, 1867-03-08
synopsis Of The Remark. of Hon. VIM. g
Langfard


relating to "The Powers of Congress and tn,
Rights Of the States -
Mr.. Langford laid he arose on the present oc
caslon, not Witnthe hope of changing the i'm,
mediate action o. any person. The heat of con.
test and previout political associations, are toe
strong to Immediately yield to reason or argu,
ment. What esaid, was for another purpose
and another desku. Il often arises that a truth
enfofced by arghment, like a seed sown, bears
Us fruit ia dueSeason. II was with this-bopa
that be spoke. He stood now where be had
always stood, in favor ofthe Union and opposed
to disunion, from whatsoever source it might
come. Tie had supported every effort made by
loyal and patriotic men against the hydra head
ed monsie. secession. He did so because he
thought secession was unconstitutional and rev.
olutionay. He loved the Government of the
United States, because it was the greatest and
best whi.h ever existed on earth, and it was his
Government. lie had heard of its blessings and
his gooGness, from the time he first understood
the meaning of the English language. On each
anniversary of our National Independence, he
had heard the Declaration OF Independence read, /,
and eloquent discourses upon the principles and
glory Of our ancestors and hoped the perpetu
Ity of Iur glorious Government. When the
| secessionists declared that State could secede
from tie Union, he saw that this would eudan-
ger tho Union. If one State should be allowed
to lgo out, then one by one these States might
| two States united He had favored and sup
ported the war measures. He thought to allow
it to be said that even one State had got out of
the Union political heresy which would
destroy the Union. These were still his opin.
ions. For this reason, he now opposed the res
construction policy of Congress He said State
suicide and State secession were synonymous
There were persons who had 10 legal or consti>
tutioual right so to do, who had attempted to
withdraw from the Union. The country by
| bloody war subdued this faction. Then fac
tion in the North arose. and attempted to carry
out the idea that these men had succeeded and
taken these States out. They threw in a little
word called State suicide. Each faction the
secession disunion and the State suicide and rad
ical party, agree that States can and have taken
themselves out of the Union. He said the prac-
tical meaning of the two de6aitions was the
same. If one State can secede, another State
can secede if one State can commit State sui.
eide another State can do the same. The seces-
sonsts, in attempting to take the States out by
force, committed acts in contraventlon of the
constitutions and laws of the several States and
of the United States, and were revolutionary
and reasonable. For the same reason, the act
of the radicals in expelling these States, is
revolutionary and reasonable. Honest men
may have believed that secession was right, and
there honest men who believe that suicidal
ais~~iaa is -'sb: This ORinion- in each case.
is erroneous. The acts of each are revolutions
AIRY and treasonable, not the less on account Of
that erroneous conclusion.
Mr.. Langfori proceeded to consider the effect
of the proposed action of Congress upon the
country. It. was not calculated to restore har-
mony among the different sections. Neither
could it be said that such apolicy wonld perpet
uate the old Union Of all the States, for it seem
ed to be the main object. to exclude or keep a
portion of the States out of tue Union, for the
purpose it was said, of Furnishing them for
their attempt to break up aud destroy the Gov
ernment. It was also claimed by the Radicals
that who had been g6ilty of such an act,
could not be safely trusted with power, that 1t
would be unjust to those who had shed their
blood for the Union, unjust to the black man,
to permit the late rebels to control the ballot
box In order to protect the freedmen, it was
proposed to give them the elective FRANCHISE.
This, in Mr.. LIS opinion, would not effect the
purpose. The black man belelged to an infer
ior race, and human legislation could not make
him equal to the whites. He would naturally
be controlled By the latter his Ignorance would
make him the dupe and tool of designing men.
The very class of persons whose influence in
the Government was expected to be kept down
oy this measure would use him as the instru-
ment to acco nplish their purposes. There were
men all over the country, who in order to carry
their ends, were capable of pretending to com
slider the negro as their equal and If this ele-
ment was to be introduced into elections there
would be greater inducement for this negro>
worshipping demagOgism IN the South, than
there ever had been in the North. Inc ehect
would be to peAute the balot-box, which was
the last Safeguard of the country. The results
of elections in those States where the negro vote
prepondereted would be placed in the hands OF
designing and nnscrupulous men, who would
be more likely of those who are considered
enemies of the Government than OF those who
are considefei it, friends.
| Mr. L. could not see in what manner the Con-
gressional policy was TO benefit the people OF
| the loyal States. If the so-cdlled disloyal
States were to be reduced to the condition of
Territories if they were to have no voice in the
General Government, il it was no longer cons
sidered necessary that their assent should be
| given to means particularly affecting them, 1t
would undoubtedly be necessary to resort to
coercion in order to make them bear their por>
ton of the national burdens and render obedi-
ence to laws that must be obnoxious to them.
Standing armies would have to be maintained,
the EXPENSE of which would have to come out
| of the country in some shape. The condition
| of the people thus governed would be deplora
BILE in the last degree. To them it would not be
a Union of free States, government based
upon the consent of the governed, but tyr7
amy of the most oppressive character.-Olym-
pid Standard.
TThe foregoing does not purpcrt to be full
report of Mr.. Langford's speech and in fact, is
i but meagre sketch of his remarks.]
| -
MAMMALIAN x-Maximilian is noble speciman n
4 of fphysique-his manners decidedly elegant and
graceful He stands very erect is over six
feet in hight, well proportoned, and has proud
bearing His features are well defined, though
the expression is rather more that of a hand
- NAN than the hold. strong features of q