The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1869-09-17
George H. Pendleton's Views Of Political
A6ntks..The UnlOn not RestSreyl. .ll.- !.

CMoFNATI,h September IL, 1861
Yesterday large number of the friends
of George 81. Rendleton called at, his re-
sidence and insisted on speech from
him, He tried TO beg off, but finally
consented. Mr.. Pendleton is still coin.
pelied to support himself on crutches.
Among other things he said: T cannot
agree with Governor Hayes that the
vexed questions OF national politics are
wisely and happily settled; that thegreat
questions of liberty and Union have been
solved and the reconstruction of the
Onion made safe.H I cannot agree with
him that retrenchment, economy and
honesty have been introduced into the
management Of the Federal expenditure;
that the debt has been decreased and is
decreasing, as he states it; that the
burdens of taxation have been reduced
ened; that sound Judgment and freedom
from bad influences have been brought
to the exercise of the immense power of
the Secretary of the Treasury; that bust
ness is active; that enterprise is active;
that vigor, energy and industry are
bountifnlly rewarded; that employment
is abundant; that daily toll is fully COM
pensated; that commerce, on the ocean
and on land, is prosperous; and therefore
L cannot serenely, as does our worthy
Governor, turn my face from all ques-
tions of Federal politics and look only at
State affairs: cannot say the Union is
restored when Virginia, Mississippi and
Texas are under military government,
and Georgia without representation in
Congress-; that the Union is restored
when justice is administered by drum
head court martial; that the constitution
is maintained, when we know that the
Supreme Court is only waiting On oppor-
tunity to declare the Reconstruction Acts
unconstitutional. I oppose the adoption
OF the fifteenth amendment, because it is
material and radical change in our sys-
relation of the States to the Federal
Union which the constitution establish
ed, and degrades them; takes away from
the States, without their consent, that
essential attribute of self-goyerning
community. Two years ago, the people
Of Ohio, without distinction of party,
by an immense majority, refused to
amend the State Constitution. I see no
reason. to believe that they have changed
their opinion I object to its adoption,
because by the strongest implication il
cohfers upon Congress a right reserved
to the States, to exclude from the ballot
persons Of our own white race because
of their nativity, creed, want of educa-
tion or property. and prohibits the ex-
clusion only of another race. If the in
depreciation of Senator Morton and
Senator Howard be correct, under this
amendment Congress and the State may
exclude Irishmen, Germans, Catholics,
Protestants, or the poor man from the
enjoyment'of suffrage, but not the negro
or Mongolian. object to its adoption,
because it is part and parcel of scheme
to flood the country with forced impor-
tation of an immense number of Chinese
coolies, and'to bring into our alien race
n more difficult form of the social and
governmental questions that have so un-
happily divided our people.
Mr.. Pendleton dwelt at some length
upon the financial question, reiterating
his former assertions in regard to the
payment of the Government debt and
the bond-holders in greenbacks, and
abolishing the national bank system and
the study of economy in reducing the
national debt.