The Fremont weekly journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County, Ohio) 1867-1877, 1867-07-26

REMARKS OF MR.. BlNGHaM,
IN RRPEY. TO
Mr.. Brooks and Mr. Wood,
;s OF NEW YORK -

,.sa Or NEW 1Ohh, i- -
s0a tie bill supplementary to oe act en-
titled "An oct 10 provids for the NOR.
e6feient government of fhe rebel States, y
passed on the I'd day of March, 1851,
and the act supplementary thereto,
passed on the 2Sd day Of AarcA, 1867,
MK. BINGHAM. Mr.. Speaker, ], had hoped
that when the committee appointed bJ hi,
House toreport for its consideration vbatese,
they might deem needful to the axecstion o.
the law Of reconstruction, had made q report
that adhered TO the legislation Of the Thirty.
Ninth and Fortieth Congresses, it would have
met with NO serious objection from gentle.
men on any side of the House. had hoped
that spirit OF patriotism 10 the considera-
ton of this great question would have risen
above the spirit of party, that gentlemen
would have forgotten IN this supreme mo-
ment OF the Republic that they were Repub-
licsns or Democrats, and would have remem.
bered that they were Amsricans-only
Anericans-baving but one Constitution
one country, and one destiny. -sa
l stand here 70 strip of the disguise Of
mere parnsans who object to giving to the
people Of those ten disorganized States, late
ly torn and distracted by armed rebellion, ,ths
power to speak for themselves, with the eon-
sent Of triumphant, compacted, and organ
lied nation. Is the nations will to be dis
regardedi Sir, instead Of meeting the ques-
ton in the spirit Ofpatriotism gentlemen, come
here and present themselves in the unnevia-
bic character Of mere eafers-up Of syilables
or snapper up Of unconsidsred trihes. That
is the quality Of the speech to which we hays
listened this morning from the learned and
scholarly gentlemen from New York, Mr..
Brooks. Aff
The honorable gentlemen has spoken eio-
quently of ths ancient time; be has dgelt up
on the dead past and forgotten the living
present; he has spoken in classic phrase oi
Sslamis and Plataea, Of Marathon aad Their
mopylae, the glorious recollections Of which
he has garnered mp and reproduced for our
instruction, but he has forgotten, the impsr-
ishable memories dear 10 the thinking head
and beating heart of the loyal millions Of
this land, which rise from the fields Of Shiloh
and Stone River, from Ohickamauga and
Kenoesaw, from Antietam and Gettysburg.
Ay, the gentlemen can speak Of fhe perisbsd
republics Of pagan sutiouity, Of their trials
and triumphs, but is forgetful of the gTsnder,
nobIer, and more enduring triumphs Of re-
publican America, the living and We trust
enduring hope of the world ~ r.
Having offered his glowing tribute to the
perished republics of Greece of three thou
sand years ago, the learned gentleman grows
eloquent over the Magma Charta which the
barons of England six hundred years sgo
vrung from the trembling hands Of M i'm
bccile king; but be has no remembrance Of
that nobler Magma Charta which Wishing
ton, whom the gentleman processes TO revere,
wrung from the hands Of another king, The
American Constitution; the supreme Law Of
the land, the revered charter Of liberties of
the great people whom We this day repre-.
sent.
submit, sir, with all Difference TO the
gentleman, that he has spoken In narrow,
partisan spirit, unworthy Of his great attain
ments and Of the people who accredit him ~
their Representative. sl3srs SO
Why, sir, the gentlemen with bis acknos-
lodged learning, with the experience which
be has derived from travel and from obser-
yatioa among men, strange as it may appear,
did not notice the marked difference between
the Magma Charta Of EnglaDd, to which be
referred, and the Magma Charta ofthe United
States Of America, as written in your Copsti-
tuition in words 30 plain ''that the wayfaring
man cannot err thersin." The gentlenian
read from the Magma Oharta Of England, that
no freeman shall be taken or disseized,"
&c., ''bui by ths Judgment Of his peers and
he law of the land" forgetful ofthe fact that
he words mo freeman" were Words of hmi-
latiou, and limited this charter at the time il
was adopted to one half the population Of
England, and forgetful also that those words
5f limitation were swept away by the Con.
