The Van Buren press., 1868-02-21

against that damnable engine Of oppres-
sion and ruin. ! ask my language to be
cut in rock, and lead poured into the
letters, to last forever -.rg "a glqoal
I Mr.. Brooks was sorry the Constitution
was not all that could be wished for. The
opposition were pledged to vote down
any character of Constitution that might
be adopted, SO their objections were not
to be considered of much weight. The
republican party stands pledged to guar,
antee equal civil aud political rights to
the negro he ought TO have them, and hc
shall have them. .f.,,,r,., ,,it a. .,ii.l -
j Mr., Corbell did not belong to any po-
litical party There were objections to
the Constitution which he had enumerat-
ed in his written explanation for the jour,
lNsl snd he must vote, no. ,o3 II, y
I. Mr.. Dale Oil not like the article on the
Judiciary, and the franchise article was by
far too lenient; yet he would vote aye un. /.
til he could do better. ,... .s.-s-.F .sls,
Mr.. DGvall asked to have the followiag
i ppt upon the journal: Ia bra ,,lrr s8r
Il was loyal to my country through
the rebellion, aud am yet; therefore l
viii not vote for a Constitution that will
exclude me from the right OF an American
! citizen, together with many Others, that l
I mig ght name. ] vote no, and regard it as
i the propdest act ofmy life, VI, sm,, .,st
ar Can't presented the following for
himself and Mesirs .Cypert, ADAMS,
Reynolds, Moore. Hogs. Walker aEdl
/ Wright. and said .'.t''......., ...5,.,.-,
! desiret to make this record. and that
itmay be preserved; for il is my earnest
and sincere wish TO bequeath it to my
1 children. | therefore ask that it be faith
I fully reported and spread at length upon
the minutes OF the Convention, ! cast
7 this vote duly appreciatihg its Importance
ana consequences, III iGll view of my re
! sponsiblity, and on the earnest hope that
= my constituents will approve OF it:
I Having been denied by the action OF
the Convention sufficient time to express
at length our objections to The Cohstitu-
ton we are content to vote, no, for the
following reasons -"
"1st The Constitution is not rcpubli-
car in form. 7'''l ~ - s".o'
! "2a. tits proscriptivc. " "'
ga 1t is destructive Of the dearest.
rights Of the people Of the State 'P', J
"4th. 1t disfranchises d large number
4 Of the hest white citizens Of TIE State. ''''l
1 18Th F'eitfranchises a class Of ihhab
itants totally Incapable Of self govern.
! mentna 10 ilzis - iat11n ~ ~ .i." 81
! "8th.l IF adopted and ratified by the
people II viii defiter over to stolid and
! british 'igncr;ihcc the political control or
! the State ,i"j 'hH 'lfH) 'a'Hrp' hi oih
| 9Th, 1tentonragcs the social equality
i ofthe white and Black races o. if'a' .'l'
| 18th 1t annuls and declares void d
large class of debts CONTACTED upon a
\ valuable consideration prior to the late
rebelionia.li RouJ o. hqhiie12 1e IN
4 '.9th, II imposes the entire burden Of
d taxation upon, the white inhabitants of
4 the State, many Of whom, are by its terms
4 DISTINGUISHED, and relieves from taxation
almost the entire negro population not
one of whom having attained the ago of.
q years is BY said Constitution denied
I the right of suffrage. t,g
1 '" 10th. 1t compels the white citizens OF
/ the State to contribute by taxation to the
support of public schools from which
their children will be etiectually exclud.
ed. .,.o
I "l1th. We regard the acts Of Congress
under which this Convention is being
held as unconstitutional liH
18th. In our opinion the State ofAr.l
kansas is in the Union under Constitu-4
1 tion republican inform, entitled to all the
rights Of a constituent member thereof,
including representation in the National
Legislature, and consequently that new
! Constitution is not necessary" 1H a3t
Cray. Of Phillips, would like to have II
4 different In some RESPECTS, but as IL gave
i him equal rights with other men, he would
vote for it, pft a H n
| Mr. Hatfield did not like It, because It
/ did not disfranchise all the cut throats in
the country, who had been in rebellion
A 1t he could have his way he would Danish
| them.lr4 l19ai.nd D. as,l fg., 80 eatsi
Mr. Hicks sent up the following hi y
! II vote, no ;,for the reason that this
Constitution 10 made. for o class Of eitt |
zeDs not known to the Constitution of the
United States that it tdisfranchises alarge
fportion Of those. who have exercised the
elective franchise; that IL icas coaeoctsd IN
sccret, and brought Jorfh be,peea days."l
n Mr. .Hinklc said he was forced to ex.
\ claim: "Great Col, is there no help
\ for the windows SON" His people had
4 a =.
I proved their faith by their works !; he had
recruited company of lao and led them
into the federal army. His people had
sent him here to make record for him
self and all the devils in h---n couldn't
prevent him from it" lie hadn't been a.
\ quarternastcr or commssary, but had
y thuntedup bullets Now that the war had
I been fought through, n set come up and
want office, and YOU make offices for
! them. This Constitution disfranchises Al
man dear to the hc1rts ofthe people and
nuta hi m ont ,,F tba uav ,f ,nrttaaf ,,tb ~