The States and Union. [volume] (Ashland, Ohio) 1868-1872, 1869-03-17

is that it decides by an amendment to
the Constitution, that the Constitution
does not guaranty to all citizens of the
United States the right to hold office.
L understand it to be simply the a.
sertion of that principles, which has
been maintained i'll a number of the
States. and that it sanctions and sanc-
titles the action of the Georgia Legis-
lature which has kept out two Sena-
ators from this body during the pres
ent session, and that we arrive at this
principle through the action of a gamb-
ling committee, which, after the Sen
ate, and House of Representatives had
adopted Il more liberal and much bet
ter principle, shuffled the cards V
again and gave us n new Zeal that will
satisfy a certain number of gentlemen.
The effect of it is to exclude from CT
fee n large number of the citizens of
the Southern States. merly to crafty
Il prejudice that exists in certain of the
Northern States who wish to heap
heavy burdens upon the shoulders of
other men that they will not touch
with their own fingers.
The PRESIDENT pro ten,pore-
The question is ON -concurring in The
report of the committee and on this
question the yeas and nays must be
called.
The question being taken by yeas
and nays, resulted-yeas, 80; nays, Is.
Mr.. EDMUNDS, of Vermont:
= y What is the grand moving cause
that impels US to withdraw from the
State of this Union who have hitherto
exercised it entire power over the po-
litical question of the right of suffrage
and the right to hold office? Is it
not that in many of these States there
are large classes of citizens who are
practically ostracised from the Gov
eminent, and who therefore reside in
a community that, while it has the
shadow and p~retense of republicanism,
has none of its reality? Most GER
tainly it is and therefore you intend
to interpose the nations will, found in
the assent of three-fourths of the
States, to compel a real republicanism
and a real democracy in these States;
and what are the steps on this report
that you propose to take to do it
You propose to take the very steps
l repeat what l said a moment ago
on that subject-you propose to take
the very steps that all history has de-
monstrated to be deadly to a republic
To be sure the instances are not fire.
quent, for few peoples have been so
wanting in intelligence and a knowl-
edge of the philosophy of a republican
government as eve to institute n dis
tinction between the right of a citizen
to participate, if he is to participate in
the government at all, entirely; and
if you gave him the right TO lave :.
voice in the government, that VOC
can not have any live expression US,
less it enables him to choose from
among his fellow citizens the man VITO
suits him for his represent tive, in
stead of confirming him, as this amend
ment does, to chosen ar~istocratic class,
saying to q citizen of a free republic,
"You have rights of manhood, you
have rights of equality, but you shall
exercise those rights in choosing some
one of us to rule over you: instead Of.
some ono of your felfbw citizens whom
.you prefer"
There is no instance within my
knowledge of history for the last five
hundred years in any country where
the people have any rights at all Of
political action where there has been
attempted the method that is propos.
ed ia this amendment ofexcluding the
mass of the community from exercis-
ing the powers of government in the
way of being voted for and repres.n
ing their fellow citizens instead ei
merely having the boon that the pie
beians in Rome had to vote for the
a~ristocratic magistrate selected from
among the patricians. Now, sir, do
we wish to set up 4 patrician class in
these Southern States? Do we wish
to try an experiment that has over
thrown the most civilized of ancient
Governments 1t would seem that
we did by this amendment. 1t would
seem as if in wi eagcrness to do some
thing with the Constitution we had
forgotten entirely hat it was of any
consequence to know what we were TO
do and to what end. Why, sir, we
have an illustration before our eyes
that has been pressing itself upon our
attention for months on this very sub.
ject. You have in this nation at this
day, in one of the very States upon
whom this Constitution is to operate,
illustration of the result you will
come to by adopting an amendment OF
this kind-ar amendment which, con-
half of an ins~eparable, indivis-
IDLE, and united truth, Is in reality a
falsehood /; and that State is Georgia.
You will find, if you let the thing
run on, that the example of Georgia
will be initiated in all the other States.
and you will have set up in this Re
a class ar~istocracy, depending
not upon intelligence, upon which some
say a distinction may be.
madeI do not 90 into depending
not upon faith or creed; upon which
some enthusiasts suppose a distinction
may be made, but depending upon the
accident of the complexion of a
human being, whom you say, as far
rs you go, is entitled to equal rights
md privileges as a citizen of the
country.
Now, can you defend that before an
Intelligent public? VIII it be sue
with an intelligent public-?
Are you not. making progress back
ward as fast as you can in the race of
life by proposing a proposition OF IT,
Are YOU no piyiDp tO tha 81 ,