The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1871-09-28

HoYT s. Cos Pr|opriet6'ors tor
tIlT,aPat Speeeh,' 81 the HON. VIM. 8. Groesbeck,
aas'.s = Of. Ohio.
A-RxyIrw OF THE CONSTITUTIONAL CHANGES
= y or THE LAST TEN EN5YEARs---ARRAIGN-
slFsses MENT OF THE KU KLUXLAWs ~
Hon. VIM. s. Groesbeck addressed mass
meeting 6ssatin Of the Democracy at steubenville,
eh;o on the 18th instant, and his speech is
pronounced by the Northern press to be the
most splendid and forcible political utterance
sibcs the days of Clay, Webster and Calhoun.
Mr Groesbeck, it will be remembered, was
Attorney General under President Johnson's
asdmiinistratior, and one of his counsel at the
impeachment trial. After some preliminary
observations he came to the consideration OF
the: constitutional amendments, which. had been
adopted since the war, and said:
The changes that have taken place IN YOU.
POLITICAL condition during the last ten years are
Of two kinds First changes IN the Constltu7
tion of the United States; second, changes IN
the manner of administering the government.
Whatare The changes that have been maze in
the Constitution They are three an =, numDer; e
The first is this: mo slavery shall exist IN
the United States When the Consttution
was adopted slavery was everywhere, In the.
Nortksas well as in the South, and, therefore,
tHa Constitution did not forbid it Very soon,
however. and from time to time, the states Is
tiiemsalyes. acting separately, abolished u
,;fS;n theIr respective Jurisdictions, till 1t was
~ sha founi nowhere but in the South and at
iast II ,ras sist1rbed and threatened there. Inc,
Scmths ,rehelled at this. War came--a long,
KiooFiy costly civil war, and the rebellion was
overwhelmed and slavery destroyed. This re-
siiits 4 now declared in the Constitute
Yhas recent constitutional amendments stand
fof the final treaty of our civil war WHAT q Is Is
the second changef In substance thus .ai,
persons born or naturalized IN the unleeo
Statag are citizens of the same, and OF tns ls
State in which they reside. NO state snaii
sbridge the privileges or immunltles OF clIiasls
of the United States, or deny to any person the
en,,ai nrotection Of its laws. There IS also in
tfis amendment a clause disqualifying certain
citizens for holding any Office under the United
States or under any State; and another clause
affirming the validity of our public, debt and.
the jnyalidity Of all rebel debts. What is the.
third fThe right of citizens of the United
States to vote shall not be denied or abridged
nY, account of race, color, or previous condIron
of seryitnden These are the changes made IN
onr Constitution during the last ten years, the
famous amendments of which we have heard
s{ much, and which are 80 often referred 70
even now. ,.-,..s
The thirteenth amendment abolishlng slave
~ rythroughout the United States is accepted ~
all, and m the ooutn as 9nanlmous' - Il .hea,,
North Inc aouD. anu sssasath an,endnoents
ab0ue the ane - ,,rocnre their
1sssnse o. s1s iasa..s 80 ps AZ III they make
ancptson, anu pssaaoS - I'D aI,vays existed be-
N tne lelaEols "n o.ararnment and the State
tween tne seoeIal sseL tsa lana,aoe of o1r recent
-. a. 49, y !n,sed 10 nroeure
State ConPentaon, tne MEANS useI ~ r .r,ero
headoption OF these Two a,ielunlen.s ms.o
extraordinary violent ana 9nsa.ls,asy s uEc
There is no thinking, rlgntrmlnGseo u nan, WY ~
desires that single otner amenulnsns nles ~
made 70 the Constitution as tnese were maae,
fori Is impossible to preserve lss sac,eansss
under such treatment. We may not ioo5 70 1.e Ill
Supreme Court to declare these amenomens
unconsht 1s mas no lIIlsSicol oss.
them. We may not iooK 10 tne nea.ee ~ g.
nul them by further amendment' ~ leqInes
three-fourths OF them 70 concur " .ssn. eae ~ =
movement; that NUMBER WIZ .noe eonSuL lsai. ~ =.
such movement AND We may noe tSS ,eoA =, ~
the people to combine 70 oVel.nso% sadu o.. -
some other way I; the people have already &c
cepted them. The destruction OF slavery , rs
acknowledged and approved by all ana our
colored population has voted In every state Oh
tie Union, at our local and general elections,
aitaia and again, and without challenge or mo-
Mstation. -. ....
these amendments viii stand. Suffrage once
granted cannot be recalled s suffrage that mas
been pFacticed will not be surrendered. L aP-
prove the action of our recent convention on
thissnbiect regret the unfairness and spirit
of domination in which some OF these ameno,
nents were carried, and this nntairness ana
become q precedent for the future. / regret
also the tendency to encroachment upon State
sovereignty manifested in these amendments.