Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1868-02-06
yez PLYMoUrH

created by Congress docs not extend per
haps TO more than forty-five thousand o
fifty thousand men persons at the furtheSt
These provisional governors, Under IN
authority of the President, were TO cal
conventions they were to hold the elec-
tons, and they were to count the votes
they were TO exercise all the powers tina
are being exercised by the military com
rhanders under the reconstruction acts o
Congress After these constitutions wer,
formed, the President went forward anC
accepted them as being loyal and republican
in their character. He authorized the
voters under them TO proceed TO elect Leg
islatures, members of Congress, and the
Legislatures to elect Senator's 10 take theil
seats in this BODY. In other words, the
President launched those States into full
life and activity without consultation will
or cooperation on the part of Congress.
Now, sir, when it is claimed that these
governments are legal let il be remembered
that they took their origin under a pro
ceeding instituted by the President Of the
United States in the execution of the guar
anty, when it now stands confessed that he
could not execute the guaranty. But even
If he had the power, let il be further borne
in mind that those constitutions were
formed by conventions that were elected
by less than ohe-third Of the white voters
in the State Of that time that the conven-
tions were elected BY small minority even
of the white voters, and that those consti-
tutions thus formed by very small minor
iiy have never been submitted TO the people
of those States for ratification. They are
no more the constitutions of those States
To-day than The constitutions formed 10y
the conventions now in session would be
| If we were 10 proclaim them to be the
constitutions of those States without first
having submitted them to the people for
ratification. How can it be pretended for
a moment, even admitting that the Presi-
dent had the power to start forward in the
work Of reconstruction, that those State
governments arc legally formed by small
minority. never ratified bv the people, the
people never having had a chance 10 vote
for them. They stand as mere arbitrary
constitutions, established not by the people
of the several States, but simply by force
of executive power.
And, sir, if we shall admit those States 10
| representation On this floor and in the 9th
or House under those constitutions, when
the thing shall have got beyond our keep
ing and they are fully restored to their po-
litical rights, they will then rise up and
declare that those constitutions are not
binding upon them. that they never made
them; aud they will throw them off, and
with them will go those provisions which
were Incorporated therein, declaring that
slavery should never be restored, and that
their war debt was repudated. Those
provisions were put into those consttu-
tions. but they have never been sanctioned
by the people of those States, and they will
cast them out as not being their act and
deed as soon as they shall have beer re
stored To political power in this Govern
ment. Therefore, / say that even if he
comedies that tie President had the power,
which he had not, TO start forward in the
execution of this guaranty, there can still
be no pre,cnse that those governments are
legal and authorized, and that we are
bound 10 recognize them.
The FresideI: of the United States, in
his proclamation, declared that those gov
ernments were to be formed only by the
| loyal people of those States; and | beg
leave 10 call the attention Of the Senate to
that clause in his proclamation Of recon
struciion. He says: ats
''And with authority. 10 exercise, within
the limits Of aidStaies,.a all the power ne
cessary and proper to enable such loyal
people of the State of North Carolina 10
restore said State to lis constitutional rela-
tons with the Federal Government"
Again, speaking oil the army:
And they are enjnined to abstain from
in any way hindering, impeding or dis
couraging the loyal people from The organi-
Zstion of q State government as herein au-
| thOr!Zed."
Now, sir. so far from those State
governments having been organized by the
4 loyal people, they were organized by the
disloyal; every office passed into the hands
OF rebel; the Union men had no part or
| lot in those governments; and so far from
answering the purpose for which govern
ments are intended, they failed to extend
protection 10 the loyal men, either white
or black The loval men were murdured
with impunity; and will thank any Sena-
tor upon this floor TO point 10 a single case
in any of the rebel States where a rebel has
been tried and brought 10 punishment by
the civil authority for The murder Of In
ion man. Not one case, am told, can be
found. Those governments utterly failed
in answering the purpose of civil govern
nients: and not only that, but they returned
the colored people, to condition OF quasi
slavery; they made them the slaves of So
ciety. instead of leing. as they were before,
the slaves of individuals. Under various
forms of vagiant laws they deprived them
OF the rights Of freedmen, and placed them
under ule power and control of their rebel
masters, who were filed with hatred and
revenge.
But, Mr. President, time rasscd on.
Congress assembled in December, 1866.
For time it paused. Ii did not at once
annul those governments Ii hesitated
| At last, in 1866, the constitutional amend
meIt, the fourteenth article, was brought
forward as a basis of settlement and re-
construction; and there was a tacit under
standing, though il was not embraced in
any law or resolution, that if the Southern
people should ratify and agree TO that
amendment, then their State governments
would be accepted. But that amendment
was rejected, -contcmptnously rejected
The Southern people, counseled and in
spired by the Democracy Of the North, re
jectcd that amendment. They were told
that they were not bound to submit 10 any
conditions whatever; that they had forfeit
ed no rights by rebellion. Why, sir, what
did we propose by this amendment? By
the first section we declared that all citi-
zens born upon our soil were citizens of the
United Stales-a thing that had long been
recognized by every department of this
Government, until the Dredd Scott decis-
ion was made in 1857. Jhe second sec
ton provided that where class or race of
men were excluded from the right of suf-
froge they should not be counted in the
basis of representations obvious justice
that no reasonable man for a moment could
deny; that if four million people down
South were to have no suffrage, the men
living in their midst and surrounding them,
and depriving them of all political rights,
should not have members of Congress on
their account. say the justice of the
second clause has never been successfully
impugned by any argument, / care not
how ingenious II may be. What was the
third clause? Itwas that the leaders of
the South. those men who had cnce taken
an official oath 10 support the constitution