Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1869-12-25
The Federal Legislature.

congress mas again assembled, ana 40
usual Of late years, it opens on the negro
question and with q vengeance on the
Southern States. That Fifteenth Amend.
ment" has got to he swallowed if heswal.
lowing can be accomplished through any
act OF manipulation by the Radical Federal
Congress either inside or outside of the
Constitution, and the negro has got TO go
with it without regard to the length Of his
heels. Georgia is to be reconstructed,
and why? Because she could not endure
the peculiar odor of the negro represen.
tivcs in her legislative halls. Georgia
don't want negro Legislators, and that's the
why and the wherefore of her offending
and re construction by the Radical Federal
authority. The negro is the right man
in the right place" in the Legislature of
Georgia, in the opinion of the ruling party,
but the RAIDS themselves couldn't stand
the looks and smell of him in Congress.
BY and through the workings of the re.
constructed constitution of Louisiana nc
gro got into the lower House of Congress.
The RAIDS smclt of him for while, but not
being able to endure the, appearance and
odor of such "crittcr' right in their
midst, they sent poor Mr.. Darkcy back home
again to resume his wontcd avoca.on in
the "sunny South" So the good.enoush
fellow citizen Of African descent" to
make laws for Georgia, was but fiat no-go
in the Federal Legislature. 1t said that
the buzzarls often partake of so much
carrion and other filthy GRUB that they
become so foul aud dirty as to be unable to
withstand the stencil Of their own filthness,
and frequently perch themselves upon the
chimney tops in order to cleanse themselves
through the clarifying effects Of the smoke.
l have often thought it was something so
with tho so-cal.ci political Ralicals,"
minus the smoking process. In the Lou
isiana negro representative case above al
ludcd to, they were unable to endure the
odor of their own doings.
Every State not now represented in the
Federal Congress is to be kept out and re.
constructed and reconstructed until they
swallow the nauscating Fifteenth Amend
mcnt and the negro. There is no altcrna-
tive but to do SO or to remain unrcpresen-
ted in the Congress of the Union. This is
a safe inference from the former proceed
| Y.
Now. there is something deserving of con-
sideration in such a course Of proceeding.
fthc States not now represented are nc.
tuaNy om ufthc Confederation, (and they
are 50 treated by the Federal authority, at
least so far as representation is concerned)
they have no right, of course, to participate
in the matter Of amending the Federal COM
pact The truth Of this position is undc.
niablc.. If the said States are wuhim Tie
Union, then they are most assuredly en-
titled to be represented without such con.
ditions and restrictions being imposed upon
them. 1t is true that each house Of Con.
gress is made the sole judge of the quaii.
cations of its own members, but this au-
thorty does not extend beyond the cleo
ton returns, except in eases Of contest for
seat, in which case the hou-c can 20 into
the facts of the question and determine
which of the contcnding parties is entitled
to the place. If man is sent to either
house Of Congress with his credentials in
due form, and he is ready to take the oath
required by the Constitution, Congress
cannot rightfully reject him, but such rep
reecntative is fully entitled to scat in the
house to which he is sent, unless contes-
tant is able to show that he ,ras not law full
ly elected. This being shown to the salts.
faction Of the house, (Which is made the
fiual judge in the matter,) the man with
the credentials is compelled to vacate.
But the idea that States mithin tie Union
cannot be allowed representation until they
are compelled to swallow all the dirty pills
which Radical Congress may be pleased
to dish up for them, is a matter which the
people Of the whole country would do well
to look to. If vile and unscrupuous
Congress would impose its unconstitutional
and rascally measures upon Georgia, it
would as soon do so with any other State.
providing it could manufacture any sort Of
excuse for so doing, and could gain its OBJ
ject thereby. But Georgia once rebelled
against Congressional Radicalism, and that
furnishes pretcxt for the inAiction upon
her of all the arbitrary, vindictive and
selfpro6ting measures they please, through
all time to come. IF Georgia, or any Of
the States, do not want negro Legislators
they are entitled to have their way about
it. The right to regulate the matter Of
suffrage is one never parted with by the
individual States, and it is to be hoped
they never will give il up toany power un-
der heaven or among men. Who wants
the Federal Government stalking into the
several States, thrusting the greasy, odori-
ferrous negroes into society Of white folks,
either political or social, where their pres
ence is repulsive aud not wanted? For
one, myprotest has long since boon entered
upon the record against such proceeding,
and as long as I am able to carry ballot I
shall vote to keep the Federal Government
"snug as bug" within its Constitutional
limits, and contend to the extent Of my
humble ability for all the reserved rights Of
the individual States. Under our system
of government, all political power is inher-
ent in the people, and am for holding on