Dallas herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1849-1873, 1870-04-30
.. SPEECH
Of Gen. w. III. Parsons,


On the occasion OF the dhal vote
| az the Senate on tho Ra,iheatiOn Of
the XVIII Amendment, Senator
Parsons upon voting aye, rose in
his place aud said -.
Ma. PRtsIDKSr-i had hoped to
have heard some reason assigned
by gentlemen voting in the mega
tive. jusliHing their opposition TO
the hnal completion ef ReeOnstrue,
tion. As there is no question Of
debate before the Senate, feel no
disposition TO CONSUME its time
There Is, however, an issue before
the country. ] feel that il is our
duty not 10 rush a question OF So
much gravity with unsecmly haste,
as though struggling 10 soach a
doubtful goal. Tho action or this
Legislature upon this momentous
question, M tao last Of the unrecon-
structed States, VIII DO the keystone
cf Tho arch, tho final completion Of
the long, ,labored work Of Restoration
in tho South, Us il is tho hist State
needed TO render the prinGife Of
equality before the R~ and nniver.
sal suffrage n part Of the organic
law of tho nation. With the ndop-
lion Of this, The last OF tho thfeo
Amendments, the whole organic
structure of our original govern.
ment will bo changed from n loose
confederation TO a nation; establish.
Ing tho subordination Of the States
to tho central power, placing the
enforcement Of equal political rights
and equal suffrage IN the hands Of
Congress, and THUS cohsathmatihg
the greatest revolution III the his.
tory of modern times. The result
of our action will, upon adjourn
ment, be flashed upon tho light.
ning's fiery wing to the great poiit.
ical centre and tho remote confines
of our Republic, Announcing the
practical completion of tho new
Union. With such an issue before
us, attended by such results to our
State And nation, l fbol II duo to
myself, as q Senator upon the floor
of this chamber, due to tho party
of which l am member, due to
the State, and from the State, that
Some reasons should lie given from
this place, whetettfo Texas, through
her chosen representatives, should
complete the work of final Ratif.
cation;
Forty years ago, this month, Wit.
messed the most memorable debate
between the champions of Federal
Supremacy and State Sovereignty
(Wcbstcr and Haync) ever, held in
the arena of the capitol. Erect be-
meath tbs Senatc's dome tho Great
Expohhder stood, high, Bald fore
head eloquent with thought. Con-
fronting him, the keencst and bright
est blade of the knights of the Cal.
houn school. Although differing so
widely as to where rcposed the ul-
innate right of deciding ON the
powers Of the Government, yet both
were in accord as to the one vital
principle in our constitution, and
that was it's adaptation to complete
chaHgo by the concurrent action Of
three-fourths Of the States, and by
iheans of ameiidment, rs tho cX-
tremc medicine OF State, securing a
peaceful but authoritative settle
mc{t of all cause bf difference b.
tween them. Mahy advocates Of
the "tonstitution as it Was" deem
all innovations rs sacrilegious and
revolutionary; yet Mr.. Webster in
that debate, With tho text of the
5th Article befBre him, Bald, "Let it
be remembered that the Constitu-
ton is not unalterable. 1t is to
t6htlnue in its present fofm no
longer than the people, who. estab-
lished it, shall choose to continue it.
They can altei' tho distribution of
power between the State govern
ments and general government at
will" ''''-A
Mr.. Hayne edually conceded that
was not the proper mode for the
adjustment Of differences between
Federal and State authorities; but
that it was clearly indicated in the
constitution itself. He said "the
creating power is three f9urths of
the States. In case Of a deliberate
and settled difference Of opinion as
to the extent of the powers of the
parties to the compact, resort must
be had to their common superior
Chat power which may give any
character to the constitution they
think proper viz: three-fourths Of
the States"
Forty years after this memorable
debate, the experiment of dfi appeal
to threc-fourths Of the States, is for
the FIRST time rcsorted to since 1904,
although fearful war had inter-
vcned. Texas is now the last of
tho threc-fourths necessary to give
q new character to "the constitution
as it was" 1t is however claimed
by tho opponents Of the aihcndmeiit
before us, that as its ratification by
Virginia, Mississippi and Texas
was demanded by the General Gov
crnmcnt, as o condition precedent
10 readmission and federal adifiitiis-
tration, that therefore our ratifica-
ton is under ddfcss and will not be
binding. We propose TO demon
strate, not on grounds Of interna-
tional law, (Which would subject us
as a conquered people to these or
any other terms cf the victor,) But
upon constitutional authority itself,
tfiat under the clausg Of that origii
nal instrument LSec. 4, Art. ~ re
ouiring that, "Tbe United States
shall guarantee TO every State III
tiis Union Republican form Of
government" there was and is YES
ted in this elarse an original grant,
=