Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1871-04-18
uNIOs AND AMERICAS
THE SOUTH.
Enforcement of Fourteenth
Amendment
speech of Hon e. l. GOlIaday, OF
Tennessee, I'm the House OF Repre-
sentattVes, April 4, ISL

The House having under consideration
the bill (H. B. No. S20) to enforce the
provisions of the fourteenth amendment
to the Constitution of the United States,
and for other purposes La
Mr.. Golladay said: -
Mr.. Speaker: In the days of my child
hood l was accustomed to regard the
American Congress the grsndest assembly
of wisdom and patriotism to be found on
earth. 1t did not then enter my dreams
that l would be honored with seat in
this body. But, coming here with little
or no experience as to the reality, have
indeed been surprised at the character of
The patriotism and wisdom which have
been displayed during the last few days.
Upon the one side of this House the Con-
gress seems to be resolved into simple
jury of inquest. Day in and day out we
have been RECALLED by Republicans with
the reading of dispositions, detailing out
RACES here and there; cepositions of wit
2 nesses whose characters are of the worst
and most doubtful order.
Sir, are we engaged in great criminal
trial. If so, demand for the South the
privileges provided by the constitution
and the laws of the land There can be
no doubt that this bill is leveled at the
South and the Southern States only.
Great constitutional signnents have been
hurled by the Democrats against this
bantling of iniquity, and are answered by
ex parte accounts of ''raw head and
bloody bones" and appeals to the venge-
ance of the Northern States. Congress
has been turned into police court, and
the South is to be committed, denied
bail, and turned at once over to the ten.
Ger mercies of a military despotsm for
execution.
Sir, worse than all, the Constitution of
the United States is on trial, and if the
verdict of this Congress shall be against it
we may well afford to fold our hands in
silence and sit down by the grave of free
Institutions grave being dug and pre-
pared by men claiming to be the repre-
sentatives of free people. | listened
with most profound attention to the gen,
tlemsn from Massachusetts, Mr.. But
Ter, and was panied that he should en-
ploy his intellect in arousing and inf1am-
ing the passions Of the North against the
people Of the South. q " ell has he studied
the model speech Of Marc Antony over
the dead body of Cesar, and now seeks
BY recital of some terrible outrage, &C.
curing here and there throughout south
Elm States, to make the whole South in
discriminatory responsible for offenses
which they never sanctioned or approved
either as States or as communities. 1t is
an appeal to passion and not 10 reason.
Such discourses only serve to fan the
flames of hatred and vengence, to mad
den and keep alive sectional feeling. To
draw pictures of dark crimes occurring in
Northern States, to paint them up until
all of our passions are aroused, and then
hold the whole North responsible for
such instances, would be wrong and an
injustice which neither her people noI
her Representatives would ever agree tC
accept tamely at the hands of the South
ern speakers. We must stop elimination
and recriminatiOn, and seek by Othel
means than armies, martial law, abuses
and oppression to heal the wounds of the
country.
Mr.. Speaker, there is no charity in the
gentlemsn's speech toward the people OF
the South. He has carefully collected 6
few cases of outrage, and instead of lev
cling his thunders against the offenders,
he indiscrininately abuses the whole peo,
Die of the South as q lawless and God
forsaken pack. Sir, we have no one &c
lost to honor and justice as to defend and
Justify the crimes of which he speaks.
No newspaper, no public speaker, no citi
zen in our micst, can be found who would
countenance sucl for a moment. We nc
more excuse murderers and thieves, by
either law or public sentiment than die
the good people of New York or Mssss-
chusetts Justify and excuse the murder OF
Nathan or Parkman. We were not sent
here to compile statistics of the criminal
dockets all over the land and make them
the basis of inflammatory speeches, stir
ring anew all the wicked and cruel pas
sions which deluged the land during the
civil war. The Democratic party is q
patty of law and order.
Mr.. Speaker, the war Is over by law
as well as in fact. The South has accep-
~ ted the situation. Her governments have
been restored in obedience to the com
msnds of the Constitution of the United
States, and all the States engaged in the
late rebellion are again restored to the
Union. No sane man, no statesman, nc
philosoper, contemplating cause and
effect Oan demand finer exhibition Of
law, order, and Thrift than the South hat
given since hostilities closed. Her very
heart had been storm-sWept and blood
drenched. Her institutions, the nurture
of wears. had been ruthlessly and suddenly
broken up and changed in the most vic
lent manner. Those who had been
slaves, held and possessed under thu
powers of her own constitutions anC
those of the United States, were not ONLY
freed, but the nOblest privileges of {
freeman bestowed, while the unhappy
and unfortunate whites were deprived o.
these ancient rights and privileges inheri
ted from noble ancestry, and degraded
below the condition of the slave. Tn
white man was deprived of the ballot
box. Fortunes and estates had bee
swept away. In suck a terrible breakin
up of the old order of things the wonde
is that the South does not present wOrs
catalogue of wrongs al crimes than sh
does.
/ listened with great pleasure to th
gentleman from Illinois, Mr. Moore, i
his fine and statesmanlike review of th
situation. He spoke the words of sober
ness and truth when he declared tbs
amnesty and full restoration were a
that the South now needed. But, sir, i
spite of our eff prts TO return TO that cor
dition so much TO be desired, instead c
receiving wise and friendly assistance
instead of being restored to frsteIna II
latlons, we are scorned, slaDdered an
abused. War ssh CLEANS upon the ere!
of our conquelO rs. No love, no conf
fidence is shown. Chains and oppressio
still greet US. We are still to be scourgeC
There is nothing generous or patriotic
such a course. The same fearful answt
returned b. aJ5wish king to a murmu
ing people IS al we hear: 81 will add