The Evansville journal., 1868-02-21
sauIts Ion ang Denoerat Of the Ohi-


the legislation 10 which 4 have called
your attention, had not that legisla-
ton been stricken from ex istenee by
the enactments Of Congress and the
strong arm of military power,
Suppose a discharged Union sol
der, with the Uniform Of his country
still upon his back. but laboring un-
der the double misfortune Of having
given one OF his limbs 20 his country,
and Of having a black-skin, to be a
resident Of Mississippi, aud 10 be as
sessed with the special poll tax Of
which mention has already been made.
Suppose him not to have the money
with whiehito pay this tax; and sup
pose another discharged soldier, wear
ing the Confederate grey, to have been
elevated, in consequence of his devo-
tiOn to the rebel cause, TO the Office Of
Tax Collector, by his admiring fellow
rebels. Behold the rebel soldier
clutch the black man dressed in blue,
and place him upon the block and
expose him to sale, to pay tax from
which the rebel auctioneer is exempt.
In witnessing such a scene as this,
think you that the heart or hand Of
the Northern man who venerates a
mother, or loves a sister or wife, would
be In favor Of the rebel manseller.
But again, think / see in Missis-
sippi two discharged white soldiers,
both maimed by wounds received in
battle, the one still wearing the loyal
blue, the other the Confederate grey;
each was faithful to the cause for
which he fought; the man in grey,
because Of his fidelity to the rebel
lion, Is exempt from paying poll tax,
and has been elected Sheriff OF the
county. Behold him march off the
Union soldier, to perform six days Of
labor to raise a fund, one
fifth Of which is to 60 to the man in
grey, and other disabled rebels, to
compensate them for their sufferings
in attempting to destroy the Govern
ment to which both alike owed allie
glance. In whose favor would the
heart and hand Of the Northern man
be, under such circumstances, if not
himself at heart a traitor2 Would
he not, amid such surroundings, sing
=" Wen rally round the flag, boys,
we II rally once again, before we will
tolerate the preparation of such out
RACES under color of law?
But / must proceed to other ques-
tions Of fact involved in the issue
The Democracy assert and we deny
that the PEOPLE Of all the Southern
States adopted the Presidents recon-
mendatioDs, and elected delegates to
constitutions we're made,
voted upon. and ratified.
How stand the facts? There are two
classes of rebel States that are still
without representation In Congress.
La the first class is Virginia, LOuisi-
ma and Arkansas, in each of which
here was some sort Of State organic
ltion claiming to be the legitimate
government OF the State at the time
Mr. j ohnson commenced his work of
As to these three
states, he appointed no provisional
Governors, and provided for no CEN
7entions, but recognized the Organlza-
ions existing at the close Of the war
IS the legitimate governments of these
States respectively.
The convention which amended, or
pretended to amend, the Constitution
# the State Of Virginia, met In Alex
ndria in the Summer of 1864, at a
ime when the greater portion Of that
,tate was in possession of the rebel
rmies. The record shows that the
ote on the amendment abolishing
lavery stood, ayes 13, to one nay. So
hat this grand constitutional cOnYen-
ion Of Virginia consisted Of four
cen members. who represented the
eople of Richmond, then the seat Of
OveTnment Of the rebel Confederacy,
S well as other portions Of the State
hen under rebel control To call
uch a meeting a convention Of the
eople of Virginia is to misrepresent
Is character, and to trife with the
ltelligence of the public, and / aver
hat the action of this convention
ever was submitted to, voted upon,
r ratified by any portion of the peo-
le of Virginia, not even by the peo
lie of the city of Alexandria. Can
onstitution so made or amended be
hiding on any person? And yet this
the constitution under which it is
lsisted that the present Virginia
tate organization must be recOg
lied.
What are the facts in relation to
In 1864 General Banks
sued military order providing for
le election Of a Constitutional Con
ention at a time when a great portion
the State was held by rebel armies,
I'D the Convention which assembled
nder this military order framed the
constitution which the Democratic
irty insists must now be recOg-
zed by Congress, because the
resident has seen proper to
eat the State organization formed
lder it as the legitimate State
of Louisiana. Congress
I'd more than once, before Mr.. John