Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1870-04-26


should be rescued from peryerse inter-
probation. He replied at some length
to the remarks of Mr.. Carpenter, ask
ing where in his speech proof could
be found that he had said the Consti-
tuition is henceforsh of interest only
to political antiquarians. Such con-
struction would be found alone in the
disturbed imagination of the Senator
from Wisconsin. He said they had
been told by Mr.. Carpenter that Con.
gress had no power to impose condi-
tons and limitations on the States,
but he (Sumner) showed by reference
to the arguments OF the trainers of the
Constitution that, first, we are ma
ton, and, secondly, that We are dedi-
Gated to human rights. Mr.. Sumner
said he had given authority to impose
restrictions on the States 10 the i'm
Eortal guaranty clause in the Consti-
tuition, and any one who did not so
construe it showed ignorance beyond
criticism. No theory of State rights
no dogma revived and set on its
legs by the Senator from Wisconsin
could interfere with this great power.
Mr.. Sumner quoted the remark Of
Alexander Hamilton that the Union
has complete sovereignty and that
the Declaration of independence was
the fundamental constitution of every
State. This was true. The .Decla-
ration was title deed, and no assault
could weaken its great and enduring
authority. The Constitution may be
amended, but the Declaration never
can be altered. The Senator from
Wisconsin, assuming the Anticipated,
well-worn and now bloc l-bespattered
garments of John G. Calhoun, rose
constantly in this Chamber to declaim
against conditions and limitations on
States, and then at last in his mad
ness assaulted the Declaration Of Iude-
pendence itself.
Mr.. Carpenter said his remarks to
which the Senator had adverted were
based solely on the provision of the
Constitution with respect to the ad-
mission Of States. The Senator from
Massachusetts, with the ostentation of
learning which he could not conceal,
sent to the library for a copy of the
Declaration ofIndependence, and read
| thereirom trite and familiar express
ions as a reply to his argument, which
was to show that there was no pow
er in the Constitution to impose con
ditions on States. The Senator, after
sleeping on that speech for a week,
inflicted upon him diatribe because
he had alluded to him (Mr. Sumner
as deriving his power to impose con-
ditiOns on States outside of the Con
situations, and he had said if the Sena-
tor from Massachusetts could not fnd
the power there he could find it in
the Declaration of Independence and
in f PturibuS Unum. These were
mere humorous utterances. The Sen
ator's remark that he had assumed the
worn out and blood-bespattered gar
mentS of John c. Calhoun reminded
him of a doctor who threw his pa
tientS into commissions in order to
bring their cases within his healing
art. Laughter.) The Senator, instead
of meeting his argument with argument
alluded to him as a secessionist and
nulliier.
Mr.. Sumner disclaimed using any
such words.
Mr., Carpenter asked: Was not the
Declaration of Independence a reyo-
lutionary document? The Senator
from Massachusetts said its truths
are universal, and yet he criticised
him (Carpenter) because he called
them general truths. When he spoke
of the Declaration of Independence as
a revolutionary document did he state
a fact? He had simply affirmed what
he challenged the Senator from Mas
Sachusetts to deny, namely, that the
Declaration Of Independence was no
grant of power to Congress. The
Sermon on the Mount granted as
much power to Congress as that Dec
laration. Rufus Choate, to whom the
Senator had alluded, was a sound law.
yer, which the Senator from Massa
Chusetts was not.
Mr.. Thurman said he wanted tc
show that the Senator from Massa
chusettS was a sound lawyer, aud with
this view read an extract from q
speech delivered by Mr.. Sumner or
the 18th of August, 1852, to show
that the Senate, in effect, advocated
the doctrine of State rights.
The debate was further continued
by Nessrs. Sumner and Carpenter OF
the question of constitutional power
after which the Senate held an execu
tive session and took a recess.
At the opening of the evening ses
sion five Senators were present. AT
ter waiting fifteen minutes six more
came in, and the Senate adjourned.
HOUSE.
A large number Of bills were intro
duced and referred, including on,
proposing an amendment to the Con
stitution prohibiting donations to sec
tartan schools; also one to enforc,
the Fifteenth Amendment.
Mr.. Paines (of Wis., bill for tn
apportionment of members of Con
gress was passed-S6 to So. 1t pro
vides that after March 3, 1871, tn
House of Representatives be compos
ed Of 275 members, apportionet
among the States now in the Union
,, the basis of representation to be as
certained by the Secretary of the In
terror from the preliminary census re
!, port; no State is to lose any member
: in the Forty-second Congress, and