The Plymouth Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1869-1941, 1869-09-16

CINCINNATI. Sept. ia large
number of Geo IL. Pendlcton's friends
called at his residence on their wayfrom
the fair yesterday, and insisted on
speech. lie begged off, but finally con-
scented, and spoke overan hour, support
ed On his crutches. Among other
things, he said:
Il cannot agree with Gov. Haynes,
that all vcxcd questions Of our national
politics are wisely and happily settled,
that the great questions ofliberty and
union, and the reconstruction of the
union, have been made safe. I cannot
agree that retrenchmcnt, economy, and
honesty have been introduced into the
management of the federal expenditures;
that the debt has been decreased and is
in the course of decreasing, rs he states
it; that the burdens of taxation have
been reduced, and their weight upon
the people had been lightcncd; that
sound Judgment and freedom from bad
influences have been brought into cx-
ercisc by the immense power of the
treasury: that business is active; that en-
terprise is active; that vigor, and en-
ergy, and industry are beautifully re-
warded; that employment is abundant;
that daily toll is fairly compensated;
land is prosperous; and therefore, can
not serencly, as does our worthy COVER
nor, turn my face from all the questions
of federal politics, and look only at state
affairs. 1t ought to be. If it were not
for schemes of consolidation; if state
affairs were lett to state management; if
federal affairs were kept within the
scope of the constitutional provisions, it
would be SO. But | cannot pretend to
believe what know to be false. / can
not say that the union is restored when
Virginia, and Mississippi, and Texas
are under military government union
is restored when justice is administered
by a drllm-hcad court martial; the con-
stitution is maintained when VIC know
that the supreme court is only waiting
an opportunity to declare the reconstruc-
ton acts unconstitutional / oppose
the adoption of the Fifteenth amend
mcnt. because it is a mat erial. radical
change in our system of government
1t destroys the relation of the federal
union. The government then takes
away from the states, without their con-
sent, that essential attribute of a self
government country-thc !, ut to de-
termine who shall exercise the right of
suffrage, because it was intended to-
and will, introduce negro suffrage in
Ohio against the will of the people.
Two years ago the people of Ohio, with
out distinction of party, by an immense
majority, refused to amend the state
constitution, after full argument and
full consideration of negro suffrage. l
see no reason to believe that they have
changed their opinion. object to its
adoption. because by the strongest i'm
plication it cOnfcrs upon congress and
reserves to the state the right toexclude
from the ballot persons of our own white
race, because of their nativity, creed,
want of education, or poverty, and pro-
hibits the exclusion Of another race.
If the Interpretation of Senator Morton
and Senator Howard be correct this
amendment of congress, states may ex-
clude Irishmen, Germans, Catholics.
Protestants, or poor men from enjoying
suffrage, but not negroes or Mongolians.
| object to its adoption, because it is
part and parcel ola scheme to food
the country with the forced importation
of an immensc.number of Chinese, of
coolies, and bring into our midst an
alien race, and repeat, in more difficult
form. the social and governmental ques-
tions which have so unhappily divided
our people.