Indiana American. [volume] (Brookville, Ind.) 1865-1872, 1868-03-06
REPUBLICAN CONVENTION
GOVERNOR BAKERS SPEECH.
Able Review Of the Situation.


The time has arrived when another OF
those great periodical contests which are
incident to popular governments is about
to be insugurated. The principles, how
ever. for which we shall contsnd in the
impending Struggle are the same for which
the loyal, liberty loving Union men Of the
country have been continually battling
since the commencement OF the rebellion
in 1861.
However some men may desire to for
get the record of individuals aud Of par
ties during the years intervening between
the reduction of Fort Sumter and the
surrender Of the rebel armies of Lee and
Johnston, the ghosts Of The past will not
down at their bidding; aud the same men
who made the Hartford Convention 40
duty for them against political opponents
who were in nowise responsible for its
action, must be made to remember that
that Convention was pattern Of loyalty
when compared with the Chicago conclaye
of 1864.
The Republican party would be false
to itself aud false to the country If il per-
mitted the so o-caIled Democratic party TO
assume the offensive now. That party ID
still the prisoner in the dock, on trial for
its life st the bar of the nation, and no
amount of denunciauon of the prosecuting
officers. no amount of special pleading,
can divert the minds of the triors from
the real issue. which is Guilty or not
guilty" oil comprising the death Of the
Republic.
sleu who. during the war, denounced
greeDbacks MS unconstitutional, aud not
possessing even the righteousness Of filthy
rags, may now pretend to be 50 ensnored
of them as to propose to inundaie the
country with paper money by their un-
limited issue.
Men who, at Chicago and elsewhere,
denounced test oaths as the invention OF
tyranny, may now pretend to rely upon
the irou clad oath as sufficient security
against the admission of rebels to Con-
.gress.
Men who, during the war, denounced
the draft, and boasted that they had never
asked any man TO volunteer. aud who as
seyera,ed that the Union could not be
restored by force, may now "resolve" aud
re.resolss that the Union has thus been
restored, and that they did Il. but still the
Intelligent people OF the country will ap--
ply 10 them the ibialllble rule of judg
ment 'by thy fruits We shall know them.
aud allow them to take those eligible back
seats to which their friend, Mr. johnson,
So politely invited them in lS6i.
4 he restoration of the States lately in
rebellion to their practical relations TO the
Government of the United States, is the
paramount question OF the day, on the
proper solution OF which all subordinate
questions in large measure depend. Two
distinct plans of reconstruction are pre-
sented to the country-the one known as
the Presidential plan, aud which now has
the support OF the Democratic party; the
other. known as the Congressional plan,
which has the indorsemcpt OF the great
loyal Union Republican purty, but ioI
whose efforts during tho war no plan oi
reconstruction would now be possible
The advo Gates of these two distinct plan:
OF reconstruction differ both as 10 tho Law
and tho facts which enter into any in-
quiry involving the merits Of each.
ihh QoEnitoN Al ISSUE
The subject, therefore, naturally divide,
itsoIf into the two following questions
under which propose to treat ie
Ist. What are the facts affecting th.
merits OF the two plans of reconstruction
now proposed 10 tho country
%. What is the legal status of tn,
States lately Ia rebellion, aud what az,
the constitutional powers OF Congress aut
the Pfesident respectively over the ques
tions involsed IN their resloration2
II the iacts are as the organs Of Dem
ocratic public opinion assert them TO be
Congress might we'll, for the sake OF ac-
complishing sreedy restoration Of ,h'
reyoited States, waive any irregularille
in the Presidential proceedings, aud ratill
acts which are believed to be beyond ,h'
scope OF the constitutional powers Of h,
Executive Department OF the Govern
ment
What, then, does tho Democratic part,
allege the facts 10 be which should indue,
Congress TO recognize tho state organiza
tions forined under tho auspices of ih
President as legal, valid State Govern
ments2 -
It's believed no better or faircr metho'
can be employed OF asoer,ainipg tho posi-
tion OF the Democratic party on thos
questions OF fact than by allowing thei
distinguished standard. bearer In thi
State, senator Hendricks, to state then
In bis own language. Tie said, Ia his sll
of January speech, aud Substantially 70.
iterated the statement ia subsequen
speech in the Senate:
lst. That after the close of the war, th,
people OF the South "entirely acquiosce,
In the results of the war, yielded obedi.
enee TO Law aud respect to the authorit,
Of the United States"
I'd. "That the people Of oil the South
ern States adopted the Presidents rec
concentrations, aud elected delegates 4
Conventions; Constitutions we're made
submitted, voted upon. aud ratified"
3D.. "That Ia each State Constitution
slavery wns prohibited; their debt con.
traoted In the rebellion was rcpudiated
the right OF secession was expressly an,
la tho most solemn manner abandoned d
and their several ordinances Of sccessio,
were repudiated aud declared invalid
9TH. These Constitutions were approves
and ratified according TO tho forms Away
respected, aud were acceptable 20 th
people, both North and South"
II these propositions were true, or eve,
l. -. -. Al. g.