The States and Union. [volume] (Ashland, Ohio) 1868-1872, 1870-09-21
rHE DISQUALIFICATION
Speech Of Hon. 4. G.. Thurman,
AT CINCINNATI, SEPTEMBER
10Th 1870.
An Able Discussion of the Issues.

An Able Discussion of the Issues.
A very large and enthusiastic audi
ence assembled at Muzart Hall, Gin
cinnati, Saturday night, and was pre-
sided over by Colonel Dodds, of the
Young Mems Democratic Association
Hon. Allen G. Thurman was introduc-
ed and delivered the following address,
which was received with hearty ap-
proval:
1r. President and FsAoW- Citizens:
Under what kind of government are
we to live in the future? Upon this
question, that ~transcends all others in
Importance, / propose first to speak
to night. The question has been lore
ed upon the country by the events OF
the last ten years, and the time has
come when it must be considered and
decided. -
No candid and intelligent man will
deny that a revolution in our govern
ment has been going on for the last ten
years; and that its tendency has
been and yet is, to, deprive the States
and the people of rights heretofore
considered by all parties as unques-
tionable, and to. vest in the General
Government nearly every power that
a government can possess over the
people. The idea of our institutions
by which matters of local concern
were left to the States, and only those
of general concern conceded to the
Federal Government, has been fast
fading away since the Republican par
ty came into power, and will soon
cease to exist should the ascendency of
that party be prolonged. We are,
therefore. forced to consider the ques-
ton whether so Radical a change in
our institutions is desirable, and we
cannot consider it too oon or too pro-
foundly.
1 need hardly remind as intelligent
an audience as this, that there are two
modes by which a government, acting
under a written constitution, may IN
cieas, its power. The n is-bv an
open amendment of the constitution,
the other by a false Interpretation OF
it. OF these modes, the latter is far
oftencr resorted to than the former,
and is attended with dangers from
which the open amendment is COM
paratively exempt. Our Federal
| Constitution was established in 1888.
In about three years afterward, ten ar
ticles of amendment were adopted;
but not Que of them conferred an ad-
ditional power upon the government.
On the contrary, they were all declar-
atory of rights of the States or the
people, and were designed to protect
them both against usurpation by h
federal authorities. In 1897 an
| eleventh amendment was adopted,
which was also restrictive of the pow
err of the government. In 1904 the
twelfth amendment was adopted, but
its sole Office was to alter the mode of
electing the President and Vice Presi-
dent. 1t conferred no new power up
on the government.
So stood the constitution until after
the breaking out of the civil war.
Then, for the first time, amendments
were framed to restrict the rights of
the States and to enlarge the powers
of the Federal Government. The
18th, 18th, and 18th articles of amend-
ment were proposed ;nl de .lared
to be adopted, and these are the only
amendments, of that character, made
in the course of eighty-one years. But
while there have been but these three
open'a:cendments to confer power up
on the government, the Constitution
has been so radically changed, in prac-
tice, I,y false interpret ltions and usur-
patton, that i. can scarcely be said to
have a real existence.
In a time of profound peace States
have been denied representation in
Cong; ess, have been compelled to abb
rogate their constitutions and adopt
others t, suit the views of the domin-
ant party, and have been forbidden
by law to alter the latter in matters of
the merest local concern. Millions of
people have been placed under the
dom MON of martial law, and civil
government merely tolerated by the
will or the clprice ola Brigadier Cen
eral. Members of a State Legislature
have been expelled and their seats
given to others by act of Congress, up
on an assumption of power which, If
warranted, would authorize Congress
to disperse, at will, any State Legis-
lature in the Republic. Acts of Con-
gress have been passed authorizing the
Intervention of Federal officers or
agents IN State elections, Furnishing
State offers by heavy fines and I'M
prisonments, for refusing the vote ola
colored man, but leaving them I'M
punished if the rejected voter be white;
authorizing the arrest of the judges of
election, even during the election, up
on the warrant of petty United Sta.es
Commissioner, comforting upon the
Circuit and District Courts of the
United States authority to try and de-
termine contests of election fer State
officers, from that of Governor down
to that of constable, and clothing the
President with power to employ the
land or naval forces of the United
States, or of the militia to enforce the
law.
By other laws, the State banks have
D,en ruthlessly taxed ont of existence
their destruction, and not revenue,
being the avowed purpose of the laws
and thus the States are prohibited
the exercise ola right enjoyed by them
from the foundation of the Government
and the whole subject of the currency
has been seized upon by Congress.
An Unlimited right to construct
works of internal improvement IN a
State or States, without their consent,
is boldly declared and often acted up
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