The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1871-02-25
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10T. OLIVER ?. MORTON,

E1T. OLIVER ?. MORTON,
OF INDIANA,
DELIVERED
In the Senate Of the United States,
February I5, 1871.
MIR. MORTON I move that the
Senate proceed to the considera-
ton of the joint resolution OF the
Legislature of Indiana. m
The motion was agreed to.
Mr.. MoRroN. I ask the Secre-
tary to read the resolution.
The Chief Clerk read as follows:
Joint resolution of the LaGislsture Of Indiana,
Withdrawing its assent to tbs ratification
OF the fifteenth article OF an endments to tho
Constitution. e tsf
Resolved by the General AsssssJly Of he State Of
Indiana, That the pretended ratification OF
the fifteenth amendment proposed to the Con.
stitution of the United States on the part of
the State OF indiana was null and void, and
of no binding force or effect whatever; AID
OF the same was done without any lawful
warrant or authority and that, protesting
against the same, this General Assembly
does now withdraw and rescind all action,
| perfect or imperfect, on the part of this State
purporting to assent to snd ratify said pro-
| posed fifteenth amendment. 81
| Resolved, further, bg the authority atorcsaid,
That Congress has no lawful power derived
| from the Constitution of the United States, nor
| from any other source whatever, to require
any State of the Union to ratify an amend
ment proposed to the Constitution Of the Uni
| ted States as a condition precedent TO repre-
sentation in Congress; that all such acts of
! ratification are mill and void, and the votes
so obtained ought not to be counted to affect
| the rights ofthe people and the Ststes of the
whole Union and that the State OF Indiana
protests and solemnfy declares thst the So
called fifteenth amendment is not this day,
nor ever has been in law, part of the Con.
| stiution of the United States.
Etsotecd. further, BY tie authority aforesaid,
That the State Of Indiana does now propose
and ask that the Congress of the United
States may and will, as soon as prac ticable,
call a convention Of the States and the people,
according to the provisions Of the fifth article
OF the Constitution of the United States, for
the purpose of proposing amendments to said
Constitution for the ratification of the States.
Resolved, further, by the authority aforesaid,
That the Governor of Indiana be, and is here.
by, directed to transmit an authenticated copy
OF these resolutions and the preamble thereto
to each of the Governors of the several States
Of the Union. and to each of our Senator'S
and Representatives in Congress.
MR.s MORTON The resolution
just read has passed the senate of
Indiana by strict party vote, and
will undoubtedly pass the other
house in a day or two. l propose
TO say now what I have to say
about it, as l shall not have an op.
portunity later in the session.
This resolution declares that the
ratification Of the fifteenth amend
ment by the Legislature of Indiana
was null and void because Of the
absence of constitutional quorum,
and that the amendment has not
been adopted, because Virginia,
mississippi, Texas, aud Georgia
ratified it under the provisions oil
acts of Congress making such rati
fication q condition precedent to
. their representation in Congress.
The last objection would be equal
ly fatal to the fourteenth amend.
ment, but was not urged against it,
tor the reason, perhaps,, that the
9 honorable gentleman proposing the
resolution had advocated the four.
! teenth amendment and indorsed its
adoption as complete, But every
! argument to prove that the fifteenth
: amendment has not been adopted
: is equally applicable to the four
teenth, and both must stand or fall
Il together. $500 ,
0 1t is insisted that by making The
!, ratification Of the fourteenth and
' fifteenth amendments by the late
rebel States condition of theil
y restoration to representation ir
r Congress their several acts of rat
& ification we're made under coercion
It and auress. and were null and void
!, and that the amendments not hav
!, ing been ratified by three fourth
q of the States, not counting the lat,
:. rebel States, have not been adopt
9 ed and are not part OF the Consti
II tuition of the United States. Thi
:. proposition proceeds upon the hy
pothesis that the people of the reb
IS el States lost no POLITICAL rights b,
v going into the rebellion that a
e soon as they had been overcom
upon the field of battle they wer
J entitled. ipso Jacto. to resume thei
" representation in Congress just q
70 if nothing had occurred, and tha
g by overcoming them in arms "
merely conquered them back int
the enjoyment Of full politics
J. rights. ~ ..:
= 1t further assumes that when th
20 people Of certain States had inar
of gurated and prosecuted for years
y bloody rebellion, which had sonl
8 been overcome by vast expendi
e ure OF blood and treasure, the pee
pie Of the other States, who ha
:, remained loyal and borne the he's
re and burden Of the conflict, had n
en- right to ask guarantees for the f,
ture good conduct of their late er
~ emies; that they had no right I
prescribe any conditions which the
or might deem necessary for their t,
Is ture safety before restoring the
st late enemies to the enjoyment {
IS political power. ,sC..syS .5t..4e
II These doctrines. 40 abhorrent ,
ne common sense, are the foundatio
. upon which is placed the right
!! nullify the amendments. The p,
ad sition taken by the friends OF th
Government Was that treason v,
Fe crime, and carried with It Il
r forfeiture Of political rights; th
AZ when The people Of the rebel Stat,