The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1867-03-02
ur. Cock on RsconstructIon.

Nr. Cock OLA X k0cOnStructlOn.
The following Fifteen minutes speech"
was made by Mr.. Cook, in favor OF the
reconstruction bill recently passed. a. amend
cd by the Senate,-in the House of Repre-.
sentatives, February 18th:
Mr.. Cock. Mr.. Speaker, in separating rs
| must from some with whom | have uni
for:nly acted in the House upon political
questions, ! desire to state IN word the
reasons which induce me 10 vote to concur
with the Senate in their amendment 10 this
bill 1t is evident to my mind that this is
the only measure Of reco7struciion that can
pas. at this session, and the only alterna>
| tives presented to Us are either to pass this
| bill, or so to be placed before the country,
without any distinct policy or measure of
reconstruction in opposition TO that lately
| announced by the peculiar friends OF the
| President If we adopt this amendment,
| what do We get? First, we settle the ques>
| ton of the right OF Congress to reconstruct
the State governments which were destroyed
| by the rebellion, and we repudiate those soy>
ernments that have been SET up by the
| President, as We believe; BY an usurpation
| ~r po"e. dangerous 10 the liberties oil Inc
country if it shall be allowed TO succeed and
to pass into precedent.
| there are no legal governments in those
States, and provides FOR the protection of the
| citizens in their persons and property By the
| military, and it is provided that all interfer>
enee under eoler of State authority with the
exercise Of military authority under this act
shall be null and void. 1t is said, | know,
that this will be no protection, but the rea>
sons urged for this opinion have failed 10
satisfy my judgment. What has been the
reason that loyal mon have not been pro-
tected in the southern States was II the
fault of Sheridan in New Orleans, or OF
Gen. Sickes, in his department, or of Gen.
| Thomas in his? Has not the testimony of
those officers proved that it was the action of
these pretended State governments which
this bill sets aside that prevented efficient
protection to loyal men by the military, re,
cognized as these governments were by the
| President? | have not time to quote this
testimony, but it is very apparent that If
| there had been no government in Now Or
leans but the military rule of Gen. Sheridan
there would have been no riot and no saugh.
Ter of loyal men. But it is said that the bill
leaves the whole matter in the hands OF the
President | answer, the Constitution makes
the President Commander in-Chiet of the
| Army and Navy, aud that We canhot cha cge
| if we would If we detail the officer the
| President will command him there he
| President claims that State governments
exist already in those States, and he re pits
| the loyal men of those States to those gov
erumsnts for protection. IT We make this
| bill law, we take from him this plea. We
make it his duty to protect the persons and
property of the citizen by military power,
| and then if he fails to perform this solemn
duty, if one loyal man shall fall victim to
rebel hate, and by his failure to act, punIsh>
ment strict and stern shall not follow, then
for one will vote to impeach him and remove
him from the Office whose duties he will have
failed to discharge. The remedy is in our
hands We can protect loyal men by this bill.
| This bill secures the great principle of
universal manhood suffrage. the only founda'
tion upon which republican governments can
safely and justly rest. 1t for the first time
makes real and practical the principle we
have SO long acknowledged in words, that
| governments derive their just powers from
the consent of the governed. 1t is idle for
US to enact i'll words that all men shall have
the right to be heard in the formation of the
laws of which they are to be governed, unless
we sustain that enattment in those rebel
States by military power. This bill does
both. With the most solemn law that coald
be eaaetea negro could not vote in the
South except he was protected in his right
by military power This bill. if it becomes
the basis of reconstruction, secures the adop-
ton of the constitutional amendment, W hich
ha. been decided to be essential and just ny
the people with such remarkable unanimity.
Every principle embraced in the bill has
been approved and indersed by the people
en- phatically, except it be the principle OF
| manhood suffrage, which they will indorse
when the question is presented to them.
The only reason urged against this bill is
that ii does not, by congressional action,
II there is in any State a majority of loyal
men, white or black, they may limit the suf-
frage to suit themselves; if there Is not, the
question arises can VIC maintain republican
governments in States in which majority
of the inhabitants are disiranchised ? -can
we exclude from the ballot>box all the white
men in South Carolina and Louisiana ex xcapi
the very few who we're loyal, and place the
State governments in the hands of the negroes
alone And what good end would be ac-
complished thereby? In . very few years
the governments of those States would be
controlled by those who. too young to take
active part in the rebellion, could not be ex'
eluded from the ballot, but yet who, inherit
ing the feelings, opinions, and the natures o
their parents, would be as disloyal as they
1t s impossible permanently by mere legisla
tion to keep the government of those State:
, in the hands Of loyal men but then it ii
asked, Shall we abandon the loyal men anC
t compel them to accept institutions to b'
framed for them by rebels which will be op
pressivs and will crush them out BY nj