The Plymouth weekly Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1860-1869, 1868-02-20

| as amended in North Carolina not right
Our fathers said twas right VIXEN they form
ed the Union with North Carolina as one of
the original thirteen they said it was re-
publican form of government, and they lived
with North Carolina contented and well until
this rebellion came on and then, when the
state haG came through the war with her
constitution still in force as legal document
and the people. amended it only in three or
four particulars, Chose three particulars that
1 mentioned being the material and important
ones, namely, abelishing slavery, declaring
secession vicious doctrine, and declaring that
the rebel debt should never be paid,) want
to know why, then, you made war upon 1t?
When these amendments were thus made
what was there in the constitution of North
Carolina that your judgements andyour con-
sciences condemned? If North Carolina
came with her old constitution and abolished
slavery and adopted these other amendments
why did you not let her in?
You cannot say to me that you did, n OF in,
tend traitors to come here and sit with you
because you had passed law in 1862 saying
that no man who had given aid to the rebel
lion should sit here. You claim that law to
| be valid and constitutional, and that it keeps
out of these chambers and from every FEEDER
al office every man that participated in the
rebellion or gave it aid or comfort. Then
why have you kept this country distracted,
its esssdisturbed,..t the hopes Of the peo-
pie depressed, for two years, when these con-
situations with these provisions come to you,
and there is nothing to do but to admit the
states to representation Answer tina: ques-
ton to the judgement of the country, and
your policy of reconstruction will stand bet
ter in popular judgement
What has been done since! What have
you accomplished by this delay? You can
lay your hand Of logic upon but one thing.
You have not abolished slavery, because that
was done before you commenced, by q consti-
tuition that the people of each state in the
south were satisfied with. What have you
done to make it any better than the Johnson
policy made it? You have excluded from the
right of voting portion of the white people,
and you have given the right to vote to the
1
thing that you have done by:this controversy
and strife, this disturbance of the country
reflections of constitutions agreed to by the
people-if you can tell me of anything else
you have accomplished, 1 should like to know
what it is. You have taken the robes of po-
litical power off the shoulders Of white men
and you have put them upon the shoulders OF
negroes.
| Gentlemen may n,oralize in solemn tone
as If they came from the tomb, about the gal
groes in the war. / can tell you that, with
all the political ambition you have not pow.
er to take the garlands from the brows of the
white soldiers and put them on the heads el
the negroes. You cannot do it. What is
right will stand. And can tell you that all
over this land, in every neighborhood, there
are the soldiers tina: have returned home who
will vindicate and defend their honor against
this effort to appropriate the glory of the
white "boys" to the negroes. There is not
battle in the war that was won by the negroes
There is not point that was carried by them.
That they did their duty am not going now
to questions but it was the courage and the
high qualities of the white troops of the
North that carried our flag in triumph from
the Potomac to the Gulf.
Then, sir, to return to The question, why
have you pursued this course? The com.
manding general of the army said that the
public sentiment at the close ofthc war was
in most healthy condition. My colleague
bore testimony of like character. That was
the judgement of all men in the country
The condition of the country was auspicions
and the popular mind was in proper condition
for free government then, and we ought to
have taken Advantage Of it. And the presi
dent and the people did tske advantage of it
and amendments to the state constitutions
were adopted that you say to-day were right.
Now, want to know why it is that these
states have been kept out; that loyal repre-
sentatives have been denied admission that
controversy has been kept up over the coun.
try, and strife instead ofspcace and quiet :
have my opinion about it, twas necessary
for party ends.
But, Mr.. President, If concede oil that
you claim, that you have the power under the
clause of the constitution which has been so
frequently referred to, to reorganize the state
have you exercised? You claim that your
power, your duty is to guaranty to the states
| republican forms ofgovernmcnt. Have you
done it? will barely refer to the principles
you have established. What is republican
form of government?
Now, sir, / think a republican form of gov
eminent is form of government in which
the people make their own laws through leg
/ islators selected by themselves execute their
laws through an executive department. chosen
by themselves, and administer their laws
through their own courts. Isnot that as near
republican form of government as you can
haves That was the state of things when the
congressional policy sent five armies into the
southern states when ten governors were dc.
posed by the paramount authority of the
military power.
4 Concluded next week.)
Murder by a Convict.
/ FORT WAYNE, Ind, Feb. II.
On last Saturday night, constable Chas.