The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1871-09-19
THE NEW DEPARTURE.
GREAT SPEECH OF THE HON. WM S.
GROESBECK, OF OHIO.

GREAT SPEECH OF THE HON. WM s.
GROESBECK, OF OHIO.
The Validity OF the Constitutions
Amendments, Notwithstan ndins the
Means of their Adoption-The SUI
preme court Cannot Set them As'de-
state Rights Still Preserved-NeVie"
of National Issues, Sc.
Hon VIM. s. Groesbeck addressed mass
meeting of the Democracy at SteuoenVn.e'
Ohio. ON the 18th instant, and his speech Is
nronouuced by the Northern press to be the
most splended and forcible political utter
ance since the days of Clay, Webster and CAL
houn. Mr.. Groesbeck, it will be remembered,
was encouragement under President Jonn-
sons administration, and one Of his counsel at
the impeachment trial. After some prehmi-
nary observations he came to the consldera-
ton of the constitutional amendments, which
bad been adopted since the war, and said:
The thirteenth amendment, abollshtng slav-
cry throughout the United States, is accepted
by ALL and In the South as unanimously as N
the North. The doubt and hesitation nave
DeSu ABOUT lOuIlcCuIu uuo AhISShsh eAANAN
ments. because Of the means USED 10 procure
thei. adoption and because OF the change teey
make in the relations which had always exist
ed between the Federal Government and the
State governments.
In the language OF our recent State Conven-
ton, the means used to procure the adoption
of these two amendments were extraordinary,
= violent and unsatisfactory. There Is no tnlnk-
ing, right-minded man who desires tnat
single other amendment may be made 10 the
constitution as these were made; for It Is I'M
possible to preserve its sacredness under such
treatment.
THE SUPREME COURT CANNOT SET THEM ASIDE.
The constitution should never be lightly
dealt With, nor should it he altered for mere
marty advantage, and any amendments pro-
posed should be fairly submitted 70 a tree ana
unthreatened judgment. Such was the case IN
reference TO all amendments previously maze;
such is not the case In reference to those TWO.
But do not care 10 dwell upon the history OF
the fourteenth and hfScenth amendments; Tor
see nothing in their history that will destroy
their VALIDITY. You cannot invalidate legisa-
tion by showing 1t is tainted with fraud. IL
NAV be admitted that an act OF Congress was
passed By undue means; that coercion, bribery
and all kinds Of corruption were applied 10 el.
feet its passage; and yet the court cannot SET
fact passed? If they were, all courts must re-
Court and impair the validity of an act of Con-
gress by showing that enough Congressman 10
change the result had been coerced 10 vote l9I
it, or bribed 10 vote for 1t? Clearly coulo
nat; nor could successfully attack constitu- S
tional amendment on these grounds. The Su-
preme Court has no supervision over the ac-
lion OF Congress in passing statute, or over
the action OF State Legislatures or State Con
ventions in adopting constitutional amend
ment.
We may not look to the Supreme Court to
declare these amendments unconstltutlonal; II
has no Jurisdiction over them. We may not
look to the States to annul them by further
amendment; it requires threefourths OF them
to concur In such movement; that NUMBER
will not concur in such movement. AND we
may not look to the people to combine 10 over
throw them in some other way; the people
have already accepted them. The destruction
of slavery Is acknowledged and approved 6y
all, aud our colored population has voted In
every State of the Union, at our local ana gen.
'1eral elections, again and again, ana Wltnoue
challenge or molestaton. These amend
ments will stand Suffrage, once granted,
cannot be recalled; suffrage that has been
pracJiced will not be surrendered.
THE CONSTITUTION STILL EXCELLENT.
These are the changes made in our Federal
constitution during the last ten years. That
same constitution which our fathers had, and
to which the Democracy has been so faltniul
through all our history, Is our constitution TO-
.day. These amendments have been added 10
it, and that Is all. The constitution remains
still an excellent constitution, and the State
remains with ample sovereignty TO DO us
proper work.
TIE STATES AND THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
Now, as heretofore, our Union is limited
government, with only such powers as are
delegated to IL; now, as heretofore, all powers
not delegated TO 1t are reserved TO the states
or the people; now, as heretofore, and under
the constitution as 1t Is. the States hold ample
soy6reignty for the management of all their
home Interests. This doctrine cannot be
abandoned Alas for US If the State as our
fathers made 1t shall ever disappear from our
system OF government. The peril so recently
encountered enables us 10 realize what ca
lamity 1t would have been If the war nad de,
stroyed our Union. Not less disastrous Wouid
be the calamity II the States, as sucn, snould
be destroyed or changed Into sometnlnS else
and less.
THE STATES MUST BE CHERISHED.
Let us ever cherish the State. It Is our
home government, at our very door. IL eau,
Gated us In our childhood, and has watched
over us during all our lives 1t guards US oy
day and by night-our lives, our liberties, our
regulations, our persons and our property. IL
is our exclusive handiwork. and we make lts
laws and execute them. We are the best
1uQTeS OIL WndC COuCeEuS OuisCNOes ouo
through 1t we manage all that concerns our
selves. 1t trains US 10 activity, teaches us self
reliance, makes US vigilant, and develope us
into sturdy, bold and independent citizens.
We strengthen under these constant and daily
exercises, and learn more and more to appre-
ciate the privileges OF ireemen and the bless
inos of sefgovernment.
Take home sovereignty out OF the state, ana
its vitality Is gone. Cenlralize this sovereign
ty at Washington, and we are transferred to
distant. outside authority. Nc longer govern
Ae ourselves, we must be governed. Depend
aM upon Washington, we soon lose our SELF
dependence, and, relieved of responsibility,
we sink into Incidence and Indifference. The
earnest, manly citizen who once participated
in puolic affairs, and found his chief interest In
them, degenerates into mere subject, whose
whole duty is to obey law, and whose only de-
sire Is TO be amused In his ldleness. This Is
logic; this Is history.
must believe, and shall hope to the last,
that ihe people Of the United States will never
consent 10 the destruction OF the State as our
fathers made 1t, or that 1t shall be weakened
or reduced to mere dependency or satrapy Oh
the General Government.
After come examination OF the proper
method of enforcing the amendments; Mr;
GroeshecS declared that as the fourteenth and
Sttosnth amendments have passed into the
Constitution, the contest upon them Is over,
and the enemy has moved from inat netu ~, ~