The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1871-01-19
The National Constitutional Amend.
ments in Enforcement
In the South-Postt1on Of Mr.. Blair,
the New Senator.

the New Senator.
ST. LOUIS, Jan. lion Friday last reSo.
luton was introduced in the lower House
of the Legislature by Major Pope, of st.
Louis, endorsing the 18th, 14th, and 18th
amendments to the Federal Constitution
and the reconstruction policy Of the Gene
raj Government, and favoring the payment
of State and national Indebtedness accord
ing to the several contracts upon which the
Indebtedness is based. The resolution was
debated during the morning hour on Fri
day and Saturday, and continued yesterday.
1t has been stated that the resolution was
introduced to force Gen. Blair, if possible,
to sustain his position taken in his famous
letter to Col. Broadhead in 1868, and upon
which he was nominated in the Democratic
National Convention, or to recede from it.
Yesterday General Blair, OH motion to
refer Major Pope's resolution to the Com
mittee on Federal Relations, of which Blair
is chairman. spoke to the question, stating
he was in favor of the thirteenth amend
ment, and believed the South generally as
sented to it, but the reconstruction acts he
declared unconstitutional, and referred to
the decision Of the Supreme Court in the
case of Cummings against the State of Mis-
souri,, and also to the case of Mulligan and
Bowles, who were tried by military COM
lnlS>lOu III luu4illit uuIluS tue Wal. hcltI-
ring to his letter to Colonel BrOudhead he
used the following language
''Sir, my letter, which has been referred
to, contends that the military should be
made to undo their uSurpatiOn at the South.
say so still; and you have only to with
draw them from the South and their work
will he undone. [Applause.l That carrion
crew of carpet-bdggers, who are gorged
upon the plumber and drunk with the blood
of the vanqui>hed, the people Of the South
will disperse themselves in an instant, if
not sustained by the bayonets of the Fede-
raj Government. There is no item in that
letter that ! take back. l stand by it. /
believe in the constructions given ito the
Constitution of the United States by the
Supreme Court, that this reconstruction
was unconstitutional. My hope in going to
Congress, if I should attain that high posi-.
ton, is that | may aid in withdrawing the
troops from those Southern States which
are held there to saddle upon the backs OF
that people parcel of carpet-baggers and
scallawags, followed by an ignorant mass OF
negroes. And if the people OF the South,
who have shown q disposition to abide in
good faith by the arbitrament Of arms, re-
new their allegiance to the Government,
they will be allowed to resume self-goyern.
ment among themselves as We have done in
MISSOURI ana WnllsC cannot expect 10
carry with me the gentleman from st.
Louis, / believe that we can surely and GER
tainly count upon the cooperation of the
large body of liberal men who assisted us
in relieving ourselves from similar tyranny
in Missouri"
The speech concluded with O rather
savage assault upon John B. Henderson, O
portion OF whose career during the early
part OF the war is not very delicately han
died. He forgives all the past misdeeds OF
that gentleman, however, for the position
he took in the impeachment trial Of An
drew johnson.