stitution OF the United States, in which it 10
declared that mo person shall be deprived
of life, liberty, or property without due pro-
,ess of law" By that great law of ours it ID
not to be inquired whether a man is free"
by the laws Of England; 1t is only to be in
uuired is he a man, and therefore free by the
law Of the creative energy which bresthed
into his nostrils the breath of life, and be be-
rame living soul, endowed with the rights
Of life and liberty. 1t is not 10 be inquired,
sir, when any man invokes the majesty Of
American law in defense Of his rights,
whether European, an African, or an Asi-
.tic.sun touchdown en- him when It pleased
God 10 pour the first beam Of light upon his
Before that great law the
only question TO be asked Of the creature
:laiming its protection is this: IL be manf
Every man is entitled to the protection of
American law, because its divine spirit Of
equality declares that all men are created
equal. Under the Magna Charta Of six hum
dred years ago of which the gentlemen
speaks, the inquiry was not Whsiher the per-
son was man, but whether he was free
man BY the laws of Englandl
The gentleman having proceeded in this
manner 10 dispose of this bill it ID not sur
prising that his argument, before be got
through With it, should prove, a. it did, .
fsso Dc 50, not worthy, would say sith aH
respect to the gsntlemeu, either Of himselfor
of any member af this Houss. What does
the gentlemen sayf Why, that gov are dis
white men. DISTINGUISHING them
how longf During the temporary period
which may be occupied in reconstructiDg
and rebuilding civil institutions in the places
which the p,en 80 diefranchised have desc
lated and blasted by their Internal treason.
And alloE me to inquire v hat number Of
those traitors. sir, are disfranchisedf Not
more than twenty FIVE thoqsand, all told, out
Of a million and quarter Of freeman in the
ten insurgent States. But What instrunen-
tality has Il happened that even this tempor-
sry disfranehisement was made2 | answer,
sir, by the ACTION of the gentleman himself
and the party cooperating with him- The
gentleman and his party having insisted that
this disfranchisement should be put into the
bill, voted Sor it, and stand by it to-day.
In saving this cast no reproaeh upon any
gentleman Who originated this proYision Of
as measure, n0t Of Yelge-
ance, but of caution aud security.
Having said this much in answer to the
gentleman s argument, let me inquire when
those States shall be restored ss provided By
this law, what restric:io viii then remain
on the exercise Of the elective franchisef
None whatever. The gentleman, sir, dis
coursed eloGuently against denying 30 this
mere handful Of man, Who haye covered
themselves With treason and perjury as with
q garment, voice in the preliminary work
Of reconstruetinR those States. Yet, strange
to say, in the very neKt breath be denounced
As Infamous this proposed legislation on the
part of the nation to give to the whole peo-
pie voice hereafter in the control Of their
own local affairs. That is what makes this
legislation dear TO the American people; that
hereafter the great bvdy Of th3 peopie, all be-
ing free by the will Of the nation, shall have
a voice in their local affairs, even those who
conspired for the overthrow Of the
Government They are all by this lay per-
mitted 10 vote after ths restoration Of those
States, by the very te;ms OF the originalacts
Of this Congress aud of the proceeding Con-
gress. and of the bill now pending, supple
mentary thereto. This being 90, It does not
become the gentleman 10 mouth about de-
mocracy aud the rights Of free people, and
then arrive at the absurd conclusion that the
minority in the Stl;e of South Carolina must
hereafter and indefinitely control and govern
the overwhelming majority Of its nstural-
born freemen without giving them vote or
voice in the enactment Of their own laws.
Sir, / remember how eleven years ago,