The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1868-01-25
rRom ARKANsAs.

laughter OF 9teay O0uy. s*@&sA
FROM ARKANAAs.
LIrTLE Rock, Jan. Is. 1868.
EDITOR GArE cIrr: On Saturday last q
lively and interesting debate sprung up on
the motion of Mr.. Cypert trebel) of White, to
adopt the present Constitution of Arkansas.
and submit the same to the people for rati-
fcation.
Mr.. Kinds Of Pulaski moved to refer Mr..
Cypert's resolution to the Commattso on Fen
iteniiary, when Mr.. Cypart said this was an
attempt to ridicule serious matter. He had
offered the resolution in good faith and
wit The dssaSeet for a. attempt ten :,
agreed to by oil the psopls, ana I'LL !. sha
State was on the Highway to prosperity, when
a department Of the Government had passed
an oct the preamble of which, stating that
these States were in rebellion, was a ridicu-
louss hlsehsod n The government Of tie
State Of Arkansas had bsen propounced re-
publican by Abraham Lincoln, the s.ssinted
martyr and it had been framed by honest
loyal men, and now it is attempted to be set
aside by men who have no interest in the State
of Arkansas, the can't stay-at-homes else
where. Three years only have elapsed. and
now under the inspiration of . revolutionary
polineAl party, wbioh sends its orders tosthe
clab room at l4ittle Roeks atheeslf mus r.
licked again = this Constitution, framed by
loyal men, was to be set aside in the name
OF loyalty. The Congress had perjured itself
b. legislation outside Of the Consultation,
and We having sworn but lately to support
that Constitution cannot conform to its de-
mand. The negro cannot be citizen under
the decision of the highest Judicial authors
ty. IT these military governments and the
arbitrary measures of Congress were designed
70 punish rebelE they were pneenssitutional,
as fhat must be done according 70 law He
claimed to be friend of the negro; he had
been Bureau agent for while, and had al
waysbeen dessrous 81 aavancihg .ths Inter
ests of this unfortunate race. He saw mem
Der smile sneeringly at him when he made
this assertion Of friendship That member
can afford to sneer, for when. the troubles
come upon the State he can take his carpet
sack and 60 back TO Iowa, from whence be
came.
Mr.. Brooks called the gentlemen to order,
ssit wa disresPsstfnl tos stgle gsntlsmsp OF
the Convention .uagfeesp Mill
Gray {negro, said he mad no objection 10
the appellation. His race was ciassly allied
to those who built the great PYRAMID ef
Egypt, and furnished the hints from which
Scion and Lycnrgp@ lad framed the best sys-
TENS Of laws. His race would get Be hon
cred ID the nation. .9 Hste hale
The President insisted that under the rules
of the Honse the gentleman from Phillips
must be denominated Mr.. Gray.
Mr.. Cypert said that he hadTespecS for The
member ia question and would treat him with
ali the courtesy due their comparative posi-
tons in society. Heshad spokef Of him as a
negro because he was such. He would yield
70 the rales OF the hoase. The gentlemen
then referred to the fact, that suffrage had
never been universal, and amplitied the point
to some sxtent. Mr.. Ctpert disclaimed that
be wished to a2gfayate any members Of the
hsay and seek aay personal controversy. He
had been denounced u atrickestef s. The
other side Of the honfe, but what be had
done was with the effort to make the pro-
ceedings Of The body respectable. He would
appeal 10 the Arkansas men 81 he HOW 8 -
como up and put themselves right on the re.
cord against any change in the form of eoy.
ernuent which snited the people. Our con-
aitut,on vas as repnblican as thai Of Ohio.
If this wasno legal govefnment1by what an
ihority does the gentleman Of Pulaski Mr..
Hedges keep prisoners confined 10 the peni-
teutiary. Was his contract made bv Al, ifje
gal Legislature? He trusted thatthe mover
Of tkiswould not aspire to become he Ran
cy Sniffies Of this convention, the stirrer nm
OF strife. He appealed 10 gentleman moi 10
force upon ns measure which the peopla re
Ohio, Kansas, Minnesota and other Sts,e.
had rejected. BE Was willing to live under
the same laws Is the people OF the North.
Mr.. Montgomery said the gentleman from
Tennessee Vas out OF order in not con6pine
himselfto the question.
Mr.. Cypsrt said he had been citixAn Of
Arkansaa Tor seventeen years and that he
came hlther from Tennessee as q matter 81
choice, that he had committed no crime a.
done no act which would prevent his return
there and his recognition by bis former ne;,h.
bors as agentleman. Because he had family
here and vas Identified with the future a.
Arkansas he vas soliciteus ssrto. tie form 81
governmeus she woald have Htsvas Glad
the negro wssfree and that therebeflion had
been crushed; and While he would ahaye -
negro protected in all their just rights q th.v
now Ars BY Inv, b could never eonsent Is ees
them enfranchised and made the rulers If
white men. The gentlemen eoaclvded b;s
remarks With additional Arguments in fsyor
OF the legality Of the present government And
against the constitutional right Of ConSttas
70 establish another in the State.
Gray tnegro,) of Phillips, aid il snnea,.d
70 him the gentleman had read the kistor,
Of bis country. to little purpose. and MI !.
ne naa, Nhesithe Consultation VAS framed -
every State but Sosth Casoiina, frss res,-,s.
wsfd allowed to vote. Under The BSit;sh
!! inae 1nn clAas was Tree, and be intaspre.ed
tnat We the people in the preamble
o. ne sloestatsnoA meant ~ The nseple Of
every color. The mistake 81 that per;od
was that these free persons were not r.,rs.
sented N proprid persona in that consti,n-
tlonal convention, bot By the Angle Ssror
GonTfess wa nov cosrectins thai nist.ks
I he right OF franchise was due tha r.s-o
bought BY the blood Of forty thoussna I'll
their race shed IN three wars. The tronhIs.
now o. the country Vas the remit ~ III. ~
exercise of tho elective frsachise by nn;rs.s-
!igsnt whites, the s.poor vh,tes' /, Of Inc En,sn
he ecnid duplicate every Aexro vho esneat
read end: write, whose name is on the l;ssi ~
Fegissessd roeers, with while mar eru III.
snorant. Tie gentleman en- claim ID - !.
y, OF the negro, but be did not desire tn
q 'ockcd upon In the hxat 81 c.ient. Ths
10y had made Z solemn cpvensnt
~ 1s negro e vest hiA Nth Ia rirhfgef
8. : nc would throw HE wsiehe n a.
s.s.", 8 ~ .asot oi the Union, and bsfe AZ
....;s - ,ne Storm q bullets; and he va
S..a go 'na 4 !. you'd nos 90 haak "a isesif
n .ss rere thirty two miilion whi,,e IS ~.
million black in the country, aud sN.." . so
= no Tear Of negro domipssion. m. &c.
AVS did net protect The nskro 81 bis rssf.s
n forbade their ensrsncs into Tn ess,s I
z. ge icy4a espvsa<jousf,63. j 3 n ~. .
~ Wlisuk q trust ~ fiehfs IL IL recri.l
~ ~; sAs4 issAs s. H. - y psSP.e
|. .seeeof shait On neeo q s..sss ~. !
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