Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1868-02-08
0gilo Statesman.
sPEECH
HON. ]. R. COCKBRILL,
Delivered In the House Sf sepre-
sentstiyes. February 81. lsSs.
~, upon M s. lie wets,s -Boint

4
Mr.. COCKERILL said he would
give his reasons for the vote which he
was about to give in favor of the reso-
lutions, whichhe hoped would be adopt
ed.
The Reconstruction acts of Congress,
if carried out, would result in the de-
Hstruction of the rights and liberties of
the people. 1t had been thesdoctrine of
the people of this Government, the ex-
pressed doctrine of the Democratic par
ty, the Wing party and the Republican
party, that no State has in any sense a
constitutional, right to -secede from the
Unions Fl was the doctrine everywhere
held and recognized. IF the right ex-
listed, it was only revolutionary and
not constitutional right. He had some
acquaintance with the people of the
State of Ohio, and in. all his political
experience he had never heard any indi-
vidnal advocate the constitutional right
of a State to secede. If no State, then,
possessed the right to secede, in the
sense of right, then no State had Sc
ceded. Itswas upon the .sdoctrins that
no State could dissolve. in its sovereign
capacity, its obligations and relations
with the Federal Government that the
people of Ohio nobly rallied to the
standard of the Union, shouldered their
arms and went forth to sustain the Gov
ernment and the Executive in enforcing
the laws. AS had been remarked by the
Speaker, Congress, in the historical Crit
tenden resolutions, had expressly de-
clared the object of the war. 1t was not
for the suhjugation or conquest of a State,
but for the purpose of restoring them
with all their rights and dignities unim-
paired, and when that was accomplished
the war should cease. From 1861 to
1865, in all political campaigns and in
all the speeches of either the Democratic
or Republican party, it was nowhere
claimed that any State was out of the
Union or had by its acts made secession
an accomplished fact. The Republican
party of Ohio, during the continuance of
the Rebellion recognized the State of
Tennessee as being in the Union, though
she made the. same sattemptsto esecede
that her sister States did. Andrew
johnson, a resident of that State, was
elected to the second official position in
the land. 1t was officially announced
that wherever one in ten of the people
of any State, sasgin- the State of Lou
isiana, desired it,they sent delegates to
their State Conventions, looking to
in Congress. Mr.. Lincoln
had invited them to send representatives
to Congress and none complained but
Wade. ~ -
Mr.. HILL, Of Erie-From what rebel
States were Representative admitted to
Congress /?
Mr.. COCKERILL-Louisiana and
Virginia and Tennessee were represent
ed in Congress.
q Mr.. BALL-Several States recog-
nized as States in rebellion were repre-
sented upon the floors of Congress while
Lincoln Ilived. Gov. Hahn was sent
from Louisiana and served out his time.
Maynard from Tennessee, and Carlyle
from Virginia.
Mr.. HILL, of Erie-Was it under
the Presidents Proclamation =?
Mr.. COCKERILL did not know or
did not care. 1t was not particular
they came under Presidential
or not-they were sent and
under proclamation of President Lincoln
were recognized as being in the Union.
No State having seeded, at the close of
the war there was nothing to reconstruct.
fla State had no power to change its
status, Congress had no more right to in
terfere with the State of South Carolina
thanwith the domestic affairs of the State
Of Ohio. 1t was enough for Congress
and the Federal Government to. know
that the laws were executed in these
States that taxes were collected, writs
obeyed and peace maintained. Beyond
that, Congress had nothing to do with
them.
Mr.. SCOTT. of Warren, coincided
with the doctrine that the States were
never out of the Union, but he desired
to know whether they had a right to
repr esentation in Congress during the
war. sSs8
Mr.. COCKERILL-- The people had
a right to be represented if they chose
to be, and Congress had no right to ex-
cludes them, but there was no power
vestedAin Congress to compel their cleo
tion. If Ohio refused to elect Repre-
sentatives, Congress could not force her
to do so. If Representatives are of law
full age and have the qualifications of
electors Congress cannot exclude them.
(Mr. Lee made some reference toeloys
alty'')
A few years ago it was disloyaz to
speak disrespectfully of the President of
the United States, but now it is loyalty
to denounce him. There was not much
I. Il 4 IL