Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1868-04-25
Remarks of Dr.. Eames, Of Ashtabula,

u61EulhS VI OiI ASbiliOSi VI ACuGdOu u1d :
In the House Of. .RcpfeSentctfye$ on the SUD-
ijcct of the Stqotte. i1isiGIe 4 49,aiatuye Bity,
the ael0,jtioas Of an enaenttaReit e.CcIuFi,ig
: from the electfce franchise those svitoI had
GoJne ogn,S GgGaHst the ,GoUGfnncatk dur
81, during the icte 'fql, being under consider
alton.
MR. EAMEs said: .,l..... ,..,.....
his ,.a -.-r,ef6 The object of this
bill is to exclude from the further enjoy
ment of the elective franchise, those who
have been guilty of the enormous crime
Of being born OF parents who were not
of pure Caucasian blood, and who have
permitted to flow within their own veins,
the slightest admixture Of African blood.
Now have no excuse to offer, for such
a manifest disregard fer the proprietieS
of life and such gross scriminality, but
would most earnestly recommend that
another class of criminals be subjected
TO the same disabilities. This latter class
Of criminals embraces those who haze
borne arms against our government dur
ing the late wiT, who have raised their
inn ious hands against the land of their
birth, and tried to overthrow the fair
temple of our liberty. If there are any
~ho have been so recreant to their du-
ties lis to thus strike i blow at the life
of our union, As to shoot down our neigh
borS, our friends, our SONS OF our BROTH
ers, and ill our Iand with desolation and
mourning, let them thank the kind iudul-
gence of the people OF Ohio if they are
permitted TO Noe here and enjoy the pro-
lection OF cur laws without the greater
privilege of having a voice in forming
our state government. -rt iHa ss.t94.
Why, the idea is truly monstrous, that
we should make Ohio an asylum for trea-
son and rebels BY granting such rights
to the greatest OF all l-criminalS-thatw we
should encourage them to come to orr
state-to foster treason III our midst, ana
teach our people to hate their free insti-
tut:ons, that We should place among orr
equals, those who are still reeking III the
blood sot our brothers, and give equal
rights to the brutal guards Of rebel pris
on pens that are enjoy ed by the broken
down objects Of their former prosecutions
and brutality. .H.. ..-a' ".
But this bill has this effect unless this
amendment is adopted. 1t discriminates
in favor OF rebels, such as our Own laws
and the laws OF all civilized nations, de-
clare deserving Of the halter, and against
those who have been declared legal yo-
tiers by the highest judicial tribunals of
Our state, and VITO nave always enjoyed
that distinguished privilege. The late
action of this body has also disiranchised
The ! 800 brave and legal defenders of
the Union, who, now disabled, arc living
at the Soldiers Home in Dayton, thus
discriminating against loyalty and in IA
vor Of disloyalty if this amendment is
not adopted. Bat gentlemen tell us that
many were absolutely driven into the
rebel army by CONSUMPTION, by jeers, and
ridicule and social estraeisnl. Be it SO,
but hen they yielded thus, they gave
mp their manhood and numbered them
selves with vicious and reasonable
horde. They proved themselves unwor-
thy of confidence, and unfit to be trust
cd with the dearest interests of our state.
The men who sternly refused to yield,
who bore persecution and Imprisonment,
rather than fight against their country,
who banded themselves together and
lived among the mountains or i'll caves,
or fled from home, TO enroll themselves
among the defenders of the Union, or, in
rebel prisons, deficd Starvation, inhuman
cruelties and death itself rather than lend
themselves to the cause Of treason, these
men are may trust with all the rights ard
privileges OF citizens of Ohio whether
they be pure white Or have an admixture
OF African blood. .#...i ..ra...
The men who fought against our union,
are justly the objects OF our suspicion,
and should never complain Of such re-
strictions as this amendment provides.
Rebellion is not yet dead and it would
be sad indeed to transplant it to the soil
OF Ohio, to grow into new and vigorous
life, so that it might some day gain sutfi-
cient power to undermine and poison the
whole fabric of our free government.
The viper, warmed to life within the
bosom OF the kind farmer, repaid by
burying its fangs in the cherished objects
OF the good mans love, so kindness ex-
tended to red handed rebels may be re-
paid by destroying or contaminating the
cherished institutions of our state and
its institutions. | protest against it
In the name of the early fathers, OF the
trainers of our constitution, Of the men
who took up arms to defend our threaten
ed government and who died that their
country might live, protest against it.
Let 1t never be said that the Legisla-
ture of Ohio granted rights and privil-
eges to the men who bore arms against
our government which it denies to those
who fought for its preservation. But
gentlemen tell US that Ohio rejected the
Constitutional Amendment last fall by
1000 majority and thereby sanctioned
the principles of this bill.
| l am aware that proposition to per-