The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1870-01-19

PedtSu OuIISS6S upon CIVIL uDeTJ15 anu !
warn gentlemen on the other side that
when the Forty-second Congress shall as
semble, and the House meet in this Hall
there will be more seats vacant on the
other side than there are even to night
and when the word goes forth that the
seats IN this Hall are filled once more by
men who respect and obey the Constitu-
ton, the event will be commemorated by
bonfres md Iluminations, and a prayer
of thankfulness will arise from the heart
of the nation to the throne of Almighty
Godl Sir, it is time we should pause in
this mad and wicked career. What are
we doing here to night? What means
the bill introduced into this body to day? |
What does it propose? To reconstruct"
the State of Georgia Where did you get
that word? In the Constitution? No,
sir; you cannot find the word "reconstruc-
ton in the Constitution, from the first
clause to the last. The Constitution tells
you that new States may be admitted into
the Union the Constitution tells YOU
| that with the consent of the Legislatures
| and of Congress, States may be formed by |
the junction. of other States or parts of |
States; but nowhere do you find in the |
Constitution authority given to reconstruct |
| a State.
! t WARNING TO NEW ENGLAND.
And in this connection, sir, one word of |
warning, not of threat, to New England. |
bid New England beware lest curses,
ike chickens at no distant day come home
to roost
What does, the Constitution provide?
That two or more States or parts Of States,
with the consent eff their Legislatures and
the consent of Congress, may be joined to
form one State. Suppose that at some
| distant day the South and West should
! grow weary Of New England domination
and New England dictadon; of the rob
berry by New England of the products of
| the toll and energy and sweat of the agri-
| cultural sections of the country suppose
they should say to the New England States,
"You six States, witha population far less
than that of New York, with population
far less than Pennsylvania, and with
population not greater than Ohio, with
! twelve Senators while New York has but
two, while Pennsylvania has but two,
| while Ohio has but two, we will reconstruct
you"
And why not reconstruct Massachusetts,
as well as Georgia Sir, after the State
of South Carolina, Massachusetts, is more
responsible for all the evils which now
afflict and curse our land than all the rest
of the States combined; and after Massa-
chusetts, the other States of New England
are responsible. There is Justice in the
providence of Heaven and sooner or later
the vengeance of God falls upon,the guilty.
And I warn the New England States to
beware lest their acts of usurpation and
wrong do not some day come back to af-
flict and punish them. 1t is true the Con
stitution guarantees to New England, with
her population not greater than that of
Ohio, twelve Senator'S while Ohio has only
1 II :. l. n. = L.
ties and secures to New England the high
prerogative of giving one of. her people as
much power in the Senate of the United
States as is exercised by six people of Ohio
This is not a natural right nor an equitable
right, but a right found upon the basis of
State rights and State equality, and upon
that basis alone Strike down the Consti-
tuition, paralyze that great instrument
: which protects you in the exercise of this
high prerogatiVe, and when the day comes,
as come it may do not wish it to come,
8 for I stand by the Constitution and the
rights of the States, and am willing that all
E these evils shall be corrected by the people
as they are about to be settled by them
: yet it may nevertheless come without my
!; wish or my will; andshould the day come
when New England will be reconstructed
: and the men who have been the leaders II
1 l144S Wal dltNA ACo p4AlE NpOAA l4AS
: nation debt of nearly 100000, anC
y bringing upon the people system of tax
p alton more onerous and oppressive thar
: any which weighs upon any other people
s upon earth; when the men of New Eng
o land who commit all these great wrong
| shall be brought to account, what will b.
It their defense The Constitution-th
IS Constitution, which theynow trample IN
q der foot in denying to one third Of tn
n States of the Union their rights unde
} that instrument.
It POWERS OF CONGRESS.
n Mr.. Speaker, during the long years @
re the war the people witnessed frequen
le violations of the Constitution without
lie murmur, because they were told that it
n violation was justified by military necessi
+ ty. But now, nearly five years after tn
war closed, when they witness continue,
y and more fragrant violations Of that instru
l. ment on the pretext, not of military, but c
ar party necessity, they become filled wit
anxiety and alarm, lest under the garb c
/ repubhcanism they have entered on tn
&c career of despotism.
le Sir, whittier are we drifting? Are ou
Us powers as legislators limited or are the
is supreme? Is this Government despotic Q
constitutional? Are we the agents or ar
- we I0G uldSl6Ib VI Iu6 pSOJlS lave W
&c q right to disregard the oath by which "
is are bound to support the Constitution
Is These, sir, are grave questions, and in SC
"a Der. earnest they are put to the conscienc
d of this House.
as Gentlemen on the other side seem to in
ne agine that Congress. like the British Parl
III ament, is omnipotent; that Congress hG
sIl the right to make Just such laws and ez
ercise lust such powers as the two House
II, desire Such a government, sir, is des
al potism for despot Is a ruler who doe
n; what he chooses to do, and a government
ad not the less despotism because it is con
vs. posed of more than two hundred member
But what are the legislative powers {
nd Congress7 Does the Constitution declal
in in that all legislative powers shall vest
Congress2 No, sir that great charter
our rights and liberties contains no sue
de. provision. But the first section of II
ers first article provides that "al legislatN
ny powers herein granted" d"-mark you wei
ss- sir; not all legislative powers, but all LEI
islative powers herein granted-"by Il
asst Constitution shall be vested IN a Congre
ad of the United States" From which
ed follows that Congress only possesses SUE
Gle legislative powers as are granted in tn
. instrument, and to exercise powers not .
: granted Is usurpation.- But as if to qua
against an era like the present, when bi
viii men seek to perpetuate their power evt
ter at the sacrifice of civil liberty, the ten
not article of that instrument further provid
lite that
on on 'The powers not delegated to the United Stat
- ~ by the Constitution, prohibited by It 70
o States reserved to the States respectively,
eTv to the people"
our Palmer language could not have be
The The used to restrict the Federal Goyernme
to the epowersspecifed in the Constitution
Sx- and the usurpations Ofthe past eight yea
ON show how wise it was to guard agair
ec- the creation of despotism under the ga
.er- of republican government.
THE CONDITION OF GEORGIA.
are Now, sir, let US consider the position
u the State of Georgia, and see what is PI
at posed by this bill.
onr The citizens of Georgia passed an or,
cbv nance of secession and joined in armed j
,ast surrection against the Federal Cover
inc ment The insurrection was put dow