Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1868-09-11

The Reconstruction Acts Constitu
tional-The Congressional PlaI
Fully VindIcated-An OVerWhelm
ing Argument by Hon. ID. II. Car
penter of Wisconsin.
At the great Republican meeting
lately held in Chicago the following
splendid argument was delivered by
the Hon. Mat. H. Carpenter, fully
meeting the issue raised by that part
of the Democratic platform which de-
clares the reconstruction acts uncon.
stitutionaI. This speech so fully and
completely vindicates every yreconstruc-
ton act by the constitution that
nothing needs to be added. It will
amply repay a careful perusal.
Mr.. Carpenter said
The only issue made by the parties;
the only doctrinal difference in the
two platforms which rises to any
thing like frst-class Importance, is
that which relates to the constitution
ality Of the reconstruction policy of
Congress-
This little squable about paying off
our debts-this little question of uni
versal suffrage, and few other things
very important In themselves, are ques-
tions which relate to the administra-
ton of the Government after you have
got a Government to be administered.
But the great question rises above that
which involves peace and war, which
touches the life of the nation, and
touches our existence as one people
under the Constitution of the United
States and I propose this evening, be-
cause [ have been requested to do so,
and because I think it important In it.
self to discuss for a short time, as well
as am able under all the difficulties
of this situation, this question of the
constitutionality Of these recOnstruc-
tion acts. can not make such an argu-
ment funny nor amusing, but [ will
try to state clearly and distinctly the
grounds upon which we defend that
legislation. To do this We must in
quire into the facts Of the case What
is the situation of things to which
Congress was compelled to apply its
reconstruction policy But, 10 save
words, let US take the State of Georgia
as illustrating the whole principle, for
what is true Of one State, is Of course
true of two or three or of all Geor
gia was one Of the original thirteen
States, and entered this Uuion by
adopting a Constitution. She had
State Government organized in har-
mony with the Constitution of the
United States under a State Constitu-
tion, which required all her off 3ers to 1
aWear to support the Constitution of
the United States. That Government
continued 10 existence, as we all know,
down to- 1860 or 1861 ;when the ma
iority Of her people having determined
to throw off their allegiance to the !
Of the United States, and |
levy war, if need be, to make that dec !
laration good, and to make Georgia an |
natiOn-organlze a new /
State Government IN Georgia, and that |
went into practical oper-
alton, and was supported by the peo-
pie during the entire continuance of
the war Now, if those leaders, after
they had determined to levy this war,
had called a convention and framed a
new State Government, with new Off
GERS, and levied war upon the old State
of Georgia, and supplan-
ted it and then entered into the South
ern Confederacy and levied war upon
the United States, there would be no
difference of opinion 10 this assertion
that the Government which had come
tG exist by that proceeding in Georgia
was no Government in the Union of the
United States. And yet, in legal
sense, the people of
Georgia did what was precisely equiv
llent to this. They called a Constitu-
tional Convention, and they took the
old constitutional State Government
changed it in every essential partic-
1lar which was essential to its ex-
istence as State Government; instead
of requiring its officers to swear
to support the Constitution of the
United States, they required them to
each swear to overthrow that Consti-
tuition. They severed in every partic-
uIar every cord and bond which bound {
them as State or community to the
and Union of the United {
States. By so doing they created, in
legal contemplation, q new Govern
ment as much as they would in the
case which l have supposed of their
calling convention and framing
new Government with new officers.
The Government which they crea-
ted by taking the old Constitution and
it to their views, was no Gov
ernment which had been in the Union
from the adoption of the Constitution.
[t was no constitutional Government
in any sense, but only an organization
in deadly antagonism to the Constitu-
5ion of the United States, and under
that Constitution the people of Geor-
gia organized, and gave their volun-
Lary allegiance tW that State Govern
ment, went into the Southern Ccnfed-