Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1868-01-31
Fridays Debate on Recon.
StructiOp.

The rash Mr.. Doolittlc has stirred up 4
perfect hornets nest by putting himself
forward as a champion of the Southern
rebels. In the Senate. Friday, Mr.. Nor
ton of Indiana, and Mr.. Nye of Nevada
replied to his speech of the previous day,
each of them in his own peculiar way
We give brief abstract of Mr.. Morton's
remarks. which were received with the Ill
most enthusiasm by his associates and the
crowded galleries, though he was obliged
to sit while speaking on account of illness !:
:. lie quoted from the Constitution and
from judicial opinion. to show that the
guarantee of republican form of govern
mcnt could be enforced only by Congress,
and said that Senators Doolittle and john
son had voted for this proposition He
also said. i'll reply to the structures Thurs
day of Mr.. Doolittle Oh his (Morton's)
course. that as the Constitution did not de-
fine the means to be exercised by Congress
i'll executing the guaranty it must be left
to circumstances. If the rebel States
could not be reconstructed with the help Of
the white citizens living in them. Congress
had Il right to raise up IA class of men who
had cen DISTINGUISHED by the rebel State
laws in order to do it, and that RICH, could
not be reviewed by the courts. He said
that the Pre- sient proposed by his policy
the disiranchsement of a far greater num-
Der of persons than the Congressional
plan of reconstruction did, and consttu-
items framed under that policy had never
been submitted 20 the people. and were.
therefore. Illegal. They looked to returL-
ing the freedmen under the power OF their
rebel masters. Congress had been deter
mined to 20 thro' the rubbish down to the
eternal rock and secure equal rights to all
men. He defended his speech in Indiana,
referred 20 by Mr.. Doolittle. wherein lie
had said merely that while he admitted the
rights of all men he thought that before
the blacks should have the suffrage there
should be "A period of probation. Eeply-
Ing 10 the charge that the Republicans
were overthrow ins the {, institution he
said those who talked lDu lest about it were
the men who. If they could, would nave
re- laced il 10y the Montgomery CellStitu-
ton of the so-callcd Radicals OF the Suu,ii.
Seces>ionistS. he repeated. were demo-
Gratis. He next took up and commenced
on the claim that Republicans sought 20
establish negro supremacy. and then crit
cised Mr.. Doolitlle's proposed amendment
Of the first qualification Of the negro su.
States army. He said they allowed rebe.s
to vote who had served three years i'll tie
Confederate army. OF educational quail
ticaion> he sai,! they allowed white men
to vote who d! nor know II how toput their
mark to Il note gwen for Wll;>key. laugh
teri; and in egard to the third quaiiIica
ton. requiring possession OF Il freehold
wort. $50. it would cGt Oft 90 out ri 100
loyal blacks. while white rebel. never in
his lite worth Twenty-Five cents. and who
had never paid one honest debi. was al
lowed to vote. This disclosed the purpose
of the proposition. leaving. as it would,
white rebels in the ascendancy. and put
ting the South again into their hat'l>. lie
disclaimed having. in 1865. indnrse.i the
Presidents present policy. as charged by
Mr.. Dooiiite III rsday. He had merely
repealed statements made then that The
President had LEFT the Republican party.
aud Il majority of Republicans were Of
that opinion.