The States and Union. [volume] (Ashland, Ohio) 1868-1872, 1870-01-26
BiNGHAM'S GAG.

.
In our Congressional proceedings,
as reported by telegraph yesterday, we
iihd ther following;i "a
as.Mr. Bingham asked leave to in
ttoddce abH, making it an oBense,
Punishable with fine and imprisonment
for any person to propose to repeal the
action of the State Legislature in rati-
fling any proposed amendment of the
Constitution of the United States"
Its stated that Mr.. Eidridge Dem
ocrat, of Wisconsin, objected. We
ar sorry he did it. Let Mr. Bing-
possible moment. We want the VII
ainssin Congress to play out their
hand as soon as possible.
There Is not a tyrant in Europe,
not even the. Gar of Russia or the
Sultan Of Turkey, who would dare to
bring forward such law. In those
countries, it is true, they have no reg
ular Constitution, but they have the
lawS6f the :poignard and the dagger,
which orreets any frightful excess of
despotisma "A large majority of the
people of the United States are OPP
posed to the Fourteenth or Fifteenth
solcaHed Amendments to the Consti-
tuition. We say so-called, becsuse
they7were never legally adopted, and
they never became legally a part of it.,
ThW<were putt there by force, by the
bayonet and by the bayonet it is
sought to maintain them. Punish.
yithafnes and imprisonment all who
are, in favor of-the repeal of those in
famous. measuresl They would then
have to find an Enclosure large enough.
to contain the majority of the white
inhabitants of the United States. We,
for one, are not afraid of the penal
ties. Put through your bill, Mr..
Bingham, and we will denounce the
repeal, but their being disregarded, for
there IS nothing to repeal, as they were
never legally a part of the Constitu-
tion.s! We viii see how many people
in this boasted land of freedom will
consent to be oogagged-to be denied
the privilege of advocating any thing
they may prefer In the Government
under which they live.
During the war freedom of speech
and the press we're denied /; but We
would advise our Radical friends not
to 1ipfesfnfe too much upon that pre-
cedent, a they will find in it their
r1~iri:: 81 = fif ,i'
LIE Prop4e-may see in this bill of
Bfngham, the INDUSTRIOUS audacfry of
tie Action which now has full sway.
add which seems determined to drench
the land moobf6ed,A and to bring upon
themselves the severest of all male
dietf6hglpaWe again say to the Radi-
cas- Congress pass, II you dare, the
bingham pfopositioni See how much
YOU VIII make by it-ein. Eng. ~
The Editor of the Enquirer. allows
hnselfto become excited. We are
on+amazedqat the proposition. 1t is
Yaff of Che sequel Of the war. When
the Var opened, every Republican in
the land was ready to swear that it
Was mot.a war to abolish slavery
Slavery was abolished, nevertheless.
1t was then claimed that negroes
should vote, Every Republican, e-
cepe FaD.tSfEvEss2 SUMNER and
JfLfaS; said we He'd. ! The Fifteenth
Amendmept followed; and now they
saH1s adoptedil 1t is now made, a
eOnditSeni bfsloyaltyJs that no State
shaIhever exclude the negro from vot-
ing, or holding office? 1t is also
GAINED that the States have .aban-
doHed their reserved rights to the
keeping of a consolidated despotism?
BfSeH4nfs proposition, viii follow
What them We will have a King,
gan Emperor? Don't be startled.
Ehaf~ day is coming. 1t begins to
leo1h ap. This is an age 81 progress
yfkn5w; and we should not be sur
PyissdL at any thing. =. - = 80