Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1868-02-06

~, ~ ~ ssents oi the pretended Confsder-
sand dollars"
And twelve other classes, estimated "a
number at leat two hundred and fifty
thousand or three hundred thousa ID
men, while the disfranchisement that
has been created by Congress does moi
extend perhaps TO more than forty-five
or hfty thousand persons at the furthest
These provisional Governors, under au.
thority OF the President, were to call
conventions; they were to hold elections,
and they were TO count the votes; they
were to exercise all the powers that are
being exercised by the military com-
manders under the reconstruction acts
Of Congress. After these constitutions
were formed the President went forward
and accepted them as being loyal and
republican in their character. He au-
thorized the voters under them to uro-
ceed TO elect Legislatures, members OF
Congress, and Legislatures to elect Sem
ators to take their seats in this body
In other words, the President launched
those Stste governments into full life and
ACTIVITY without consultation with or CO.
operation on the part of Congress.
WV Sly nheil IL Is ClalUle0 l6at these
governments are legal, let it be remem-
bered that they took their origin under
proceeding instituted by the President
Of the United States in the execution OF
this guarantee, when it now stands con-
icssed that be could not execute the guar
antee. But even if he had the power.
let it be further borne in mind that those
constitutions were formed by ccnyen-
tions that were elected by less than one
third of the white voters in the States
at that time that the conventions were
elected by small minority even of the
white voters; and that those constitutions
thus formed by q very small minority
have never been submitted to the people
OF those States for ratification. They
are no more the constitutions OF those
States to-day than the Constitutions
formed by the conventions now in ses-
sion would be if We were to proclaim
them to be the Constitutions of those
States without having first submitted
them to the people for ratification. How
can it be pretended for a moment. even
admitting that the President had the
power TO start forward in the work OF
reconstruction, that those State Govern
ments are legal, formed by small min
ority, never ratified by the people, the
people never having had chance TO vote
for them. They stand as mere arbitrary
constitutions, established not by the pen.
pie Of the several States, but simply by
force of executive power!
And, sir. If we shall admit those State:
to representation on this floor and in the
other Heuse under those constitutions
when the thing shall have got beyonC
our Keeping and they are fully restored
to their political rights, they will theu
rise up and declare that those constitu
tions are not binding upon them, tina,
they never made them and they will
throw them off, and with them Will &c
those provisions which were incorpora
ted therein, declaring that slavery should
never be restored and that their wal
debt was repudiated. Those provisions
were put into those constitutions. but
they have never been sanctioned bythe
people of those States, and they will cast
them out as not being their act and deed
as soon as they shall have been restored
to political power in this Government
Therefore, say that even if he comedies
that the President had the power, which
he has not, to start forward in the exc.
cution of this guarantee, there can still
be no pretense that those governments
are legal and authorized and that we are
bound to recognize them.
The President of the United States. in
his proclamation, declared that those
governments were to be formed only by
the loyal people of those States; and beg
leave 10 call the attention of the Senate
TO That clause in his proclamation of re-
construction. He says:
:, And with authority to exercise. within the
limits of said State, all the powers necessary
State of North Carolina TO restore said state TO
us constitutional relations with the Federal
Government"
Again, speaking of the army:
And they are enJoined toabstain from in ary
way hindering, impeding or discou aging The
loyal people from the organization OF a STATS
government as herein authorized
Now, sir, so far from those State gov
ernments having been organized by the
loyal people, they were organized by the
disloyal; every Office passed into the
hands o. rebel; the Union men had no
part or lot in those governments and so
far from answering the purpose for which
governments are intended, they failed to
extend protection to the loyal men, either
white or black. The loyal men were
murdered with impunity; and 1 will
thank any Senator upon this floor to
point to single case in any of the rebel
States where rebel has been tried and
brought to punishment by the civil au-
thority for the murder of Union man.
Not one case am told can be found.
Those governments utterly failed in an
swering the pHrpese ofciyil governments
and not only that, but they returned the
colOred people to q condition of o,tasi
slavery they made them the slaves of
society instead of being, as they were be-
fore, the slaves of individuals. Under
various forms of vagrant laws, they de-
prfved them of the rights of freemer,.
and placed them under the power and
control of their rebel masters, who were
filled with hatred and revenge.
But, Mr.: President, time passed on.
Congress assembled in December. 1865,
For time it paused. 1t did not at once
annul those governments. 1t hesitated.
At last, in 1866, the constitutionalanlend-
ment, the fourteenth article, was brought
forward as a basis of settlement and re-
construction and there was a tacit nm
derstanding, though it was not embraced
in any law or resolution, that if the
Southern people should ratify and agree
to that amendment, then their State
governments would be accepted. But
that amendment was rejected, contempt-
uOusly rejected. The Southern people.
counseled and inspired by the Democra-
cy of the North, rejected that amend
ment. They were told that they were
not bound to submit to any conditions
whatever; that they. had forfeited no
rights by rebellion. Why, sir, what did
we propose by this amendment? By the
first section we declared that all men
born upon our soil are citizens of the
United Statss--a thing that had long
been recognized by every department OF
the Government until the Dred Scott
decision was made In 1857. The second