Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1867-07-24

RE q o N TRUC TT0N.
spEEcn on MR. pINeHAM or ONO

SPEECH OF MIR. BINGHAM OF ONO
In House Of Representatives. Jiiy 9TH, 1867.
Mr. Speaker, | had hoped that when the com
mittee appointed By this House to report for its
consideration whatever they might deem needfu
TO the execution Of the law of reconstruction had
made report that adhered 20 the Legislation of
the Thirty-Ninth and Fortieth Congress, it would
have met with no serious objection from gentle-
men on any side of the House had hoped that
a spirit Of patriotism in the consideration OF this
great question would have risen above the spirit
OF party, that gentlemen would have forgotten in
this supreme moment of the Bepubhc that they
were Republicans or Democrats, and wonld have
remembered that they were Americans only
Amercans-havng but one Constitution, one
country and one destiny.
| stand here to strip off the disguises Of mere
partisans who object to giving 70 the people of
those ten disorgauized States, lately torn and dis
tracted by armed rebellion, W power to speak for
themselves, with the consent OF triumphant, com
pacted. and organized nation, Is the nations will
TO be disregarded2 Sir, instead of meeting the
question in the spirit Of patriotism, gentlemen
come here and present Themselves ia the unenva-
Bile character OF the mere eater-up of sylables or
snapper-up of uuconsidered trles That is the
quality OF the epeech TO which have listened
this morning from the learned and scholarly gen
teman from New York, Mr. BROOKs.
The honorable gentleman has spoken eoquently
Of the ancient time bee has dwelt upon the dead
past aud forgotten the living present; he has
spoken in classic phrase Of Saamis aud Platiea, Of
Marathon and Ihermopy@, the glorious recollec-
tons of which he has garnered up and repro luced
for our instruction, but he has forgotten, sadly for
gotten, the impershahle memories dear to the
thinking head and beating heart Of the loyal mil
lions Of this land, which rise from the fields Of
Shiloh and Stone river from ChickamaugA and
kenuesaw, from Autietam and Gettysburg Ay,
the gentleman can speak Of the perished republics
q l 3D.. nd frffff
but is iorgetlul OF the grander, nobler, and more
enduring trumphs of republican America, the liy-
ing and we trust enduring hope Of the world.
Having offered his glowing tribute to the per-
ished republics Of Greece OF three thousand years
ago, the learned gentleman grows eloquent over
the Magma Charta which the barons Of England
six hundred years ago wrung from the trembling
hands Of an imbecile king; but he has no remem-
brlnce OF that nobler Magma CIarta which Wash
iugtou, whom the gentleman processes to revere,
wrung from the hands Of another king, the Ameri-
can Constitution, the same supreme law OF the
land. the reycred charter Of the liberties of the
great people whom we this day represent.
| submit, sir, with all Difference TO the gentle
man, that he has spoken in a narrow, partisan
spirit unworthy of his great atainments and OF tue
people who aceredit him as their Representative.
Why. sir. the gentleman with hls acknowledged
learning, with the experience which he has derived
from travel and from observation among men.
strange it may appear, did not notice the marked
difference between the Magma Charta OF England
to which he referred, and the Magma Charta o.
the United States Of America, as written in youI
Constitution in words plain " shat the wayiar-
ing man cannot err therein The gentleman read
from the Magma Charta of England, that no free
man shall be taken or disseized,' &c, but by
judgment OF bis peers and the law o the land !
forgetful of the fact that the words no freeman
h were words of limitation, and limited this great
charter at the time 1t adopted TO one-halt the
Tl.l eli
these words OF Limitation were swept away by th'
Constitution OF the United States, in which 1t Is
declared that " person shall be deprived Of life
liberty or property without due process OF law.
BY that great law OF ours 1t Is not TO be inquired
whether mau is " free " by the laws Of England
it is only TO be inquired is he man, and there
fore free by the law Of that creative energy which
breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and
he became a living soul, endowed with the rlght'
Of life aud liberty. II is not TO be inquired, sir
when any man nvokes the majesty of American
law in defense of his rights whethera European
an African, Asiatlc sun looked down upor
him when it pleased God to pour the first beam o
light upon his understanding. Before that grea
law the only question to be asked of the creatur,
claiming its protection, is this Is he man =
Every man is entitled to the protection Of Amen
eau law, because It's divine spirit OF equality de
cares that all men created equal Under The
Magma CLarta of six hundred years ago of whicl
the gentleman speaks, the inquiry was not wheth
er the person was man, but whether he
freeman by the laws of England
The gentleman having proceeded in this manne
10 dispose of this bill, it is not surprising that hi
argument, before he got through with it, shoul'
prove, as it did, telo de Sc not worthy, | woul'
say with all respect to the gentleman, either O
himself or of any member Of this House. Wha
does the gentleman say? Why, that you are dis
franchsing white men DISTINGUISHING them no,
longy Daring the temporary period which ma
institutions in the place which the men disfran
chised have desolated and blasted by their infer
nal treason. And allow me TO inquire what nun
Der Of those traitors, sir are disiranchlsedI No
more than twenty-five thousand, all told, ont OF
million and quarter of freemen in the ten insur
gent Stat BY what instrumentality has it hap
prned that even this temporary disfranchisemen
was made? | answer, sir, by the action OF th
gentleman himself aud the party cooperating wit
hm The gentleman aud his party having insist
ed that this disfauchsemeut should be put int
"e the bill | voted for it, and stand by it to-day.
mt In saying this reproach upon any gentle
er man who originated this provision Of disfranchsC
he ment as measure, not OF vengeance, but OF cat
on ton and security.
Having said this much in answer to the gentle
mans argument let me inquire when those State
shall be restored as provided by this law, what re
striction will then remain on the exercise of Oh
elective franchise? None whatever. The gentl,
e" man, sir, discoursed eloquenty against denyin
ew to this mere handful OF men, who have covere
"a themselves with treason and perjury with ga
ment a voice in the preliminary work Of recoi
structng those Statet Yet strange to say,
tae very next breath he denounced iniamol
'n this proposed legislation on the part Of the nato
N to give to the whole people voice hereafter in II
he control of their own local affairs. That is VIII
by makes this legislation dear to the American people
that hereafter the great body of the people, all b
ing free by the viii of the nation, shall haye
SIC voice in their local affairs even those who heret
ns fore have conspired for the overthrow Of the Co
by ernment. They are all by this law permitted
vote after the restoration Of those States, by Il
very terms Of the original acts Of this CongIe
er' and Of the preceding Congress, and ofihe bill no
ier pending supplementary thereto. This being 81
on it does not become the gentleman to mouth abo
for democracy and the rights OF a free people, al
then arrive at the absurd conclusion that the III
nority in the State OF South Carolina must herea
'ed ter and indefinitely control and govern the owe
rk- whoming majority of its natural born freemt
ph, without giving them vote or voice in the enac
ment OF their own laws.
Sir, remember how eleven years ago, when
hs rose in my place within your own hearing, wh'
ant we We're both entering upon the discharge of o.
md duties here Representatives of ths people al