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

to race, color, previous condition of
servitude, nativity, property OIL religi-
Gus faith.
There Is one thing / renlember--apd
| want Senators to think of this, and
If there rs a chance to appoint a new
committee and get something better,
as indicated by a member of this last
committed want them to remember
THAT in the Constitutional Convention
of Georgia Mr.. Alderman, one of the
ablest- men of that State, a lawyer of
emlnence and high character, proposed
that the Constitution should provide
not only for the black mans voting
but the black mans holding
office. A few timid, conservative,
halting, short sighted Republicans
were afraid to meet the people of Geor-
9ia on a plan, square and direct issue,
and they got together, consulted, held
consultations over it, got scared and
went into the Convention and all the
men in that Convention, with the ex-
ception OF twelve, including black men,
backed square down.
Mr.. E~DMUNDS-they thought
that was I'll they could get, 1 suppose.
Mr.. WILSON. They did not try
to get more. They went to the peo-
pie Of the State, talked with a forked
tongue, one class of politicians saying
that the negro had the right to vote
but no right to hold office, and the
other class saying that he had the
right to vote and to hold office. They
elected quite a number of black men
to the l. stature. The black men
in their magnanimity and generosity
for there never was a people so mag
nan!nous, s. generous, so forbearing,
and so good-hearted toward tho.e who
nave been their enemies as the black
men of this country-allowed unre-
pentant and unforgiven traitors to sit
in lie Legislature with them, and the
moment those men got the power they
hurled the ID k men out of the Leg
islature. There are no Senators sit
ting here from Georgia on account Of
that action, and we have passed
months and we do not see the rem
edy.
Do not tell me, sir, that the right
to vote carries with it the right to hold
office. II does no such thing. If there
is nothing said about it the fair infer
ence is that it does, but if there is a
provision III a State constitution 9TH
erwise silence does not annul or ovei-
throw that constitutional or legal dec
lara on. No man in the world has
the right to hold an office. The peo-
pie have a right to vote, and they have
tie right to put terms and conditions
to the offices that they make.
IL. Webster said in the Constitu-
tional Convention of Massachusetts,
i'll 1920, that no man had the right to
define and make the terms and con-
di,ions upon which offices should be
held. L do not believe in n body's
light to make terms and conditions
founded on rae or color that can not
be overcome; but many of the States
have done it, and silence will not over
throw what they have done. 1 L.
lieve, however, that if the black men
have the right to vote, they and their
friends i'll the struggle of the future
Will achieve the rest. Therefore 1 am
willing now to give them the right to
vote if c-n not-get fer them the right
to be voted for. l will take that if /
can not get any more. The adoption
oil the amendment will not close the
question, as L had hoped we should be
able to do within the next few months.
for l have 40 doubt if we submit The
b1oad, square proposition to the peo-
pie Of this country before the LIST day
Of january next we shall have a Con
stitutional amendment adopted which
will cover the whole ground, and the
great struggle will be closed, and clos
ed forever.
1 want to sec the rights of the ne.
gro secured, for | want to see this ne
gro question out Of the politics of the
country. | want to see eyerybodv's
rights absolutely secured, and then let
Us sit down here and see to it that the
constitutions and laws are enforced,
that men practically have their rights,
and go to work and build up this ma
ton and make it what it ought to be
the foremost nation of the world.
That is our work. But here we have
passed through ten years of struggle:
we have ksd to gather every triumph
of human rights step by step, a little
at a time; but, by the blessing of God,
the final fruition will come some time.
and we will work on for that end. If
1 can not get all I will take a part.
Now, if there is a chance for a new
conference committee, / am for it; ii
not, l am for adopting this report. l
can not take the responsibility of &c
feating this amendment that secures
sutfi age if it does not secure the right
TO hold flee to c~itizers with u regard
to race, color, or previous con 1ition Of
servitude.
Mr.. MORTON, of Ind shall
probably vote for this report made by
the Committee of Conference, because
l think L can not do any better, for
the reason that the time within which
to act is so short. Time is important,
and 1 am afraid if this matter is refer
red to another committee of confer
renee, the resolution may be lost alto
gether. 1 go upon the. principal of
taking half a loaf when 1 can not get
a whole one; bat nevertheless, I want
to say that it is pretty hard to accept
the half loaf when a whole one or al
most a whole one has been offered to
us, and has been rejected by the Com
mitee of Conference. 1 was some
what surprised that this committee
should report TO rs n ~DronDsition that