The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1872-02-05

running over with power. Well, what is his
first proposition? Why, that the Declaration
Of Independence is necessarily In the Consti
tuition. and he insisted that the Constitution
of the United States should he interpreted by
the Declaration OF Independence. Does the
senator mean that? G.>a -. -
Mr.. SUMNER: / do. - '%
Mr. MORRILL,. of Maine: Then / have
pretty much done arguing with the senator.
[Laughter.l =.
Mr.. SUMNER: think YOU have.
| Mr.. MORRILL,, Of Maine: That the De-
| claratlon Of Independence is an Influence, Us
said the other day, nobody questions; but
that 1t is power in the Constitution, mud
ought to be treated as provision in the
| Constitution and rs q substantive power, i
did not suppose there was a boy anywllere
in the land who had ever seen or heard Of q
! iaw-honk that could believe it. *
MIR. SUMNER Ny friend will remember
That l dld not say the Declaration of indie
! pen9encc was substantive power. ] said
! the Constitution Of the United States in all
It's powers must be interpreted by the Decla-
ration.
Mr.. MORRILL,, of Maine: The senator
said that the Declaration was rs much an
authority rs the Constitution of the United
! states.
| Mr.. SUMNER: Very well : that do say,
certainly. and a little more.
Mr.. MORRILL,, of Maine: Authority for
what? That is the question. Is it an au-
tholity By which the Senate Of the United
States can gcgislatc: That is the question.
! Is i: n substantive power? If it is not, what
ever you may think Of it. it is no justification
| nj al for this bill.
| Now. what is the next proposition Of the
| honorable senator: Finding the Constitu-
| ton full Of power, he begins with the Dccla-
ration Of Independence -outside Of it, of
coul~c-3nd what is the next? The next
proposition is that we have got q new inter-
prcta,ion Of the Constitution. At the sur
render, lie sayS,-at the overthrow OF the re-
hrllion-therc came new Interpretation of
The Constitution. Where? Whereby? How?
lie does not icll us; but lie assumes that to
be 50. and i'll language lofty and sufficiently
authoritative, one would think, the honora-
bic senator declares that, as fact, we have a
new Interpretation oC the Constitution.
dix. Erifc;scr's Speech OK Friday Last
In tho kzcuse OF Representatives.
IIr. CRITCHER: Mr.. Speaker, shall not
attempt at this late hour Of the day to dis
cuss This bill, which, in my opinion, is the
most important which his been brought to
the consideration OF Congress at the present
session. ] agree with the gentleman from
Ohio Sir Shellahargerl that no bill was ever
presented to deiibcTative body more impor-
; taut than the pending bin. 1t diSposcs, sir,
in two lines, Of the whole domain of the
Union, domain that is more extensive than
all the States Of tie Union; question, sill
which l venture to say is Of greater imnor
lance than was ever debated in the Par
lament Of England or in the Senate Of I'm
pcri;i Rome. | Shall not, therefore, attempt
in the brief time allowed me, to discuss 6
measure of such vast Importance.
But desire, like some of those who have
preceded me, to refer to some remarks whicl
fell from the honorable gentleman from Massa
. chusctls Mr.. IIoarl rejecting upon the sec
ton of country to which belong. regret
sir that that gentleman has given occasion, b,
departing from the legitimate line ofargument
for criticism from all quarters upon cours
which | must say, with all due respect, wa
neither worthy Of his Intelligence or his char
actcr lie has gone ou' Of the line Of his arSu
mcui to say that the educated tyrants in TIN
sontn had been more degraded than thei
slaves hv the former relations that subsistet
Between the races Well, now, ask tn
honorable gentleman if, in his former expert
cnce III Congress, he ever found true repre-
sentative man from the South, in this or tn
other branch Of Congress, less educated ans
loss Intelligent than himself and his associ
Itos from Massachusetts,! [ ask hin
whether, from tie foundation Of the Coy
, ernuc:t 70 the present moment, the repre-
Srntutnn from the State of Virginia has beef
, less intellectual and less honorable than tn
representation from the State Of AlasSachu
sets? Sir, I will venture to make boil
: assertion I will venture TO offer challeng
!, tn the gentleman from Massachusetts,, and
, will rive way to him in my time to let hin
answer me. venture to say that ! can pre-
ducc from my own little county, the parish @
my residence, and illustration of inte!!ectua
: supcriority ami moral excellence which h
c cannot parallel in the history Of MasSachu
sets.
} Mr.. HOAR rose.
, Mr.. CRlTCHER: will name them, an
e YOU may then rise. Sir, if you will go wit
1 me to my estate YOU will lind that the adJoll
t ing estate is Wakefield, the birthplace c
!; WaShington on the other side you will Tin
+ Straltord. the residence Of "Light Hors
7 Earry,' of glorious revolutionary memory
I Chantill;. which adjoinS it, was the rcsilenc
! OF Richard Henry Lee, the mover Of the deck
$ ration Of independence and the Cicero {
5 the American revolution. You will find j
i that same parish the home Of Charles Let
u Nasliugton's encouragement, and {
1 Francis Lghtfoot Lee, the signer of til
Y declaration Of independence. There toe
d YOU will find the home of Arthu
c Lee, the accomplished ncgotiatar {
the treaty Of commerce and allianc
G between this country and France i'll lis
Il Riding in the opposite direction, you com
: first, us sud. to the birthplace Of Washing
s ton Another hours ride will bring you t
/. the birthplace Of Monroe; another hour
: ride to the birthplace of Madison. Now
e sir, il YOU suppose the present generation i
t Virginia unworthy Of their illustrious ances
4 tors, if YOU will visit that estate and loo
c through the lofty forests you will descry th
Y massive chunncys OF the haronial mansio
/ that witnessed the birth of Robert L. Lee
e Now, sir, ask you to find in the whol
: State Of Massachusetts, such illustrious name
t as have given you Of those who lived IN III
G little county.
: Mr.. HOAR: AS the gentleman from Vii
c ginia has invited me to rise, will say In
: sentence that did not critcse either the il
c tcllioence or the elegance of the educate
l. tvrants of whom ! spoke. I alluded to
4 generation Of men who whipped womel
f Lerat little children and sold them int
: slavery, and who rebel!cd against the instltt
0 tons that those great men created.
4; Mr.. CRITCHER: challenge the gentle
) man to parallel the names have mentioned
e he cannot do it from tine whole history {
D Massachusetts,. / desire the dedication {
+ the proceeds Of the public lands to the pul
I poses of education | think it would pre-
:, mote Il bcncGcent Object; and at the sam
t time l would withdraw that fund from IN
4. rlr NFl Ian,