Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1870-04-20
RAIDERS ON HE CONSTITUTION.

j. In the debate on the admission Of
C General Amcs to the Senate of the
I United States, Mr.. Carpenter, of Wis
j. consln, was not very sparing in his
b denunciatiOns Of those who insist on
I consummating that outrage Though
the Senator from Wisconsin has shown
= sometimes considerable looseness in
his construction Of the Constitution,
! he could not but regard this case as a
r fragrant violation Of its most sacred
provisions. He styled the supporters
Of the impudent claim Of Ames as
Graders on the Constitution" and
f declared that his admission would
~ -'tiisougii its Ulce0ing niues anu
! broken ribs" As n member of the
Judiciary Committee, Senator Car
| penter declared that that branch of
the Senate had become useless, belong
, ing TO a state of things that is pass
ing away. His robust and statesman
like speech is in strong contrast with
the miserable quibbling with which
Senator Scott OF this State, stroye to
bolster up the monsirous pretensions
Of the satrap. Yet, in the whole
course of his argument, the Senator
from Wisconsin did not revert to the
iudisputablc fact that the members Of
the Mississippi legislature which went
through the form Of electing General
Amcs, were as completely in his pow
er, yea, more absolutely the creatures
Of bis will than the troops under his
command. His Dragons had done
the work Of registering throughout
the State Of Mississippi. They had
afterwards held the elections. and
made up the returns. Ames as Pro
visional Governor made out the ccrtif-
Gates OF members of the legislature, and
as Provisional Governor he has certified
hsi election 10 the Senate Of the United
States To this farce the Radical
majority in the United States Senate
propose to give validity by the ad-
mission Of the reconstruction pro.con [.
sual, and Senator Carpenter reproach-
fully tells them that in the prosecu- l
I ton Of thcir attacks on the Constitu- /
I tion they regard tho Judiciary Com, ]
I mittee as "an. obstacle and u Stun
bling block. We make as full ox.
tracts from his speech as our space
permits:
/ have often felt Of late that the
Z Judiciary Committee Is useless
branch OF this body. Ii belongs 10 /
state Of things which fear is passing
away. 1t was created in the carly
days Of the Republic, when the Con /
stitution was regarded rs supreme,
beyond the reach and above the pow /.
er Of Congress. Ii is usually com I
posed Of men whose lives have been .
formed by professional trimming; men
.-i-., ..-----.-----l - f'-itas. .....l.s- 4
ing 10 its legitimate result, whether I
pleasant or unpleasant; men accus. .
toned TO approve OF the conclusions
OF logic, whether these jump with or
against the interests Of the passing |
hour Therefore, whenever il is
thought necessary 10 pass political
measure through this body, without
regard to its consonance 10 conflict I
with the Constitution, the Judiciary
Committee is an obstacle and a STUN 1
bling block And so far as regards I
my connection with IL, / will enter
into a written stipulation, stamped .
under the revenue laws, that il must .
be abolished tomorrow.
But this matter seemed to be a ma.
I turc proper to be referred to and be .
considered by that committee 1t in
volvcd only questions OF law and was
unembrassed with any political neces. .
sity. Whether or not General Ames
is entitled 70 his scat depends upon 4
the proper construction Of the Con /.
siitutiUn; and conceding all that can I.
be claimed uy the advance raiders up |
on the Constitution, and for the pur.
| pose Of this discussion desire TO con.
ccdc that; concccding that whenever
I the Constitution stands in the way Of
measure which We deem To be
bc ia the interests Of human rights,
when il hinders some temporary ad.
/ vantage or illustrates some party end,
I il is to be disregardcd and ruthleSsly
trampled under foot; eonceding this,
General Amcs's case docs not como
within the concession.
A decent regard for the opinions Of
our carly statesmen. for the theory of
our government; a decent regard for
the ancient opinion that civil rights
arc only secured when those who ad-
minister the government bya written
letter above their control, ordained
by the people a decent regard for
our solemn oaths, would seem TO die
tate that the Constitution should not
DO disrcgardcd without some tempo
rary benefit resulting TO the people or
the party or somebody. But it can
not be pretended that this Is such q
case. What is the necessity for Gen
cral Amcs 10 take his seat this mo-
) mcnt Does the fate Of the Republic,
docs the fate Of our party, or the fate
Of any CRATE public measure depend
upon it! Here we are in profound
peace, with a republican majority Of
morc than twothirds in the Senate,
and the State OF Mississippi is repub-
lican Ia both branches of The legisla.
turc. and it is certain that General
Amcs IS now eligible and can be here
after elected aud take bis scat in this
body within ten days, ireo from all
, objection.
Mr. President, there may come a
time when parties are so nearly bal.
anccd that the benefit OF one vote for
r six years in this body would be q
great temptation to slight the Consti.
taiion. Should such time come the
precedent we are TO make this day
viii be regarded as possessing over.
whciming Importance. II viii be
4 seen that General Amcs's case was
decided by the party possessing such
{, overwhelming strength as TO the ox-
empt from political temptation, aud
that such precedent is safe to fol
low. Ii is important, therefore, that
/, We should decide this case rightly
!. Indeed, the only Importance attach.
e.. a - II 4