South-eastern Independent. (McConnelsville, Ohio) 1871-1871, 1871-08-04
McCOOk

Col. McCook, IN continuation o.
his missionary labors on the Wes-
tern Reserve, spoke yesterday al
Chardon, in Geauga County. His
speech related mainly TO taxes and
the tariff-those topics having been
particularly prescribed for that To-
cality, as he informed his auditors,
by the committee under whose aus.
pIces lie Is travelling. ASIDE from
bis advocacy of free trade, the only
thing particularly notable in his
speech, WAS the reply TO a written
intcrrogaIory of a Republican edit
or, in regard TO "new departure"
This mode of catech;sing, the Dem
ocratic candidate recognized as
"faIr and p%olIte," and We must cons
cede that, after a little preliminary
talk which might have been con-
strued as showing q desire TO get
away from the point blank question,
he finally met is squarely. Col.
McCook has made progress slnco
his nomination. In short, be de-
parts.
The question addressed TO him
WAS SO framed rs to leave no loop
hole o~fretreat, or for paltering in u
double sense. IL was in these
words:
Do the Democracy Of Ohio, by the
20 -called New Departure plank in
their platform, desire it to be under
stood that they accept the last three
announcements to the Constitution
of the United States in the same sense
and to the same extent that they do
all other provisions of hat instru-
ment, as portions of the supreme law
of the land, not now and never here
after to be made political issues?
After objecting to the 1st of June
resolutions being called thew dee
parture," he said they pledged the
party to the support of the Consti-
tuition. The party had always
been a constitution loving party.
When he received the nomination
he said that no black nan who had
received the rie bit to vote under the
Fifteenth Amendment ever coaId
have it taken away" Then, divId-
ing the question propounded to him.
he proceeded to say
/. l am asked as to the Thirteenth,
Fourteenth and Fifteenth Amend
ments; do you regard them rs in the
same sense and to the same extent
parts of THE Constitution as other por<
tAons?'
| answer Yer, certainly. Cannot
men sec the difference between the
loyalty OF opposing the adoption of a
measure and yielding when it has
been adopted, and opposition has be-
coihe useless?
2. ] am asked 'Are these amend
ments never again to become political
questions?'
l have no authority or power to an
swer such a question. How can ] an
swer as to all the iuture9 How can |
tell what the Democracy of New York,
or any other State, may do? But how
can they become political questions,
now that they are acquiesed in by al
most the entire people of the country?
The question of slavery is deep-buried
out of sight forever. II he means to
ask whether they are more sacred
than other portions of the instrument,
l answer that they are not.
Now let Butler County and Frank
Hurd aAd all tho non-depaFters
howl. However, evasive or ambig-
nous the YallandIgham platform it.
self, Col. McCook pronounces the
three latest Constitutional Amend
ments, known as tho Thirteenth,
Fourteenth and Fifteenth, to be
sin the same sense and to the same
extent pant CT the Constitution"
as the earliest formatiun-the SOLID
granite o. the original structure
! Cincinnati Tines and Chronicle, July
18th, 1871.