Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1868-02-06

SPEECH OF GOV. MORTON.
~. 80


only three years ago were in arms TO
overthrow the Constitution and estab-
li-h uist of Montgomery in its place, or
Mere ..leir northern friends, who were
,,-,ling and sympathizing in that under
takinf.
/ had occasion the other day to speak
of what was described as constitu-
tional Union mana man living inside
ol ii Federal lines during the war,
sympathizing with the rebellion, and
wlo endevored TO aid the rebellion by
Insisting that every war measure Tor the
purpose OF suppressing IL was violation
OF the Constitution ofthe United States
Now, these men who claim to be the es-
pecial lends of the Constitution are
the men who have sought TO destroy 1t
by force OF arms, and these throughout
the country who have given them aid
and comfort. Sir, you will remember
that ence n celebrated Frenchwoman
was being dragged to the scaftold, and
rs she passed the statue of liberty she
exclaimed How many crimes have been
committed in thy name; " and | can
say tothe Constitution, hew many crimes
against liberty, humanity and progress
are being committed in thy name by
these men who, while they loved not
the Constitution and sought its destruc-
ton, now, for party purposes, claim to
be its especial friends.
Ny friend from Wisconsin yesterday
compared what he called the Radical
party of the North to the radicals ofthe
South, and when he was asked the ques-
tion by some Senator, "who are the
radicals of the South, u he said "they
are the secessensts. Sir, the scces-
tionists of the South are Democrats to-
day, acting in harmony and concert
with the Democratic party. They were
4,
fqr the success of Mcclellan and pendle-
ton, and who would have been glad to
vote for them. They were Democrats
during the war, men who sympathiZed
with the rebellion, who aided in bring
ing it on. These are the radicals of the
South, and my friend from Wisconsin,
after all, is acting with that radical par
ty.
The burden Of his speech yesterday
was that the reconstruction measures of
Congress are intended to establish ne
gro supremacy. Sir, this proposition is
without any foundation whatever. |
believe it was stated yesterday by the
Senator from Illinois Mr.. Trumbuli]
that in every State but two the white
voters registered dout-numbcred the coeor-
cd voters and the fact that in two States
the colOred voters out-numbering the
white voters is owing to the simple ac-
cident that there are more colored men
In those States than there are white
men. Congress has not Eought to estab-
lish negro supremacy, nor has IL sought
to establish the supremacy, of any class
or party of men. If it had sought 10 es-
tablis negro supremacy IL would have
been an easy matterby excluding from
the right of suffrage all men who had
baen concerned in the rebellion, in ac-
cordanco with the proposition of the
distinguished Senator from Massachu-
setts, Mr. sumner, in his speech at
Worcester in 1865. He proposed to eX-
cuda all men who had been concerned
in the rebellion and confer suffrage only
on those who were left. That would
have established negro supremacy by
giving the negro an overwhelming ma
jority in every State, and if that had
leen the object of Congress it could
have been readily done. But, sir, Con-
gress has only sought to devide the pol
iticai power between the loyal and the
disloyal. IL has DISTINGUISHED some fifty
thousand disloyal leaders, lcavingall the
rest of the people TO vote. They have
been enfrancIiised on both sides, that
neither should be placed in the power of
the other. The rebels have the right to
vote so that they shall not he under
the controel and power of the Union
men only, and the Union men have bcon
allowed to vote 80 that they shall not be
under tho control and power of the
rebels This is the policy, to divide the
political power among tloscmen for the
protection of each. Sir, the charge that
we intend to create negro supremacy
or coiored State government IL without
the slightest foundation, for Ii would
have been in the power of Congress
to have easily conferred such suprem.
acy 10y islmpaly excluding the disloyal
from the right ofsull'rage--n power which
II had the clear right to exercise.
Now, Mr.. President, allow mo to con-
sider for moment the amendment Of
feed by the Senator from Wisconsin
and upon which his speech was made,
and see what Is its eilect-I will not say
its purpcsa, but its newt able effect
should II become law. will ask the
Secretary to lead the amendment which
the Senator from Wisconsin has pro.
posed to the Senate.
The Secretary read us follows
Proriied neuc,fieiess That upon an election
for tho ratihcation OF amy constitution, or oi
officers under the same, previous to It's adoption
In any state no pcgon not having the Quulific
lions of an eicctor under the constitution and
laws of such state previous To the late rebellion
snail bc allowed To vote, unless he shall possess
one OF the following qualifications, namely;
j.. lie shall have served as soldier In the Fed
eThl army tor one year or more,
4. lie ahall have sufficient education TO rend
the Constitution of the United States nnd to
subscribe his name TO an oath 10 support the
same or,
o, He shall be selzel In his own right or IN
the right OF his wife, Of n freehold oil the value
OF $50.
Mr. MORTON. Sir, these qualification.
are by tho terms of the amendment, tC
apply 10 those who were not authorized
10 vote by the laws of the State before
the rebellon-in other words, the color
eel men. lie proposes to allow q colOret
man TO vote IL he has been in the Fed
sral Army one year. and he proposes /,
allow a rebel white man TO vote although
he has served In the rebel army foul
years! He proposes that colored mar
shall not vote unless he has sufficient
education 10 read the Constitution OF tn,
United States and to subscribe his nam,
10 an oath TO support the same, where
as he permitsa n rebel white man to vote
who never heard of A aud does not know
how to make his mark even to note 70
whisky. Laughter
Again, sir, he proposes that the cOlorel
man shall not vote unless he shall b.
possessed In his own right or In tho rlgh
or his wife of u free hold of $3.50, a pro
vision which, OF course, would cut OF
ninohundred and niety mine out Of ever,
thousand colored men In the South
The colored man cannot vote unless h
has freehold of $3.50, but the whit
rebel, who was never worth twenty-fv
cents, who never paid poll-tax In his lii,