Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1868-01-22
The DemocratIe RECORD.

Senator Stewart, OF Nevada, fred a
centre shot in his brief reply to Garrett
Davis, of Kentucky, when he said,
few days ago:
In the first place, Congress found or
carnations in existence in the South
that were IN rebel hands-that were
persecu ting loyal men--that were OBJ
structing the process Of Law. In fact
there were no loyal governments IN the
South. How did we commencel We
commenced by attempting TO relieve
the difficulty without negro suffrage.
We passed the civil rights bill. The
President vetoed it. Il was opposed
in the South it was declared uncon
stitutional by the judges in the South
it was not executed. Civil rights were
denied to the negro, which all the
Democrats now say they ought to have.
They say they will give them civil
rights. Why did they not give them
civil rights under the civil rights bill,
and execute the law ? The President
had vetoed it, aud the reasoning of his
veto message was followed by those
who had charge Of the execution ofthe
law.
We then passed Rreedmen's Bu-
reau bill. That was imperative ex-
cept in the immediate presence Of the
military commanders. The objection
made to these measures was that they
we're unconstitutional. AL admitted
the Justice of the civil rights bill, but
i was opposed on technical grounds
Congress lhen sought 10 remedy that
difficulty, and how? By proposing a
constitutional law to deny the power of
the State organizations to deprive any
citizen of his civil rights, with other
provisions. This was submitted to the
States; and this was rejected by the
rebels; rejected by the johnson party.
| rejected by the Democrats. They said
they would not give black men in the
South civil rights; that they would
not have them protected that they
would not give them the aid of the
machinery of the GoYernment;that they
would not allow loyal men to be pro-
tected in the South. In other words,
they repudiated every proposition for
constitutionally guaranteeing to each
citizen hisciyil rights. What Was to
be done nextl There s8ere in the
South a large n1ass of people, black
and white, who were loyal 10 this Gov.
eminent, who we're oppressed by the
unjust refusal on the part, of the
/ Democratic party and those operating
with them, who we're denied their civil
rights to whom there was no protec.
ton. It1then became necessary either
4 70 provide loyal government, or surIen.
der the Southern country TO the hands
of rebels or rebel sympsthizsrs, lezy.
I ing loyal men unprotected By any law,
leaving them to the generosity of the
rebels, who had been exaspersted
against the negro and against the South
ern loyalists by our action IN suppress
sing the rebellion and hberating slaves.
! Were We to turn our friends-those
who had been true to the Union-oVer
TO the tender mercies of those who
had made war upon the Union; to
turn them over TO the tender mercies
of their exaspersted enemies, who re-
fuse to sanction any law whereby they
were to be projected in their civil
rights? Congress passed reconstrue
ZION acts, whereby they conferred the
right of suffrage, not upon the blacks
alone, but upon the whites, excluding
a very small class, whereby they placed
in the hands of the oppressed and the
prosecuted the power Of selfprotection.
You say that this was usurpation. /
am sorry that the President Of the
United States has used that argument
in Visw of his own conduct in view OF
the fact that he undertook 10 set up
goTernnent himself, with restrictions
/ which involved she exercise, OF the
identical power that Congress exer,
cised. There is no party that can say
| it is free from the exercise of this pow
! er.