Fayette County herald. [volume] (Washington [Washington Court House], Fayette County, O. [Ohio]) 1860-1???, 1870-04-21

u LllC COlOIeu HaH III queSLlCn Is
/ graduate from Oberlin, Ohio, an
k served with honor as commits
s stoned officer in the Union Arm
i during the late war. Is any com
/. ment needed in this body upcI
e such condition of affairs in tn
t State Of Georgia ? Sir. / trust not
s Then, again, these facts were pre-
r sented for the calm consideration
r Iof Congress in the following De
= cember, and the results Of their de-
: liberation may be seen in the repor
| Of the committee on the judiciary
, toward the close Of January Of last
: year Congress took no action ia
remedy this state of affairs and aid
the people of Georgia in obtaining
the rights clearly guaranteed to
them by the provisions of their
State Constitution.
In December last, at the earnest
recommendation of the President,
the act Of the 22d of that month
was adopted. 1t provided for the
reassembling of the parties declar-
ed to have been elected by the Cen
eral commanding that district, the
restoration of the expelled persons
of the Legislature, and the rejection
of disqualified persons by that body.
The present Legislature Of Georgia
has adopted the fourteenth and fif-
teenth amendments to the Constitu-
ton Of the United States and the
fundamental conditions required
by the act of June 25, 1868. The
reconstructed State ofGeorgia now
offers herself, through the constitu-
tionally elected Senators, as meet
and fit for the recognition and adj
mission by this Congress.
l have thus rapidly gone over
the history of events which have
transpired in the State of Georgia,
till | have come to the legislation
Of the pre-, ent time. The commit
tee on Reconstruction in the other
House pref lared and presented
bill providing for the admission
Of the State on similar grounds to
those on which my own State and
Virginia were allowed to take their
places in the Union. An amend
ment, however, was proposed in
the House and adopted, the aim
and purport of which is to legalize
the organization of 1868, and de-
clare that the terms of the members
OF the Legislature, who have so re-
Gently qualified for fair and inst
recognition by Congress, shall ex-
pire before they nave completed
their full term of two years under
the Constitution. Again, this
amendment seeks to retain in office, |
whether approved by the Legisla-
ture of the State or not, the Judges
who have declared, in opposition
to the Constitution and the law,
that in the State of Georgia, at
least, there exists a distinction as
10 race and color, so far as civil
and political rights are concerned.
If there be any meaning in the
words of the Constitution OF that
State, no such class distinction as
his exists; and, sir, am at loss
% determine upon what grounds
We are called upon to hedge in, by
Congressional enactment, any pub
ic servant who may still give ut
erance to such doctrines, which
ire part and parcel of the efete civ
lization Of our Republic. If the
of Georgia thinks it
light and proper to place in posi-
ions of trust and responsibility
nen of this school of political
hought, certainly l shall not offer :
me objection, But let that Legis- >,
ature assume the risk, as it is its !
rue province, and let it also bear ,
he consequences.
1 do not believe that it can be /
'roved that the State of Georgia
as ever been beyond the control t
t Congress, nor that she has ever 8
ecome fully admitted into the c
Jnion or entitled to representation, /
ince her impotent efforts to pro 4
lote rebellion; and that therefore,
,hen the act now under considera- n
on and properly amended shall i
ave been adopted, the government S
that State and the Legislature of d
lat State will enter upon the terms
f office, will assume the powers a
,r good and right and justice t
hich are prescribed in the cOnsti- Il
ltion of that State, and that un- n
er the circumstances the Senate
i'll not deny to the loyal men of h
eorgia the recognition of their re- is
mt victory. 81
And now, sir, I protest in the o
,me of truth and human rights, W
yainst any and every attempt to {
tier the hands of one hundred
hite and colored citizens of the HI
ate of Georgia. Sir, l now leave al
is question to the consideration bl
this body, and I wish my last dt
ords upon the great issues involv- m
in the bill before us to be my a
lemh and earnest demand for full ct
ID prompt protection for the help
IS loyal people Of Georgia.
! appeal to the legislative enact =
ents of this Congress, and ask if =, "
wv, in the hour when a recon p'
ructed State most needs support, ~
is Senate, which has hitherto II, ~
me so nObly, will not give itsuch a.
yislation as 1t needs. ~
Mr. MORTON. Mr.. President, | '"