Brownlow's Knoxville Whig. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1866-1869, 1867-10-02
A Great Sneech.

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Below we give brief and cogent extract from
great speech Of the Hon John A. Bingham, of
Ohio. pronounced at New Market, Harrison county,
in that State, on the 24th of August. Mr.. Bing-
ham is one oC the ablest men in Congress, and was
prosecutor, on behalf Of the Government Of the as
rassins Of Abraham Lincold.
Mr.. Bingham said:
Il isa white mans government, is il Every
Intelligent man knows that in l7Ts, when they or
suized the first Constitution Of the United states
al Americv, South Carolina, who then as now
seemed possessed of devil, aroee in her place IN
that Congress and moved TO insert in the text Of the
Articles Of Confederation the word white" as en-
essential condition of American citizenship. 1t
was rejected with sCorn. The assembled represen-
tstives of threofourths Of all the people Of America
rejected It at that day Go lo0H at the record
You will find that eight States, embracing at les2t
thrseourths Of the people Of the United States We
ted unit against the proposition OF South Caro-
lima No such word shall 90 into your ConstitG-
ton they said Two States voted aye. One State
was equally divided, and did not vote on that ac-
count Two States we're not represented, but II
they had been, they would have voted solid against
the terrible blasphemy. They could not have al
tered the result if they had voted for IT, The word
white was rejected. Nine years afterwards they
framed your matchess Constitution Of government
nj Philadelphia known rs the Constitution OF the
United States The word white is not there. The
words naturalborn citizen" are there, and the man
Is natural-born fool who does not understand tns'
The term "natsralborn citizen implies shat citizen
ship is a brthright il comes with man into the
world. He has q right TO citizenship, no matter
What his complexion, upon the spot IN which nc
had his origin and the man who denies 1t TO nm
or attempts to withhold it from him, IS simply
monster When he comes to you with hls nestrums
you ought to look to herald his approach with the
cry Of the old cheating peddler; This is the genu
inc old Doctor Jacob Townsends ssrsaparllla. -
Lsughtcr.l 1 mean the Democrat who denies
that under the Constitution in our country VIII
the words "natural-born citizen incorporated II
the text citizenship is a birthright II is so.
Men of foreign climes, too by the text Of tina
Constitution, are admit 10 the rights and immu
mites Of citizens of the Republic. 1t is 50 writer
IN the body of the Constitution, where II Is declare
that Congress shall have power 10 pe's uniform nat
UrGlzaton laws: so that you have two kinds Of cit
izens-natve-born citizens and naturaliz-d citizens
When our fathers organized the Government the.
took care not 10 put in the word white aha the,
took care, at the same time, TO put n the word
natural born citizens They meant just what the,
ssid What is the result2 II is q white man
government is it Why, the very Arst bio ID she
for your independence and nationality, upon th
Sed Of Lexington, was the blood Of a black citize
of Massachusetts, End when they came 10 work
tbs victory had been achieved after the independ
sncs of the nstiOn had besn scknowledged-to OF
gsnfzs Constitution and Government Of the Uni
ted States in a majority OF States in the UnioI
black voted Win white men " game you
Government and es Ablfh it, and the man who de
mics that is simply ignorant Of the history Of hi
country. This thing OF "A white mans government
was modern invention, discovered in that san
eatool oil modern Democracy in which the right
5late 10 code and engage in open revolt again
lust and benitcent government was discovered
New York in 1920 alter her Constitution Of 77
which made al the inhabitants citizens of the Stat
and entitled 10 equal political rights 50 as TO e1clu
black men, orinlpose disabilities upon them at lea
in the exercise Of the elective franchise Pennsy
vania altered her ancient system Of governme'
under the Democratic instructions, in 1897. No
Carolina altered her ancient system Of governmel
which gave the black man the right 70 vote, in leS
So YOU see how the change YVES brought about.
I admit that the slaves in ahe then States Of {
Union were not permitted 10 enjoy any OF the pri
iegea Of freedmen but il was not by for Of
Constitution Of the United States that they we
held as slaves, nor was il in accordance with
Constitution Of tb0 United States that they were
priyed Of the rights and privileges Of citizenship
They were held in slavery In the original States ]