New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1868-09-26

lieve it is necessary for the peace, quiet,
harmony and prosperity of the State here
alter. If i is not adopted, and the present
state of affairs exists as laid down In the
ninety-ninth article of the Constitution, in
| spite of any law that can be enacted it will
result IN collision and bloodshed In many
| individual cases; and there will be con-
slant source of irritation, rendering 1t diff
| cult to execute the laws of the country.
Therefore, with view to the peace, quiet,
harmony and prosperity of our State, L ap-
| peal to every Senator and every member Of
this Legislature to support this measure. 1t
| will have good and harmonious effect at
home, and win be hailed with Joy in all the
other States. and will operate as. an example
to other States, that will be followed by
them. .r .aa l.f
I now propose q call of the House, to sec
whether there is the requisite number pres
ent to pass this joint resolution.
The cali was made, and the requisite
number, twenty five, were found present
Mr.. Campbell: Mr.. President, | hoped
that before this question was put that there
would be disposition shown on the part of
gentlemen who favor the bill to explain more
especially their wishes and views in regard
to what consider most extraordinary and
| uncalled for measure. had hoped, sir, to
hear not only some gentleman upon the Re-
publican side show that this is fit and
| proper time to undo work which the peo-
| PlC vi pthbb nave uODt U1 Inelr GXDIeSs
| sion at the polls not more than five months
ago. had also hoped to hear from gentle
men on the other side of the house the views
and claims which they have to present why
the people of this State should suddenly
| and, as it appears to me, with so little
cause, take retrogressive step from their
| solemn action. listened with great deal
of care to the remarks of the Senator from
OHachita because he stands here confessedly
| one of the most honored and respected
| members of the Republican party and of
the citizens of the State. He is gentleman
to whom, from his long residence in this
| State and his intimate knowledge of its af-
fairs and the high esteem and even veners-
tion in which he is held by the people Of
all parties excepting those whose minds are
misled by the bitterness of partisan
rancor, / have listened with great
care, expecting that he would state
the best reasons and strongest arguments
that exist for this measure, which from the
first has appeared to my mind so uncalled for
and so fraught with mischief. When he
thinks it necessary to rise and advocate a
measure of this kind, it will secure attention
throughout the United States, and the peo-
pie will ask him for the reasons for this
sudden face-about in the policy of the State
l took down before me on paper the reasons
which he has alleged. They can be com,
prised in three words. 1t is for the sake of
forgiveness and conciliation, and to avoid
bloodshed.
Now, / wish to examine these reasons and
see whether they have weight enough to
justify the action proposed-whether they
are reasons really pertinent to this issue.
Let US examine the reasons which actu-
ated the Constitutional Convention in in
serting this article in the Constitution.
took occasion once before in an argument
upen this floor to characterize this article
as in my opinion, monument of stupidity.
-, ..arr.sI -. 4
effect practically, not to the object it pro-
fessed to attain, nor in relation to
the principle that lay at its founda-
ton. J thought it stupid for this
reason, that in pretending to be disfran.
chising clause and in pretending to exercise
justice over people who have properly and
legally forfeited their rights of franchise
and Of holding office it did only nothing.
My idea was that it did not accomplish
what it purported to accomplish.
Now sir, let US loook very briefly at what
I think was the object and the ground OF
such clause as this in the Constitution.
At the time this convention assembled,
this country had just recovered from the
war, and there were in it a large class o
} men who by their leadership, by their in.
r flueDce, by their great talents and power
l had mislead the people of this State into a
course of rebellion which entaied upon
! them untold losses and ruin. Not only
| t4Adtg c-Ai DAb SilAJC kuG wal ~ WAS AOIuU
that this republic was in condition unpre-
cedented in the history of any nation. II
had Just conquered and subjugated a most
gigantic rebellion which had threatened
the very existence of the republic, and had
aimed TO destroy the peace, liberty and
prosperity of our nation forever. These
men inaugurated this revolution, sir, for a
principle, and that principle was based up
On falsehoOd and oppression. 1t was at
tempted to destroy a government which
they themselves and Ethe Vice. President OF
the Confederacy had declared to be one OF
the best in the world to establish one
based upon principle of foul wrong and
oppression-based on the question of
slavery. And that is the reason why, in
the opinion of all lovers of their country
and of all good men, this act of rebellion
and thus attempt to destroy this country
was so wicked. 1t was not rebellion inau-
gurated for the sake of liberty, but it was
inaugurated in order to secure the power to
oppress others, and that was the ignominy
and the wickedness which attached TO then
action.
Now, sir, some of the greatest and proud.
est intellects of our land, of as stainless
character, of as great patriotism and love
for their country as exist in our land
thought that this was the proper time fol
the people of this country to stamp upoI
this effort and upon its insigators an(
leaders brand which may forever after bt
: an indellible mark of infamy; that mel
may hereafter shudder when man shal
. dare 10 raise his hand against the Govern.
ment and the execution of the laws because
they stand in the way of his aggran
! dizement.
The war, sir, in which the United States
! was victorious was not against the right OF
revolution for a Just cause, but it was
against the right of q revolution for a
wrong cause, for bad and wicked cause.
Now, how did we find ourselves at the
close of the war T? This Government
is founded upon the will of the people, and
! in 1t the governed are the governors. / will
Illustrate my meaning: In Englsnd, and in
any monarchy where rebellion has been
overcome. all they had to do was to restore
by amnesty the people who had been rebels
to their rights of life, liberty and property,
but there Is not an instance in history where
the people who have rebelled have been re.
stored to their power as governors over the
men who have conquered them. Yet, sir,
when we had conquered this rebellion we
found these facts staring us in the face
while no man raised HIS voice against par
doning and protecting these men IN all their
lrgal and civil rights, yet when this problem
met rs, if we restore these men to the rights
of suffrage we put the power in the hands of
men who have sought to destroy the govern
ment over those who were true to il. They
| were not the only rebels. There were lust
as bitter rebels and as rancoruus enemies to
the government of the United States in the
North as in the South, and these same men
are to day as bitter against the Government
and against its laws, and perhaps more so,
| than those in the south; and these men of
the South only wait for an opportunity to
unite with their old allies in the North TO
take the Government of the country into the
hands ot the very men who have sought
with parictdal hands to destroy it.