The weekly Oskaloosa herald. [volume] (Oskaloosa, Iowa) 1855-1885, 1872-09-12

with power to put down those arm
ed, secret associations in the South,
and protect the people against their
murderous blows. The House OF
Representatives thought we ought
to clothe him with that power. The
Senate of the United States believed
we ought to sit there and legislate.
The House carried through several
propositions to adjourn. The Sen.
ate stood firm, but it was evident to
the Senate that it would be worn
out in the contest, and that no leg.
islation would be done. The Presi.
dent was visited by someiof the most
influential men OF both Houses OF
Congress. He was implored to act,
One day he came 10 the Senate
Chamber. He sent into the Senate
for few men and into the House of
Representatives for few members.
I happened to be one of the Senate
invited to meet him. The question
came up and was considered for, an
hour or two whether the President
should send in a message asking
Congress to stay their legislation
Several members gave it as their de-
liberate opinion that it was his high
duty to do so. The Presidents on
ly objection was that it would clothe
him with greater power, and he was
not DESTROYS of having great powers
conferred on him. He was modest.
He did not want power. He did not
like to ask for a measure of this kind I,
because he might be accused by his
enemies of seeking power, when he
did not desire. After calm ref1ec.
ton he wrote that message, perhaps
as long as Your finger. That mes
sage was sent into Congress, and it
rallied our friends like an order OF
battle.
THE KU KLUX LAW-ITs ACTION.
Congress went to work and framed
and passed what is known as the
Ku Klux law. That law went upon
the statute book. 1t had the sane
ton of liberty loving and God fear.
ing men. The sanction of men who
believed in law, order, justice and
liberty. That law has been enforc-
led-largely entorced-in North and
South Carolina, and hundreds OF
men who have committed crimes,
the highest crimes, the crimes OF
murder and assassination, have been
arrested, have been tried, have been
committed and sent to the Penitenti-
ary. Some of them have confessed
and paid fines. Many of them are
out to-day, after their confession, nn'
der bonds. These secret associations
if not broken up entirely, have been
held under the law-under the pow
er OF Government and l tell you
to-day that it is one OF the accuse.
tons against President Grant that
such law was ever passed and that
such law has been enforced in this
country. But l say to you to-day,
what l believe to be true, that ne
law was ever more needed and not
to have passed it would have brought
dishonor and disgrace, and the curse
of God upon this nation. Cheers.
Now, gentlemen, in this case of pro-
tecting the men of the South, Gen
eral Grant has been patient, has
firm, has been humane, and has been
as inflexible as justice itself. He
has exercised that power not arbitra
rily, but through judicial tribunals,
and have no doubt that if these
wicked organizations would disband;
/ have no doubt that if these scourg-
es upon the country, these nameless
crimes that have been perpetrated,
these brutal murders would cease
altogether, that no man in America
would rejoice more than the Presi.
dent of the United States, and the
poor deluded victims who have been
led to commit these outrages might
look to him for mercy. But the du-
ty the President owes to the country,
and the first duty the nation owes to
its citizens is to protect the lives of
the people of the United States
wherever on Gods earth those lives
shall be menaced. That is the duty
of this nation and far distant be the
day when any party shall hold the
Government, or any man be in the
Presidential chair who will shrink
from protecting its citizens at home
and abroad Great and long APP
plause.
CIVIL RIGHTS. 81,
During the last session of Con-
gress Mr.. Sumner introduced into
the Senate a bill called the Add
tional Civil Rights Bill. We ha. 9 a
Civil Rights Bill upon the statute
book. Some Senators, and among
the number Mr.. Trumbull, tells US
that it is all that is needed, and SO he
-veted against Mr.. Summers bill
Mr.. Schurz would not vote for it |;
Mr.. Upton would not vote for it.
But gentlemen, let me say to you to-
day that the great body of the Re.
publicans, the supporters OF General
Grants reelection, voted in the
Senate for Mr.. Summers Civil
Rights bill all the time. In the
House of Representatives that same
bill was introduced by Mr.. Hooper,
Of Massachusetts, the Representa-
tive from Mr.. Summers own district.
During six or seven weeks Of strug.
gle, the Republican members OF
Congress gave their votes, i think
Speaker Blaine says, seventeen times
in favor of that measure. But it was
defeated by the united and persistent
opposition of the Democratic party
in Congress. Some blame has been
attached to President Grant because
he did not give that measure his
support. Well, now, you will re-
member, gentlemen, that while tina,
bill was pending, the colored people
of the city Of Washington held a
meeting. Fred Douglass, perhaps
the ables. man of his race in Amer
Ca, and . man that has few superiort
in the country, if any, presided over
that great meeting. 1t was my priv
ilege to be there. 1t was my priv
ilege to say q word in favor Of the
passage of that measure. A lette'
was received from Gener" -.-- o.
pressing the hope that all the rights
of the colored men of the country
would be assured. When tha
measure was assured, Fred Douglass
commented upon it, and expressed
the opinion that it was one of the
most important utterances, if not th'
most important utterance, in favoI
of the colored man that ever cam'
from the Executive Mansion. Th'
| law itself. remarked Fred Douglass