The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1868-05-06

rcoxT1NUEp FROM FIRST PAGE.l
Cir the only policy under which the
s4otas of this Union or the people can pros
49, ID that which honestly administers ana
fsnr secures to all the Constitution, and
.oI;bits the exercise by the Fedeai COY.
trnment of any powers not therein grantz
= The right of selfgovernment cannot
- denied or infringed upon with safety to
~ rommonwealth. The course that Con-
~ross has pursued, and is pursuing in the
a.osace of this bill, will not restore good
rovernment and prosperity to Alabama
The wrong and injustice of forcing gov
ernment upon her people against their viii
not soon be forgotten. The memory OF 1t
vii, be transmitted from father to son, and
will assuredly bring the result which a
souse Of oppression and injury never f2ll
n produce. The exercise of a little mag
naIimity, generosity, forgiveness and
blindness by the conqueror would have set-
fled all our difficulties long ago; would
have restored the States to the Union, aud
nrosperity and happiness to the people
With this spirit the victorious North should
have met its conquered countrymen'
christian charity can do more now than
m army with banners. A withdrawal OF
The armies and restoration Of the govern
ment into the hands of the people is all
that is necessary. That would restore the
happiness and prosperity of former days
the happiness and prosperity which VIII
never come of subjugation, oppression, ana
wrong.
Mr.. Speaker, no man has been more de-
sirous and anxious, believe than myself
that the State of Alabama and the other
excluded States should be represented IN
Congress. believe she has been Tor Oh
most three years justly entitled to have her
Representatives on this floor and IN the
Senate. She has been, against all law ana
all precedents, wrongfuly and unjustly ex'
c,u1ed. But cannot be party to this
bastard constitution, this negro govern
ment. ] cannot recognize this as the State
or constitution Of the State cannot oy
, any act of mine consent to this outrage
: not upon Alabama only, but upon the peo'
nile Of all the States now represented IN
y CONGRESS. I cannot consent that seventy
thousand negroes shall be the depositarles
of the government Of that great State; that
10 them shall be committed the future des
g finies of half q million Of my own race
that they shall send seven Representatives
TO this House and two Senators to the
1 Senate, when eight hundred thousand white
citizens of my own State Of Wisconsin can
have but six Representatives and two Sen
ators. This constitution may be good o.
bad; / would not vote to fasten eonssl
tption. the best the world ever saw, upor
an unwilling people. To command my
support it must be the voluntary choice 0
those who are to live under it.
With my views I could not vote Thu:
constitution upon the people Of that Stat
ifis had been made by the angels in heav
en-, instead of having been dictated BY Con
gress, and enforced by the, despotic powe
:. of the army It matters little what tn
constitution Of government may be !; If i
be not the choice of the people it will b
considered and felt to be q most uyus
and grinding despotism, cruel and oppres
siye burden. The lightest oppression Il
too heavy for the proud and brave long tt
hear The iron in the soul wounds mor'
deeply than menacles upon the limbs
There is no agony like that the spirit feel
when crushed and bowed down by WronE
aud oppression. The burdens We tax
upon ourselves, and bear with ease ant
pleasure would, il forced upon us by 9th
ers, crush us,to 6he earth. If it the free
the unfettered spirit that can do and Draw
and bear. The load the freeman carrie
would crush the slave. The consciousness
that the man is free gives him power to d.
ii .a{.onoo to endure
Mr.. Speaker, the acts of to-day will Al
feet this Republic for all time to come 70
good or for ill. Our footprints, as we ar
now moving along, will remain till the dus
Of ages shall cover them up, unless, as W
have reason greatly to fear, the gatherini
.storm Of revolution or the rising passion
Of wronged and outraged people shal
wash them out with blood. The idea of th
people Of that State, the whitepeople, bor
in freedom and accustomed to it's enjoy
ment, submitting to constitution forme
and forced upon them as this is to be, i
utterly absurd and preposterous, | hay
not SO mean on opinion of my country
men, my own race, the white people of A
ALBANIA, as to believe it. They may ,sut
nit they win submit SO long as they ar
in thepresence of and awed by standing al
mics, and no longer. The time viii assul
eddy come when the pride ofrace and bloc
will not brook the domination of iuferio
men; when the white people of that State
conscious of the great wrong and injustic
inflicted upon them by the unhallove
hand of despotic power, and conscious, too
of their God given strength and their righ
to be free, will rise in their might an
drive the African rulers you shall plae
over them into the sea, They will regar
as little the constitution enforced upo
4. III , Al r