Delaware tribune. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1867-1877, 1869-02-18
STATE RIGHTS.
Senator Summers Great Speech on the
New Amendment.

l
Mr.. SUMNER In the construction of ma
chine the good mechanic seeks the simplest
process, producing the desired result with
the greatest economy of time and force. /
know no better rule for Congress ON the
present occasion. We are mechanics, and
the machine we are constructing has for its
object the conservation of Equal Rights
Surely, if we are wise, we shall seek the sim
plest process, producing the desired result
with the greatest economy of time and force.
How widely Senators are departing from
this rule will appear before have DONE
Rarely have l entered upon any debate in
this Chamber with sense of sadness so
heavy as oppresses me at this moment 1t
was sad enough to be compelled to meet the
champions OF Slavery, as in other days they
| openly vindicated the monstrous pretension
and claimed for IL the safeguards OF the Con-
stitution, Insisting that Slavery was national
and Freedom sectional But this was not
so sad, as now after bloody war with Sla-
very, and its defeat on tine battlefield, to be
compelled to meet the champions of a kin
| dred pretension, for which they claim the
safeguards Of the Constitution, insisting elso,
| as in the case of Slavery upon State Rights.
The familiar vindication of Slavery in those
| early debates was less sckening than the
vindication now of the intolerable preten-
| sion, that State constituting part of the
Nation, and calling itself republican" is
| entitled to shut out any citizen from partici-
patton in government, simply on account of
race or color. To denominate such pre-
tension as intolerable expresses, very made
| quately the extent of its absurdity and the
bitterness Of its repugnance to all good prin-
ciplcs, whether of reason, morals, or govern
ment.
make no question with individual Sena-
| tors; make no personal allusion; but
| meet the odious imposture, as met the ear
| lier imposture, with Indignation and con-
| tempt, naturally excited by anything unwor-
| thy of this Chamber and unworthy of the
Republic. How it can appear here and find
Senators willing to assume the stigma of its
| championship is more than can compre-
hend. Nobody ever indicated Slavery, who
did not lay up a store of regret for himself
| and children; and permit me to say now
| nobody can vindicate Caste, whether civil
or political, the direct offspring of Slavery,
as beyond the reach of national prohibition,
without laying up similar store of regret.
Death may happily come to remove the
champion from the judgment of the world; !;
but history will make lis faithful record, to
be read with sorrow hereafter. Do not COM
plain il speak strongly. The occasion re-
quires it. seek to save the Senate from par
ticipation in an irrational and degrading pre-
tension.
| Others may be cool and Indifferent but 1
have warred with slavery too long not to be
aroused when this old enemy shows it's head
under another alias 1t was once Slavery !;
IL is now Caste; and the same excuse is as
signed now as tEen. 1t was then in the
name of State Rights, that Slavery with all
its brood OF wrong, was upheld; and it is
| in tha ffS at ;.,t,t ttut
also fruitful in wrong, is upheld. The old
champions reappear, under other names, and
from other States, each crying out, that, un-
der the national Constitution, notwith-
standing even its supplementary amend
ments, State may, if it pleases, deny polt-
ical rights on account of race or coloi and
thus establish that vicst institution, Caste
and an Oligarchy of the skin.
This perversity, which to careless observ-
er seems SO incomprehensiblc, is easily un-
derstood when it is considered that the pres.
ent generation grew up under an intcrpre--
tation of the national Constitution, supplied
by the upholders of slavery. State Rights
were exalted and the nation was humblcd,
because in this way Slavery might be pro.
tected. Anything for Slavery was cOnstitu
tional. Such is the lesson we were taught.
How often ii has soundedahrough this Cham
Der and been proclaimed in speech and law
Under its influence the right of petition was
denied, the atrocious Fugitive Slave Bill was
enacted, and the claim was advanced thai
Slavery Travelled with the flag of the Repub-
lie. Vain are all our victories, ii this terri
ble rule is not reversed. so that State Rights
, shall yield to Human Rights, and the nation
be exalted us the bulwark of all. This viii
be the crowning victory of the war. Be
yond all question the true rule under the ma
lional Constitution, especially since its add
tional amendments, is that 0llything fOI
Human Rights is constitutional. Yes
sir; against the old rule, nnything for STA
Ueyy, put the new rule, anything for Xu
man Rights.
Sir, do not declare this rule hastily and
know the presence in which | speak. | an
surrounded by lawyers, and now | challenge
any one or all TO this debate. | invoke th,
discussion. On an occasion less important
Lord Chatham, after saying, that he CANT
not with the stutute-book doubled down il
J dogs ears TO defend the cause of Liberty
: that he relied on general principle, con
stitutional principle, exclaimed, TT is ;
ground on which stand firm ground OF
which dare meet any man." In the SAINT
spirit would speak now. No learning il
books, no skill acquired in courts, no sharp
ness of forensic dalectics, no cunning il
splitting hairs, can impair the vigor of tn,
constitutional principle which | announce
Whatever you enact for Human Rights i
= constitutional. There can be no State Right
Rights against Human Rights; and this i
the supreme law Of the land,anything IN th
: constitution or laws of any State to the con
I trary Notwithstanding.
! A State exercises its proper function, when
:. within its own Jurisdiction, 1t administer
! local laws, watches local interests, promote
$ local charities, and, by its local knowledge
j brings the guardianship of government t,
+ the homes of its citizens. Such is the prope
function of the State, by which we are saye'
from that centralizaion which is elscwher
so absorbing. But u State transcends ii
proper function, when it intcrteres witt
: those equal rights whether civil or political
= which by the Declaration of Independence
+ and repeated texts of the national Consttu
tion, are under the safeguard of the nation
The State is local in its character, and no
Il universal. Whatever is justly local belong
/ to its cognizance; whatever is universal be
longs to the nation. But what can be NOR
universal than the Rights of Man? Suc
; they have been declared by our fathers, an,
. this axiom of Liberty nobody can dispute.
Listening to the champions of Caste an
= Oligarchy under tine National Constitution
!, and perusing their writings, think that
u understand the position which they take
| NiAi 10 iuNh th'uuucoo 10 Stu tbihiluIu
y have noted what they have to say in speec
:, and in print. | know II ALL do not er
= when say, that this whole terrible an,
= ignominious pretension is traced to a direc
\ ! and bare faced perversion of the Nations
!, Constitution. Search history, study consti
y tnlions, examine laws, and you will find N
y perversion more thoroughly revolving. b
= the National Constitution it is provided, tina
, "the electors in each State shall have tn
!; qualifications requisite for electors of tn
y !, most numerous branch of the State Legisla
p ture," thus seeming to refer the primary dc
y termination of what are called "qualifici
Y tions" to the States; and this is re-enforce
4 by the further provision, that 'the times
y places, and manner of holding elections fc
% :, Senators and Representatives shall be pre-
, scribed in each State by the LegislaiuI
j. thereof; but the Congress may at any tim
il by law make or alter such regulations.
This is all. On these simple texts, conferrin
plain and ineligible powers, the champion
l. insist that "color' may be made "qualif
!, cation" and that, under the guise of "rel
}" ulatons," citizens, whose only offense is
n skin not colored like our own, may be sh,
rs out from political rights and that in tn
il wav a mouonoly of rights hninp Mt onne