted to let negroe
elect and administer a State Governmei
| over them, and choose members who sha
be admitted to seats in the Senate an
/, House. of Representatives. Cheers. An
: this is not all. The States thus held iii mi
itary despotism, thus compelled by tyral
ny, as relentless as ever applied the rack
turned the screw, to change their own Col
= stitutions, are then to be used to amend tn
Constitution of the United States and
, impose upon you in Minnesota, and sou
Wisconsin, and us in Ohio, a, Govemmel
which we do not approve. Three-fohrtl
of the States alone can amend the Const
: tuition of the United States. Twenty 81
States drive ten ont of the Union a MI
, iority of the twenty-six hdrrass and oppre!
!, the ten until they will consent to chang
their Constitution, admit negro slitrag
surrender all reserved powers and ylel
', implicit obedience to their will. They WI
then admit them to the Union and use the
concurrent votes to change the Feder'
Constitution so as to introduce negro SD
frage and Federal interference in all tt
States. Do Estate this too stronglyt Co
gress meets now in extra sessiOn-at gre;
, trouble to it's members and vast expense
the people and for whats For the sing
/. simple, avowed purpose Of comforting mo- M. !,
absolute and despotic power on the MINI
. ~ commanders. Great heavens! Hay
, they not enough power already! The CT
il government, the tenure of office, the r
: les of trade, the maintenance OF order, u
, administration of justice, the writ OF hab
as corpus--are subjected to their VIII. III
State officers must obey them or they WI
, be removed. The Courts must rend
judgement according to their dictatlon'
, they will be closed. The sheriils must ex
, cute the penalties they prescribe, or II
!, of soldiers will take their places. AL
Congress meets to give them more pow
!. on the eve of that very day when the col
MES justified their separation from Il
, mother country on the ground that u
. king chad affected to render the mllltal
!, independent of, and superior to, the CIV
power" lContinued cheers.] And thu
, commence their work by excluding fro
|. Congress without any good reason, VIII
: out d decent pretext OF pailiation' the
f representatives. from Kentucky.
!. And why is all this ruin soughts Is
f to punish treason and make 1T odlou
q These are intelligent men-they know h
= man they have read history, I'M
f know that men will rebel when they ma
: causes of discomfort. They know tn
= neither Imprisonment, nor exile, nor dea
: restrain the people of Poland, or Hungar
# or Ireland from rebellion. They kno
Y that the fear of these punishments. W
il no more curb the effofts than it will quen'
L the aspirations for freedom. They kno
il that treason is the protest ofliberty again
i tyranny. Loud applaase.] Is 1T to
s Justice to the negro and to. accord to him q
= enjoyment of natural rights! IL the j
s groes would assuredly vote with the Del
# ocratic party, and thus restore it to powe
: would these gentlemen be so philan,tthl!'
o phie and insist on suffrage as condlti'
/ of reconstruction CCries OF no, MOI n
J. much.l Is suffrage natural tign