The Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1863-1886, 1868-02-06

5l 2ai 70 2.5.i.l ssa3.7l o. .., 10 -'9
SENATOR MORTON,
5baol oso. OF IsspDotANA aa asa y
In the Senate ofthe United States,
On Friday, January "a, 1868.


'GH nUh YGN % iIg'l 9dl .-
On Friday, January "a, 1868.
Nr. Morton--Mr. President, If |
had not been referred to by my
honorable friend from Wisconsin
(Mr! Doolittle) in tho debate yes /,
terday, l should not desire to speak
on this question, especially at this
time. / fear that j shall. not have
the strength to say what wish to.
The issue here day is the
same which prevails throughout
tho country, which will be the is
sue of this canvass, aud perhaps
forlyears to come. " To repeat what
l have had occasion 10 say else
where, it is between Two para
mount ideas, each struggling for
the supremacy. One is, that the
war to suppress the rebellion was
right and just on our part that
the rebels forfeited their civil and
political rights, and can only be
restored to them upon such con-
ditions as tho nation may prescribe
for its future safety and prosperity.
The other idea is, that the rebel
lion was not sinful, but was right;
that those engaged in it forfeited
no rights, civil or political, and
have a right to take charge of their
State governments and be restored
to their representation in Congress
just as if fthere had been no rebel
lion and nothing had occurred.
The immediate issue before the
Senate now is between the existing
State governments established un.
der the policy of the President of
the United States in the rebel
States and the plan of reconstruc.
tion presented by Congress-.
When & surveyor first enters a
new Territory, he endeavors to as
certain the exact latitude and
longitude OF given spot, and from
that can safely begin his survey
and SO 1 will endeavor to ascer.
tain a proposition in this debate
upon which both parties arcagrecd,
and start from that proposition.
That proposition is that, at the
end of the war, in the spring of
1865, the rebel States were with
out State governments of any kind.
The loyal SSte governments, cx-
isting at the beginning Of the war,
had been overturned by the rebels;
the rebel State governments, erect.
ed during the war, had been over
turned by our armies, and at the
end of the war there were no gov
ernments ofany kind existing in
those Statcs. This fact was rocog-
nized distinctly by the President
Of the United States in his procla.
nation under which tho work Of
reconstruction was com mmenced in
North Carolina in 1865, to which
| beg leave to refer. The others
were mere copies Of this procla-
nation. In that proclamation he
says: ol as ha
"AND WHEREAS, The rebellion
which has been waged by portion
OF the people of the United States
against the properly constituted
authorities of the Government
thereof, in the most violent and re-
voting form, but whose organized
and armed forces have now bcen
almost entirely overcome, has in
iLs revolutionary progress, deprived
the people of the State Of North
Carolina of all civil government"
Here tho President must be al.
lowed to speak for his party, and,
shall accept this as a proposition
agreed upon on both sides-that
at the end of the war, there were
no governments of any kind ex'
listing in those States.
The fourth section of the fourth
article of the Constitution declares
that "the United States shall guar
antce 20 every State in this Union
a republican form Of government.
This provision contains vast. un.
defined power that has never yet
been ascertained-a great super
visory power given TO the United
States to enable them to keep their
States in their orbits to preserve
them from anarchy, revolution and
rebellion. The measure of power
thus conferred upon the Govern
ment OF tho United States can only
be determined by that which is
requisite TO guarantee or maintain
in each State a legal and repn6li
can form of government. What
ever power, therefore, may be nc
cessary TO enable the Government
of the United States thus TO main
tain in each State a republican form
ofgovernmont, is conveyed by thi'
provision.
Now, Mr.. President, when thu
war ended and these States werC
found without governments OF any
kind, the jurisdiction of the United
States, under this provision of th'
Constitution, at once attached; th'
power to reorganize State govern
ments, to use the common word, t
reconstruct, to maintain and guar
antee Republican State government
in those States, at once attached
under this provision. Upon thi
proposition there is also o concur
renee of tho two parties. Th'
President has distinctly recognizes
the application ofthis clause Of th
Constitution. lie has recognizes
the fact that its jurisdiction attach
cd rhan thoao Sfofna xua,.a fopni