The States and Union. [volume] (Ashland, Ohio) 1868-1872, 1869-03-24

undertake to transact business which
they were net instructed to perform.
What a picture is here presented.
The Democrats going home to meet
their constituents, and your represen-
tatiyes not daring to face the people
!, Of this country. ] desire to see the
men who have had the manliness to
resign, returned by overwhelming ma
jorities. These Republicans may per-
haps then take the hint. TCheers.1
What has been done once may be done
again. / propose to fight it outeup-
on this line if it takes from now until
the next general election. Our cause
can but grow stronger and stronger.
Ifnegro suffrage must come, let us
have tha satisfaction, at least, aofsay-
ing that it came mot by any Iserviie
act of ours. If tits to, come, let itsbe
by thesaet of oother States but let us
not bow our neclsz willingly to the
yoke. think that New York win
not ratify it i. Connecticut will not
ratify it /; neither will Pennsyivania,
nor New. Jersey nor Maryland, Ohio
has once repudiated it by forty thou.
sand majority. Michigan rejected It
by twenty-eight Thousand less than q
year ago, and other States have done
the same. Oregon will repudiate it,
California will repudiate It, and we
may, if true to ourselves, and if we
work to the full measure of our re.
sponsibility, have the opportunity to
decide for ourselves upon this great
question.
1t involves far more than the mere
question of negroes voting. A princi-
pie is sought to be destroyed which our.
fathers gave us-the right of every
State to manage its own. domestic af- :
fairs, / contend for the doctrine Of
State Sovereignty, as far as it applies
to sovereignty upon matters referred
to the States. This is the proper de.
fnition of it.. The States are sover-
eign upon those questions which are
not given to the Federal Government
by the Constitution. Chief among
these is the question of suffrage If,
true to ourselves, we may see State
by State fall into line, from the ATTAIN
tic to the Pacific ocean, and have the
proud satisfaction of knowing this cher
ished right will remain where our faith
ers placed it. If, on the other hand,
it is to be broken down, if we are true
to ourselves, our children can never
reproach us and say that the negro
gained access to our schools, the. Leg
islature, and our juries, by any act Of
ours
General Grant says that the States
should ratify this Constitutional Am
endtnent, and thens sgitation upon the =
subject would cease. WHAT kind of
an argument is that2 You might
want deed to my house. had bet
ter give it to you, and stop agitation
upon the subject. [Applause. Some
scoundrel might want to buy my
house !, according !. to this doctrine
should let him carry out his wishes I'M
order to put an end to the agitation Of
the question. Let us say that we will
not ratify this amendment, because it
is wrong, and when they let. MS alone
with our domestic rights we will stop
agitation, and net before. -
Iremember once opposing Mr.. Nor
rill upon the floor Of the House in re-.
gard to some pet scheme of his, when
he made similar plea. I said to
him. "If you viii take your hands
out of the pockets of my constituents
and cease stealing from, we won't say.
and thing more" GCheers. YOU
say the agitation would be ended if I
would cease talking. I say, don't take
the money and we will not talk. =
Truth has vson it's way in the world
by agitation. 1t will not do to argue
that it win stop agitation to deny the
people the right, to vote on, this great
domestic question: or that it will stop
agitation for these representatives to
commit fraud upon the people of In.
diana, or that q party elected upon
on platform can turn round and vote
upon another. Ifsuch q course is ne
cessary to stop agition, it were better
that fierce whirlwind of agitation
should arise and blow such people out
of the world. -s.. -