The Conservative. (M'connelsville, Ohio) 1866-1871, 1868-09-17

Mr.. Morton admits that tho Crit.
.enden resolutions amounted tO
pledge that, having pnt down tho
-obrllion. wo woRld not disturb the
lomnsilc institutions vi tho States,
but rcst Jre them t0 their constitu.
tional rights in the Union; hut no
snyS. in discussing Mr. Lineoln's
emancipation proclamation, that If
we stood by tho plOdgo va rOuld
not restore tho Union; i've must
either stand by the Union and bet
the pledge 20, or stand by the pledge
and let the Union 60"
Admit this 10 bo true; though
then thongbt, and still think il a
mistake, and that as a war meas
uro II did not strengthen, bat wonk
vned NJ. II divided the North
united tho South; and alicnated
hundreds Of thousands in the bord-
er States. Yet II was no breach OF
aith-it was rcsorted to as war
measure. ddsrdqte bellO, and no moro
breach Of the pledge made IN the
Crittundcn resolutions than any
nthcr act Of hostility. That pledge
related to the use which wo would
make of victory, having achieved il
NOT the means we would adopt TO
achieve il. Mr.. Lincoln, therefore,
did not Violate tho pledge, but IL
WAS violated when, after the rebel
srmcs surrendered, or were dis
banded, when all the rebel govern
mcuts were dissolved when, hav-
ing restored tho republican State
constitutions, as members Of tho
Union, they claimed TO accept tho
duties aud enjoy tho rights ol
States; then when Congress refused
to receive them a. States, but treat
&C them as conquered territories
subjected them 10 military govern
mcnt, prosclbed nearly all tho in
telhgunt men of the raised up, il
the language Of Senator Morton, 1
new set of loyal voters-plnntatioT
slaves who could not tell thci
names. or read their tickets, bu
could vote each Republican tuck
ct when given thom - when Congress
did these things, they violnted tha
SoIomn pledge which brought u
least half n million Union volun
tccrs into tho field. II was u dolib
crate breach Of faith, prompted b,
interest, not by necessity. ! d
not think the party prOfited by l.
men--that is unlSught mon Low
faith and detest falsohood. Bcsld
this, 1t has involved tho party j
complications from which they new
or can be exlrica'ol until they M
mcrcifully relieved from the care
vi government. For mysuIf, l cor
fess 10 IL lack Of progress; | stand ,
ono Of Senator Morton's mlle-pos
on a deserted road, having learne
by the war no moral code releaslr
mon, as Individuals or legislati'
bodiea, from the obligations OF co
stitution, or law or personal trut
and honor.
Mr.. Morton shows very clearly til
Q the:guarantec Of r"publicaL forr
o Vi government TO these ten Stat
. was all II pretcnse. You will !
l. member that President Johnson,
II the close of the war, issued a pro
} lamation dic.htirg provisions to
d adopted N the constitutions OF
D. ten S.a.os which would adapt the
~ to the changed coalition Of thing
pl and that they modified their col
l. stituLion according TO tho terms
10 ehe proclamation. Mr.. Morton,
H. speaking OF ths proclamation, u
T. It was the same substantially y as
n he had been speaking of each
l. the several constitutions, says:
no III did show that the policy of u
> proclamation was even more radi
a than that of Mr. Lincoln. ] did sh
10 that il was more radical even than
ra Winter Davis bill OF the summer
1854. But, sir, it was all upon the
tinet understanding that, whatever
" President did, his whole policy or
TO tion was to DO submitted to Cong
IL for its consideration and decision
m rs before remarked, IL that had b
a done all would have been well"
ho That is-the proclamation
ito right, even TO excess the constI
" tions modified in pursuance OF
s- were right, and would have been
cd cepted, IT submitted to Congre
. but this etiquette was neglect
- and ten States wore kept ont of
,ly Union, under military governm'
is- aud eight millions of American 7
$50 Pile denied the protection CT Con
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