The Wyandot pioneer. (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1853-1868, 1868-02-13
She at'uandot 2iomeer.
s. p Il T. q H
Oh
SENATOR MORTON,

0GaVA SN "ON OaVs
of Indiana,
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES,
On Friday, Jan. "a, 1868.
Mr.. MoRToN--Mr. President, if /
had not been referred to by my hon
orable friend from Wisconsin Mr..
Doolittle) in the debate yesterday, ]
should not desire to speak on this
question, especially at this time. I
fear that shall not have the strength
to say what l wish to.
The issue here to-day is the same
which prevails throughout the coun
try, which will be the issue of this
canvass, and perhaps for years to
come. To repeat what l have had
occasion to say elsewhere, it is be-
tween two paramount ideas, each
struggling for the supremacy. One
IS, that the war to suppress the re-
bellion was right and just on our
part; that the rebels forfeited their
civil and political rights, and can
only be restored to them upon such
conditions as the nation may pre-
scribe for it's future safety and pros
perity. The other idea is, that the
rebellion was not sinful, but was
right; that those engaged in it for
feited no rights, civil or political,
and have right to take charge of
their State Governments and be re-
stored to their representation in
Congress just as if there had been no
rebellion and nothing had occurred.
The immediate issue before the Sen
ate now is between the existing State
governments established under the
policy Of the President Of the United
States in the rebel States and the
plan of reconstruction presented by
Congress.
When a surveyor first enters new
Territory, he endeavors to ascer-
tain the exact latitude and longitude
of a given spot, and from that can
safely begin his survey; and SO l
will endeavor to ascertain proposi-
ton in this debate upon which both
parties are agreed, and start from
that proposition. That proposition
is that, at the end of the war, in the
spring Of 1865, the rebel States were
without State governments of any
kind. The loyal State governments
existing at the beginning of the war,
had been overturned by the rebels
the rebel State governments, erectel
during the war, had been overturned
by our armies, and at the end Of the
war there were no governments of
any kind existing in those States
This fact was recognized distinctly
by the President Of the United States
in his proclamation under which the
work of freconstruction was commen-
ced in North Carolina in 1865, to
which [ beg leave to refer. The
others were mere copies of this
proclamation. In that proclamation
he says:
AND WHEREAS, The rebellion which has been
waged by a portion of the people Of the United
States against the properly constituted author.
ties of the Government thereof, in the most ' 10.
lent and revolving form, but whose organized
and armed forces have now been almost en-.
tirely overcome, has in its revolutionary pro.
gress deprived the people of the State of North
Carolina of all civil government.
Here the President must lie allow
ed to speak for his party, and
shall accept this as a proposition
agreed upon on both sides-that, at
the end Of the war, there were nc
governments Of any kind existing in
those States.
The fourth section Of the fourth
article of the Constitution declares
that "the United States shall guaran-
tee to every State in this Union 6
republican form of government
This provision contains vast, un
defined power that has never yet
been ascertained-a great supervise
ry power given to the United States
to enable them to keep their States
in their orbits to preserve then
from anarchy, revolution and rebel
lion. The measure of power thu:
conferred upon the Government O
the United States can only be deter
mired by that which is requisite t.
guarantee or maintain in each Stat,
legal and republican form of gov
ernment. Whatever power, there
fore, may be necessary to enable th'
Government of the United State
thus to maintain in each State re
publican form of government, il
conveyed by this provision.
Now, Mr.. President, when the wa
ended and these States were fount
without governments of any kind
the jurisdiction Of the United States
under this provision of the Consti
tuition, at once attached; the powe
to reorganize State governments, t,
use the common word, to recon
struct, to maintain and guarantee
republican State governments il
those States, at once attached unde
this provision. Upon this proposi
ton there is also a concurrence O
the two parties. The President ha
distinctly recognized the application
of this clause of the Constitution
He has recognized the fact that it
jurisdiction attached when thos
States were found without republi
can State governments, and he him
self claimed to act under this claus
of the Constitution. 1 will read tn
preamble Of the Presidents procla
nation:
| "WHEREAs, The fourth section of the fourt
article of the Constitution of the United State
declares that the United States shall guarante
| to every State in the Union q republican forl
of government, and shall protect each of thel
| against invasion and domestic violence, an
whereas, tie President of the United States i
| by the Constitution, made Commander in Chi,
of the army and navy, as well as chief civ
executive officer of the United States, and
bound by solemn oath faithfully to execui
the office of President of the United States, an
| to take care that the laws be faithfully excel
ted and whereas, the rebellion which hi
| been waged by u portion of the people of tn
United States against the properly constitute
authorities of the Government thereof in tf
most violent and revolting form, but who's
organized and armed forces have now bee
| almost entirely overcome. has, in its revol,
| tiOnary progress, deprived the people of Il