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

themselves, without regard 10 color. That
coestitutes republicans state, Ind that il the
whole question involved in all this legisls.
fien. Gentlemen who oppose such rule Of
equity and justice esn kardly lay elaim TO
the cnce proud title Of Democfat That is q
strange democracy which asserts the exciu-
awe right Of the minority TO rule o,a
{ But, say gentleuen, ''you are exercising
tyrsnBy over these States" What was Just
said By the gentleman Mr.. WooD 1who also
opposed this bill7 Thatthe President Of the
United States appointed civil goyernefs over
those Statesi The gentleman ouzht 10 have
gone further 10 make tho record perfect and
ssid that the President had NOE only appoint
ed goEerncrs over these States, but pre-
scribed the terms and conditions upon which
the whole peopls Of thoss States should rs-
construct the shattered fabric Of their State
institutions. do not stop now to discuss
ths question of ths Presidents power thus
to govern any part Of this country. I did
say ence In my place here that the President
had not any more authority to do that than
the Gar Of Russia when the rebellion was
oyerthrown. But, sir, there was occasion for
doing something within the limits Of thoss
States for the establishment Of law and or
der. If any gentleman doubts this, l win
be obliged to him il he win express the
grounds Of his doubt.
Irspeat II, there was necessity for some
thing being done, and the question is by
whom should it be dones The legal gov
ernmeut of those ten States bad been totally
disorganized and destroyed through the i,-
struuentality Of this traitorous conspirscy.
There i not man, within The hearing Of
my voice who has any respect for the oath
under which he is bound here ss repressn-
tative Of the people but will say that from
the waters of the Potomac to the waters Of
the Rio 0raDde, within the limits Of those
ten insurgent States, there was not existing
at the time when Lee surrendered to Grant q
single State organization that had the right
to legislate on any subject Whatever. And
Why, sirf Because the Constitution Of your
country on It's face absolutely forbade It.
Why7 Because the Consultation declares a
. condition precedent to any legislation in
any State in this Union that every leginla-
tive, executive, and Judicial officer therein
shall be bound by oath to support the Con-
stitution Of the United States, aud that every
State shall have = government republican in
form and not iBc0nsisteht with the Oonstitu-
ton Of the United States and the laws and
treaties made IN pursuance thereof. fees
There was not on the day Of the surrender
IN one Of those States single State officer
bound By an oath to support the Constitution
Of the United States; on thscontrury every
officer therein had taken al oath to over.
throH the Constitution. do not stop tol
talk about the rights Of disorgnDized Statss,
md disorganized too BY reason OF their own
treason. The simple fact was and is, and no
sensible man in America can deny IL, the
people Of those States BY their treason had
succeeded in Overturning and AnDihilatiDg
heir pfeexisting State governments, and
we're simply disorgsnized communities with
in the general Jurisdiction Of the United
States and subject to the laws Of the United
States. Something had to be done to restore
hem !. In this work Of restoration the nation
had frst to be consulted. Before restoration
Nd preparatory thereto, security, irrspeal-
,hls security, for the future was TO be taken
By the nation-the frsenen of organized
constitutional States who had crushed re;
oellion and maintained through their organ |
zed loyal States, American nationality. |
American nationality never existed other |
wise, and while your Constitution stands |
never can exist otherwise tnan through or
ysnizsd republican constitutional States Of
he Union.
Every Representative upon every side Of
his House has thus declared, under the OBJ
igstiou Of his oath, that the national win is
'xciusiyeiy declared oy the Representatives
rnia organized States IN Congress- ssaembied.
Nho is there here to aay that any but loyal
'Tganized States within this Union can right
ally elect Congress and legislats under the
Constitution for the people OF every State and
Territory There il no other power that can
make national laws under the Constitution,
'ither Tor the orgsnized or the disofganized
states, tor all legislative power granted by
ne CONSTITUTION n vested IN congress. This
Iongress OF the Constitution submitted tothe
'eople Of the organized States an amendment
II the Constitution az the basis Of ri storztion
md future security. The loyal people have
lcted upon the amendment 80 submittsd,
ave ratified It, and demanded its acceptance
y the several disoFganized States a. a con-
litlon OF their restoration to political power. |
BY this action the people haye decided, 10
act aud IN law, that the provisions Of the
vending oil and OF the acts TO which 1t Is |
supplementary, which but provide the means
or the acceptance OF the constitutional amend |
nent and the reorganization OF rePubiicao
'ovefnnents IN confOrIaity Herewith In the
ate insurgent States, shall De carried into
fleet. Let it be borne in mind that the peo-
We OF twenty oos Of the twenty-s States
epfesenfed here have solemnly ratified the
fourteenth Article Of amendment to your
constitution, which declares upon lts very
ore 'front.' that all persons born In this coun- |
~, irrespective OF coior-
Are citizens OF the hepuolc, and that no |
'tsss OF TINS mon snal make OF eni1rce any |
aS wh,cn soan aoridge me priTnfgea or |
nmsn,ses o. eitizens o. the United statea
ler snail any state deprive any psfson OF liis. |
ioefsy, oft property withoul ane process OF
aw: nor deny 70 any person WITHIN Ttsl uns. |
iicuon the equal PLotecuon OF fae laws; ana
ne Coagress shah saNe power py aPProPn-
lts iegiaiauon 70 ENFORCE tnis provision.
sir, u Is me natlon . exPressea WI! that
eas afueie 81 amendment anal % conditaen |
= restoration. Let gentlemen EAre nov
neJ atiempt 70 stand s1is dsy ~ the wsy Of |
ne execution OF ths declared vlil Of the ns-
aon. Q. human ingenuity eanaot torture t1e
a ne ss q. s:s viii Vii = 6 :