The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1870-04-25

o make 10 a failure; every oDStaclS
sas been cast in its WY from first to
ast, and if it is q success it Is a sue
,ess in defiance of and IN despite OF
he Democratic party.
And now, Mr. President, l come TO
he question, who are chiefly respon-
sible for the innumerable murders
md nameless crimes that are contin-
ually taking place in many of the
States2 Who are chiefly
l answer that question
by saying the Democratic party of the
North. Through their newspapers,
through their conventions. through
their teachings, through their infu-
ence upon the people of the South,
have contributed more than all other
causes to bring about this state oil,
things. Why, sir, the platforms OF
the Democratic Conventions in the
various Northern States all united In
declaring that our reconstruction acts |
we're unconstitutional and void, and |
by the most violent and Inliammatory |
resolutions stimulated the Southern
people to resistance. Not to 60 back
beyond the time Of the passage OF the
first reconstruction measures, Will
present q specimen of the advice, OF
the Instruction given to the Southern
people by the Democratic. party IN
their State Conventions in the North.
I have some seventeen or eighteen OF
them here, bat have net the time to
read them all. l will, however, read
two or three as specimens. First, the
Democratic State Convention OF In
diana, in 1868, passed this resolution
Resolved, That language is inade-
quate to express our adherence and
condemnation Of the Radical recon
struction policy of Congress- policy
condemned by every consideration OF
Justice and constitutional obligation
"a policy fraught with the most
alarming apprehension of evil to ten
States of the Union and of destrnc-
ton TO the Union itsell--a policy that
largely increases taxation-a policy
thatrequiTes large standing army,
which adds nearly one hundred mil
lions Of dollars annually to the ex-
penses of the Government, while 1t
beggars the people. 81 aeH ~
| now read resolution passed by
the Democratic State Convention OF
Ohio, in 1868: 9Ied f
| IL That the numerous palpabie
and high handed usurpations of the
| party in power, their many public
| and private acts OF tyranny, tramp
ling under foot the civil law and the
| guarantees of the Constitution their
| continuing to deprive sovereign
| States of representation In Congress,
| aud to govern said States by military
rule, show them to be the party of
| despotism. aud unworthy the conn.
dence and support Of Tree people
] will next read a resolution passed
| by the Democratic State Convention
Of New Hampshire in 1868; and these
are fair specimens of all their reso-
lahoRs; pa ~
That the Congressional plan of re-
construction, as confessed by its franz
ers, wholly outside the Constitution,
is a revolutionary usurpatlon; and
that the attempt by Congress to es-
/ tablish the practical supremacy of the
negro race. is most atrocious crime
against tho principles OF republican
government aud the civilization of
the age. and deserves the severe and
indignant denunciation of every true
American citizen. n ao "a haf1
st X X X
That is q fair expression of the ac !,
ton, of the Democratic party Of the
North from the time hat the recon-
struction measures were first passed
up to this time; and / have only to say
that if the Southern people believe
what their Northern friends say in
regard to the unconstitutionality of
these acts and the terrible oppression
that they are laboring under. the
Southern people are bound by every
principal, human aud divine, to resist
the Government of the United States.
Mr.. President, this whole policy
| eliminated and was summed up in
the platform adopted by the pessssz'
in Nav York, in 1863, and / beg leave
to read from that platform. I will
not read the whole of it, but, l will
read so much as shows its character.
That platform declares, In its ar
raignment of the. Republican. party !:
Instead Of restoring the Union, it
has, SO far as In its power, dissolved
| it, AID subjected ten States il time s of
profound peace to military despotism
and negro supremacy. rioel4 d &
And then further on it says: -ilos
And that we regard the Feconstruo-
tion7aets (soa called) of Congress, as
| such. as usurpatlons, and uneonstitu-
tional, revolutionary, and void. =
This was the declaration of the
New York Convention l will now
referto the letter written by General
| Blair before the Convention met. and
which gave him thea nomination for
che Vice Presidency upon the Demo-
cratic ticket. In his letter he said:
The reconstruction policy of the
Radicals will be complete before the
next election; the States SO Excluded
will have been admitted, negro stuff
rage esta bhshed, and the carpet bag
gers installed Ia their seats in both
branches Of Congress- There is no
possibility of changing the political
character of the Senate. even if the
Democrats should elect their Presi-
dent and a majority Of the popular
branch of Congress. We can not
therefore undo the Radical plan Of
reconstruction by Congressional ac-
ton; the Senate will continue a bar
to itsrepeal.s Must we submit to it?
How can 1t be overthrown2 1t can
onlyb overthrow by the authority
of the Executive, who is. sworn to
maintain the Constitution. and who
will fail to do his duty if he allows
the Constitution to perish under
series of Congressional enactments.
which are in palpable violation of its
Fundamental prineiples. q ~ sa-
If the President elected by the De-
mocracy enforces or permits others to
enforce these reconztruction acts, the /
Radicals, by the accession of twenty
snurinus Senators and fiftv Renre 4