Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1870-06-22
CONCLUSION OF THE SPEECH

w ~ OLO Ot~&S~N " 49, fS% @-@@ " IL
OF
EOn. =. S. Cor, or .sS,U YORK,
On the Bill TO Enforce the Fifteenth
Amendment, in the House, May III
1870.
Mn, SPEAKER In the time allotted
me have not the opportunity to 20
through this bill and dissect it, section
by section, as could wish. can only
marvel at the indifference with which
gentlemen regard this attempt to
tramp down with elephantine foot
all private rights and legal codes
You cannot thus interfere by penalties
with the ballot without destroying the
virtue of the latter, by attempting
rudely to uproot its abuses. You
would grasp at political power by
those undue statutory means; but you
will grasp ashadow. You follow, like
Macbeth, the dangerous vision and
unhallowed hopes Of a bewitchod am
bition! You will fail You would
enforce a Capitalization with bayonot
and posse, with quo iCarraHto and aili
davit, but you will fail. Centralized
power, like that seized and welded
by the present Napoleon, was won by
bolder means, aud is being to-day
gradually resigned, with wisdom
infinite compared with yours
What is your eonglomerate incon
gruity which you call a lawl Let
me enumerate some of its beauties:
1t is so full Of penal clauses as tC
be ridiculous and Intellectual
2 1t is so full Of spite as to be pro
motive Of litigatious and prosecutions
g. 1t is so general 10 It's terms that
no information or indictment could b,
drawn upon its provisions, and there
fore it is fraud upon the public anC
the accused.
I. It destroys jury trial.
5, 1t is so partisan that it discrmi
mates in favor Of the black against thl
white.
6. 1t is so unmindful Of the Consti
tuition, that it compels State officer
to enforce Federal laws.
I. 1t is so vengeful that it woull
| fl jails and cumulato fines beyon,
| the capacity Of masonry TO immur
the prisoners or the people to pay tn
sums.
s. IL creates a class of paid govern
ment counsel, furnishes fees for then
from the pockets of our constituents
and thus increases taxes, while il fill
the nation with q horde OF detestabl
spies and iniormers.
| 9. II bcgcts conflict between Stat
and Federal authorities, aud by throw
ing the sword into the Federal bal
ancc, seeks by military power to over
awe aud control the elections of th
States, and while aggrandizing powe
IN the Federal government destroy
the form, structure and genius Of th
Federal government
1t will be impossible TO elaborat
all these points. ! will ondeavor {
clucidatc q few Of them.
|. The penal clauses. There ar
twelve sections Of fines and ponaltiC
out OF tic twcnty.tbrce IN this bill
Need / rchcarso themy Imprisor
mcnts and fines, fines and imprisor
mcnts, relieved only by civil suit
and counsel fees! This law is 80 CT
mulativo with punitive clauses us {
be q monstrosity. Most of these set
tions punish with imprisonment an
iino for odcnsos already amply prov
dcd for in State laws as tn cloctio
frauds, although those Slate laws d
not attach TO them such heavy pona
ties. ! could 20 over the sections /,
the SsriGiir,, TO show the uncallcd f
weight of these penalties; and then
might 10 this presence be permittc
to read Jeremy Bcntham on the ol
: harsh English penal codes, to sho
that all excessive penal clauses owe
leap themselves. They fail Of the
aim. win The scholarly gontlcma
Mr.. Binghaml who reported this bi
turn TO the fourth chapter Of Bouring
edition Of Jeremy Bcntham (yol min
page p, on penal law The philos
i. phcr considers what dividends may
made from the "stock' OF human iel
city by the penal codos. We knor
be was no advocate Of such Draconia
codes. In the spirit Of our "Angl
, American representative democracy
or in the spirit Of its Constitute
against "cocrcive" punishmcuts,
traces out all such codes to lawyc
y craft and hypocrisy. llo finds sue
codes confederate with fraud, an
subservicnt to tyranny. lie finds the
synonym in the word "visitation-
penal visitation" 70 this same sour,
OF civil disorder aud turbulence do
E trace this iuiquitous bill
IN what eases shall such sovel
lprnishments be appliedy In whit
/. shape; what proportioul Rattle
:, Bentham asks, in what shape or pr
portion shall it not be appliedy j
answers, as answer for all the twel'
e, sections of these twenty-five sectioI
,, Of this punative enactment, these pc
u alties are groundless, needless, inef
m oacious and Improbable. In sue
E cases punishment, in the language
|, the quaint philosopher, is inapt an
the causes unmcct