The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1870-04-27

In the United States Senate, on the 4lh
inst, Senator Thurman made an able
and forcible speech on the Georgia ques-
ton, especially pointing out the monstrous
political wrong involved in the PROPOSE
ton, supported by most of the Radicals,
that Congress shall intervene and extend
the'term of the Georgia Legislature for
two years longer than that for which it
was elected by the people. Senator Thur
man stated the case as follows:
CONGRESS ELEcTING A LEGISLATURE FOR
GEORGIA.
The proposition is simply this: Geor-
gia, if this bill pass, is to be restored to
relations, her senators are to come upon
this floor, her representatives are to take
their seats in the House of Representa-
tives, she is then, according to your re-
construction laws, to be fully in the Union
once more; and according to the oft affir-
med and true doctrine Of the Senator from
Michigan, she will then stand upon an
equal footing with any other State in the
Union, and IN respect to that State, thus
as fully IN the Union as Massachusetts,
herself, having all the rights Massaehu-
sets herself has, the senator from Massa-
chusetts proposes that Congress shall in
tervene and extend the term of her Legis-
lature two years longer than that for
which 1t was elected by the people. Mr..
President, there are some things that a
lawyer cannot argue against with very
good temper. l have always found that
when there was a really difficult question,
the most irascible lawyer could keep his
temper in the argument of it, but when
l.. l.
absurd as to shock the common sense of
mankind, and the decent respect of the
profession for itself and the law, it is diff
cult for even an old man of mild temper
to keep his temper as we'll as he should.
But now invite the attention again of
my friend from Massachusetts, What is
the excuse he gives for this? He SAYS
that the legislature of Georgia became de-
moralized. How did it become demorali-
Zed? 1t organized and adopted the four
teenth amendment. Was that an act of
Generalization 1t elected two senators,
as your reconstruction laws contemplated
it should do. Was that an act of demor-
allzation? 1t elected the necessary State
officers whose election devolved upon it.
Was that an act of decentralization That
legislature passed appropriation bills, it
made laws suited to the new circumstan-
ces of the State. Were those acts of de-
morallZation? ?
What act of decentralization. then, did
1t commit? 1t was this in accordance
with the opinion expressed by the highest
judicial functionary in that State, It de-
clared that the black race We're not enti-
tied to hold Office in Georgia The legis-
lature of Georgia, or rather each branch
for itself, having the absolute right to de-
termine that question, and the right to
determine it without being bound by the
decision of any judiciary, before there had
been any Judicial decision to the contrary
| and acting upon what was the declared
| opinion of the most eminent lawyer of the
| State, and ths< most eminent Radical IN
the State IN the canvass in which the Leg
islature was elected-acting upon that adj
wee, on those principles, and with that
clrcumspection, it resolved that the negro
members were not entitled to their seats
and 1t ousted them. That was the first
| appearance of Generalization. Then II
did what | admit was all wrong, it seated
the minority candidates.
What did you do? Although this wa.
a question over which thai legislature
and that alone, had jurisdiction, although
this was question under the constitution
OF the State Of Georgia, over which Con
| gress had no manner of control whatever
any more than 1t has over the constitution
of Massachusetts or Ohio, or over the leg
islatures of Massachusetts or Ohio, vet be
cause that legislature did that, you tool
Georgia IN hand again last December, no
because her constitution was not republi
can N form, the only thing you had
right to look to, the only thing that tn
constitution of the United States give
you any supervision or jurisdiction oVel
not because her constitution was not re
publican IN form, for you had affirme
that, but what you complained of was tina
that republican constitution had not bee
Obeyed, and you took Georgia in han
again and passed your act Of Decembe
last.
And now, when we are brought to til
present state of things, what is the excus
OF the senator from Massachusetts, for pei
petuating the power of the present legisl,
f ture Of Georgia? Why, that it was gui
ty of that horrible crime of turning ii
= negroes out and of seating the minorit
2 candidates. Let me tell the senator frol
Massachusetts that of the men who turn
ed the negroes out, more than seventy al
members of the present legislature, holt
ing their seats now, and for that &C
which he considered an act of such afro
lty, he proposes to reward them by gi'
e ing them lease of power for two yea
g longer. Let me tell him further that
# the present members of the legislatu
there are fifteen or sixteen, | believe, wi
}, were minority candidates, and who a
d therefore seated in the present legislatu
> by Just such demoralizlng act, lust SUI
4. an atrocity as that of which the senat
Al so elOquently complained last Decembt
and now the reward which the senat
from Massachusetts, proposes to grant
those men thus illegally seated, men "
never were elected at all, men who No
their seats by plain and fragrant viol
ton of the constitution and the law, Is
,e give them lease of power for two yea
?, longer.
y RAW HEAD AND BLOODY BONES INvE
TIoNs OF SENATOR WILSON.
IA Senator Thurman continued at leng
y In review Of the legal propositions invol
y ed in the contemplated legislation
then passed to the consideration of a sta
ling declaration made in the Senate
- pharisaical saint Henry Wilson, of Mass
chusetts, that "there were more assassi
dllOus IN Iue SOuIn Since Lee SurTelC
than there were men lost on any field
11ss stricken battle during the four years
It the war" This was said by Wilson
of his responsibilities as a sworn senator
And this Is the way Senator Thurm
disnosed of the Infamous falsehood-
in falsehood coined to infame Radical pi
to siOns to the pitch of doing the Unjust
sought to be imposed upon Georgia.
The senator gets up here and tells
that there has been no protection for i
liberty or property in Southern States
four years, and yet in those four yet
those Southern States have raised a CT
he of cotton but for which your greenbat
10, would this day not be worth more th
itv sixty cents on the dollar. They have "a
ed a crop of cotton that has nearly bI
you to specie payments, and if you get
lid specie payment by this time next year
III will be because the cotton crop of lS
ms Will be useful And yet a country Il
can do such a thing as that, coun
= which is prospering as everybody adm
and fast regaining its lost wealth and G.
ital, we are told is a country in VIII