Tama County Republican. (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1867-1872, 1871-05-04

Ka-Klax Dsspstisn.
opeeeA DSllvssea n - Oeoale 4 ~ Usitet
stssss, Aytil y, b In. oAaa Ssnnsf.
Nh. PRsslDENr: The questions pre-.
scented in this debate have been Of
fact and Of constitutional law. It 10
insisted on one side that condition
Of things exist in certain, States a.
iectirg life, liberty, property, and the
enjoyment Of sqaal rights, whioh can
only be corrected BY the national
arm. On the other side this stase.
ment j. cnntroverted, and il u argued
also that such intervention u incon.
sistent with the Consultation OF the
United States. On both questions,
whether of fact or law, cannot hes.
itate. To my mind outrages are
proved, fearful in character; nor can
/ doubt the power under the Consti.
tuition to apply the remedy.
The evidence is cumulative. Ruf.
fans in paint and in disguise ss,ze
the innocent, insult them, rob them.
murder them. Communities are kert
snder this terrible shadow. AMI
this terror falls especially upon those
who have stood BY the Union 10 its
bloody trial and those others OF diff.
fersnt color who have just been I'd.
mitted to the blessings of freedom.
To both OF these classes 10 our ma
tion bound BY every obligation Of
public faith. We cannot see them
sacrificed without apostacy. II the
power to protect them fails, then is
the national Constitution tailure.
] do not Get forth the evidence,
for this has been amply done by 9th.
era, and to repeat Il would b. only
to occupy time and to darken the
hour. The report OF the committee
1t least ~ regards one State. the tes.
timony OF the public press, the sto-
ries OF violence with which the cir is
laden, and private letters with their
painful narrat,ons-all these unite,
leaving no doubt 20 TO the narrowing
condition OF things in certain States,
lately in rebellion; not the same in
oil these States or In all parts Of .
State. but such as 10 show in many
States the social fabric menaced, dis.
tarbed, imperilIed in its very founds.
tions, while life, liberty, property,
and. the enjoyment Of equal rights
are without that security which is
the first condition OF civilization.
This 10 the case simply stated. II
such things can be without . reme-
dy applied it need be b, the national
arm, then are we little more than .
bundle OF sticks, but not q nation.
Believing that we are nation. can.
not doubt the power aud the duty
Of the National Government. Thus
on general grounds do ! approach
tue true conclusion.
So long - slavery endured . State
was allowed to play the turtle, and,
sheltered within its shell, TO escape
the application OF those master prin.
ciples which are truly national. The
Declaration OF Independents with
its Immortal truths was in abeyaasce;
the Constitution itself was interpret
ed always in support OF slavery. l
s,ever doubted that this interpreta-
tion was wrong, not cves IN the days
OF slavery; but it is doubly, triply
wrong, now that the Declaration OF
Independence is at last regarded. end
that the Constitution not only makes
impossible bot assures the
citizen in the enjoyment OF equal
rights. I do not quote these texts,
whether of the Declaration or the
Constitution. You know them by
heart. But they are not vain words
Vital in themselves, they are armed
with all needful powers to carry
them into execution. As in other
days slavery gave its character to
the Constitution, filling il with its
own denial OF equal rights, and COM
pellins the National Government 10
be ita instrument, % now do l insist
that liberty must give its character
10 the Constitution, filling il with
lite. giving presence and compelling
the National Government IN be ita
instrument. Once the nation served
slavery and in this service ministersd
to State Rights now it must serve
liberty with Kindred devotion, even
TO the denial OF State Rights. All
this insist 10 PLAIN according to
rules ct interpretation, simply and
oon.aaading.
In other days, while tho sinister
influence prevailed, the States were
by = Chinese wall 90
broad that horsemen and chariots
could travel upon it abreast; but that
wall has now been beaten down, and
the citizen everywhere is under the
protection Of the same equal laws,
not only without distinction Of color,
but also without distinction Of State.
What makes ~ . nation! Not
armies, not fleets, no. Notifications,
not commerce reaching every shore
sLroad, not industry filling every
vein At home, not population throng-
ing the highways noue OF these
make our nation. The national life
ot this Republic is found in The prin-
Ciple OF unity and in The equal rights
Of oil our people; oil Of which being
national in character are necessarily
placed under the great safeguard Of
the nation. Let the national unity
be assailed, and the nation will sprung
to its detencs. Let the hAmhlest
citizen in the remotest village be ~.
sailed in the enjoyment Of equal
rights, and the nation must do Tor
that humblest citizen what It woald
a., E.n~ sA>o1S nj THE e ns>t~, -.