The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1871-12-15
A Little Specimens of tse Speeches in
Congress on tiac Fourteenth Amend.

mcnt.
Mr.. Cox, of New York, said You used It
NJ lash TO make them title southern pcoplcl
adopt negro suffrage. You did not know
that it would apply to Ohio or AasS'chu-
sets. Oh, no! You did not know--or If
YOU did, you were reckless in your partisan
aims--tiat il would apply TO Rhode Island
In that State they eiiSfianchisc men according
to law when they do not happen TO own SlM
of real estate or property which rents for
more than seven dollars per annum.
You did not know that it wonld strike ~
well tic intelligent State Of Massachusetts.
where they require reading and writing rs
the prerequisite for The su!lragan. But il
docs. "Thc engineer is hoist with bis own
priard.H You thought to strike the South,
to compel them to negro suffrage. but you
have struck yourselves and now YOU wrigglc
oyer it. [I4aughter.l ills ptiful. Why
do YOU not stand by tho Constitution. or the
amendments, which YOU made? We Demo-
Gratis have made Il "ncw departure" on the
amendments nj least. We arr tainted for
accepting them. Very well. We stand by
the amendments Us We have always stood, a>
You know. hy the old and uiamcnlcd or
Ganic law. We take the amendments. and
YOU are avoiding their effect. Now enforce
Your pct ideas. Why do you not! You
have cngraitcd them. after much coqucncc
and labor. on The Constitution. Your cX-
r1lsc j. that there Is no law TO carry out
The fundamental constitutional law ] have
quoted. For shame You dodge the
higher law y YOU made. Iou under
took to distranchiSe the South, or rather
80 decrease their representation unless
they accepted your negro suffrage. Does
anybody h'rc dispute this. your pi,ablc
prcdic;uacnt: j. there any one vino docs
not know the constitutional effect of this
amendments hear not one word.
Mr.. Garfield, of Ohio: The language of
this amendment seems 10 me unfortunately
chosc;l. aud do not believe that those who
put it into the Constitution saw at the time
III" tuli S,"I" and extent Of liz meaning. Asa
matter at history. it WAS intended TO declare
simply that where suffrage was denied or
abridged in &nv state on account rt race. or
color. or previous condition Of scrritudc, re-
presentation should hc diminished in the pro-
portion Of s;frl, d""iil and abridgmcnt. And
that WAS Il wise and a Just proposition. But
believe, a. q matter Of historical fact, that
when the article WAS pcndiu" in Congress,
some ono suggested, in tn" spirit Of Il similar
criticism matte ~ MADISON in the ConStilu-
tio,rl Convention. that the word "Scrvi-
tudc." cv " >iaycrT." ought not to he named
in the Constitution rs existing or IL cNcr
c>in., any influence in the Suffrage; and
hence this negative form was adopted to
avoid the Use Of an unpleasant word. But
in adopting the negative form. with Il view
70 he exclusion Of only two cklSscS, they did
is 4 matter Of .act exclude many CLASSES who
were marir>tly not III :'ic mind Of the
authors of the amendment ut the time. Thus
They made the back Of thc blade cut as sharp
- the edge Itself. The whole case is Il
striking Illustration Of the danger Of attempt
in- to reach I'll object indirectly where there
WAS direct road which led to the same end.