The Waynesburg Republican. [volume] (Waynesburg, Pa.) 1867-18??, 1868-02-05

/ Hlannefnnd M tile lowest rates.
| adhered to the miserable dogma that
this was the white mans Government,
but because | entertained fears about
at once entrusting a large body of men
iust'from slavery, to whom education
had-boen denied by law, to whom the
marriage relation had been denied,
who had been made the bqsest and
most aeiect slaves, with political
power. And as the Senator has refers
red to speech which 1 made in Indi-
ana in 1865, allow, me to show the
principle that aetuatod me, for in that
speech | said
In regard to the question of admitting tho
freedmen ofthe SOuthren States to vote, while
admit the equal rights of all men. and that
in time III men viii have the fight to vote
without ysis;nctionnf color or: rncs, ! vet be.
lleve that in the case of four. million of
slaves just freed from bondage there should be
period of probation and preparation before
they arc brought to the exercise of political
power.
Such was my feeling at that time,
for it had not then been determined
by the bloody cxperience,of the last
two years tilat we could not recon-
struct upon the basis of the white
population, and such was the opinion
of a great majority of the people the
North and it was not until year
and halt after that time that Cons
grcss came to the conclusion that there
was no way left but to resort to
colorcd suffrage and to all men
except those who were disqualified BY
the commission of high crimes and
misdcmeanors.
Mr., President, we hear much said
in the course of this ,debate~ and
through the press about the violation
of the Constitution. 1t is said that in
the reconstruction measures of Con-
grcss we have gone outside of the Con-
stItutlon, and the remark of some dis
tinguished statesmanrof the Republic
can party is quoted to that effect. Sir,
if any leading Republican has ever
said so he spoke only for himself, not
for another. deny the statement
IN toto. | insist that these reconstruc-
tion measures are as fully within the
powers Of the Constitution as any leg
islation that can be had not only by
reason but by authority. And who
are the men that are talking so much.
about the violation of the Constitution
and who pretend to be the especial
friends ofthat instrument? The great
mass OF them only three years ago
were in arms to- oYertprn the Consti-
tuition and establish that Of Mont
gomery in its place, or were their
northern friends, who were aiding and
sympathizing in that undertaking. 1
| had OCCASION the other day to
speak of what was described as q con-
Union man-a man living
inside of the Federal lines during the
war, sympathizng with the rebellion,
and who endeavoreh to aid the rebel
lion by insisting that every war meas
nre for the purpose Of suppressing it
was violation of the Constitution of
the United States. Now, these men
who claim to be the especial friends
he Constitution are the men who
have sought to destroy it by force of
rms, and those throughout the coun-
ry who have given them aid and
comfort. Sir, you will remember that .
'nco a celebrated French woman was
,cing dragged to the scafold, and MS
he passed the statue Of liberty she
exclaimed: elbow many crimes have
been committed in thy name;" and I
an say to the Constitution, how many
;rimes against liberty, humanity and
Progress are being committed in thy
lame by these men who, while they
owed not the Constitution and sought
is distinction, now, for party pur-
,oses, claim to befts especial friends.
My friend from Wisconsin yester-
lay compared what he called the Radi-
al party of the North to the radicals
# the South, and when he was asked
he question by some Senator, "who
re the radicals OF the South" he said
they are the seccssionists." Sir, the
ecessionists of the South are Demo-
rats to-day, acting in harmony and
oncert with the Democratic party.
They were Democrats during the war
Who prayed for the success Of McClel-
an and Pendleton, and who would g.
ave been glad to vote for them. They
we're Democrats during the war, men
Who sympatliized with the rebellion,
Who aided in bringing it on. These
re the radicals fthe South, and my
riend from Wisconsin, after all, is act,
ng with that radical party. -
The burden of his speech yesterday
vas that the reconstruction measures
# Congress are intended to establish
legro supremacy. Sir, this PROPOSE
ion is without any foundation what
.ver. 1bclieve l it was stated yester-
lay by the Senator from Illinois CMr.
rrumbull] that in every State but
wo the white voters registered out
numbered the .colored voters and the
act that in two States the colored voters
the white voters is ow-
ne to the simple accident that there
.ro more colored men in those States
han there are white men. Congress
las not sought to establish negro su-
,remacy, nor has it sought to establish
he supremacy of any class or party Of
nen. If it had sought to establish
icgro supremacy it would have been
IN easy matter by excluding from the
light Of suffrage all men who had been
in tho rohollio ~, - oo.<.