Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1868-10-13

basis of representation. That was the
issue they made in the election Of 1866.
But, my fellow citizens, no sooner were
they reelected upon that issue-no
sooner were they elected, than, in hot
haste, at the Fortieth Congress, called
early in March, when seventeen States
were unrepresented, they passed these
reconstruction bills, fastening negro SUI.
frage upon the people of the South, and
disfraL chising the white people OF those
States. Groans.
Well, fellow cinzens, allow me to pur-
sue this topic one step further In the
election of 1867, after this measure had
been passed, the people again had an
opportunity of expressing their opinions
upon it; and you all recollect that the
people of every State that voted--the
people of every State from Connecticut
to the Pacific coast, to California, voted
down that atrocious policy and coz
demDed it. "A voice-"We'll do it
again" Here, in the State of Ohio,
negro suffrage was voted down by fifty
thousand majority. [Cheers.l
And yet, my fellow-citizens, did the
Senators from Ohio retrace their steps
Did they bow, and did the Radical Rep
resentatives from Ohio bow to the
will of the people of Ohio? [Shouts Of
"Nol NoW1 Have they not treated
your declaration of condemnation OF
their policy with contempt2 [Cries OF
"Yes |" Yesp1 Have they not put it
at defiance2 Cries of "Yes" and
"Now1 Have they not gone forward, in
despite of your emphatic declaration OF
condemnation, fastening this infamous
policy more tightly upon the people OF
the South? And yet these men call
themselves Republicans. They say that
they bow to the will of the people. They
despise, and coptemn and spurn the will
of the people. IA voice, THAT'S So j
They say now, openly, that even if
Seymour and Blair should be elected by
the people and this policy receive another
condemnation, that they have secured
themselves for years and years in the
Senate, which the people can not reach /;
they have brought in the carpat-baggers
and reinforced themselves. They say
they will not undo the policy, and it will
be revolutionary in any one who attempts
it. Cheers. Yes, fellow-citizens, and
because upon a recent occasion l de-
clared that the will of the people should
govern in this country, that if the people
willed it, these statutes should wither
and die under their breath, Bully !"
and cheers, have been proclaimed all
over the country as a revolutionist-I
have been denounced as willing to re-
new this rebellion--yes, by these Sena-
tors and ex-Senators and ex-Secretary,
who are peram bulating the country, who
kept their seats safely during the war
when / was in the field fighting against
this rebellion with the best ability |
possessed, [Cheers Yet am revo-
lutionist and willing to renew the rebel
lion, because | have declared that the
will of the people expressed under the
forms of the Constitution was in this
country the supreme law [applause.
and that 10 mere fragment of a Congress,
no rump Congress should tie the hands
of this people and make a policy for
them in opposition to their wishes.
[Cheers.
citizens, this reconstruction
policy, and the principles upon which it
stands, have been declared to be uncon-
stitutionsl by the Supreme Court Of this
land. On several occasions it has been
declared that the principles upon which
these measures rest are unconstitutional.
1t has been declared by the Supreme
Court, erected under the Constitution to
decide upoR the validity and constitu-
tionality Of all acts of Congress And
yet these men say that those who would
execute the decisions Of the Supreme
Court are revolutionists. Those who are
for holding 10 the Presidential oath to
maintain the Constitution, now trodden
under foot by this fragment of Con
gress, are denounced as revolutionists.
Those who are for executing the will OF
the people, or express condemnation for
these so-called reconstruction laws, who
condemn this action-a verdict which
will be rendered by the people in Novem-
Der next, condemning for the second and
third time--they who 90 for the execu-
ton OF the will Of the people in this pop
ular Government, a government which
belongs to the people-they are de-
uounced as revolutionists.
Now, my fellow citizens, these laws, as
/ have said, are unconstitutional, null
aud void, and have been so proclaimed
by the Supreme Court Of the country.
They commenced BY establishing mill
tary despotism, and subverting civil gov
ernmeutin in ten States ofthis Union. Does
not every man know, every man Of intel
liqence within the sound Of my voice, and
every man Of intelligence within the
broad bounds Of the country, that the
Constitution provides that the military
authority shall always be subordinate to
the civil authority Of the conntry2 Now
in defiance Of its plain aud palpable and
unmisiakable promises, these men have
subverted al civil government in ten
States OF this Union and established
military despotism. And, my friends and
fellow citizens, IL they bave established
this in ten States Of this Union, Why not
in ten more, Why not IN al the other
Ststes1 tell you, my fellOw-ciiizens.
they have the will TO do It, they have
shown the win to DO il, and Il you con
fde the power again for four years more
in the Executive Chair and 10 the Con-
rress Of - United States, they viii
advances q step further, and establish a
military despotism in ten more of the
States, and perhaps in al Of them. lCries
nf % Navar uevpr.