The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1872-10-24
CHAS. A ELDRIDGE

CHAs. A ELDRIDGE
As we have been repeatedly accused
with having charged Mr.. Eldridge
wrongfuly on account of his political
misdemeanors in Congress we here fur
nish the proof, taken from late Senti-
mel:
Possibly the most important legisa-
ton that has been enacted in this coun-
try since the adoption of the Constitution
of the United States. was the ratifca-
ton Of the Thirteenth, Fourteenth, and
Fifteenth Amendments to that Instru-
ment. 10 alter our organic law IN any
way, is work that was made exceeding
ly difficult by the original trainers Of the
Constitution, and to accomplish it there
must be two thirds vote of both hou-
ses of Congress before it is submitted, /,
and the acquiescences of ree-fourths of
the states before it can be declared valid
parts thereof No graver duty ever de-
wolves upon legislator than to take
part in proceeding that is SO pregnant
with such momentous results to the
country and posterity, and the labor
should be approached in mood of the
most exalted patriotism and with the
single purpose of consummatlng that
which is manifestly best for the citizen
and the Commonwealth. The great
Shareholders Rebellion that was inaugu-
rated and carried on by the Democratic
party of the South, and was aided and
abetted by the Democratic party Of the
North, left the country in need Of the
additional articles to the Constitution,
but they were not adopted without meet
ing with the bitterest opposition at every
stage of their enactment. ln the halls
Of Congress when the question of sub.
mitting them to the people was under
discussion, in the State Legislature while
their ratification was being considered,
and In their newspapers all over the
land, from first to last, the Democratic
party, as party. fought them persist
emily, increasingly, bitterly, but in vain.
Among the most malignant Of these OPP
posers, was Hon. c. A. Eldride, of the
Fifth District. Like the three headed
dog which the ancients supposed to
guard the entrance to the internal re-
gions, the great Objecter never slept nor
ate, nor winked if he thereby lost an op-
portunity to protest against these amend
ments, or the laws necessary to
carry them into effect. 1t is possible
that the reader may be unable to recall
the exact language of those articles, or
may have forgotten how eminently hu-
name, patriotic and necessary they were
under the existing condition of affairs.
For convenience and reference, we copy
them entire
Sec. 1. Neither slavery involuntary servitude,
except as punishment for crime whereof the party
shall have been duly convicted shall exist within
the United States any place snect to their jlris-
diction.
SEC 2. Congress shall have power to enforce this
article by appropriate legislation,
ARTICLE XIV.
SEC l. All persons born naturalized in the
United States and subject to the jurisdiction thereof
are citizens ofthe United States and of the State
wherein they reside. No State shall make enforce
any law which shall abridge the privileges immu-
mites of citizens of the United States; shall any
state deprive any person OF le liberty or property,
without due of law, deny Ito any person
within its Jurisdiction the equal protection of the
laws.
SEC. g. Representatives shall be apportioned
among the several states according to their respect
i've numbers counting the whole number of persons
in the State, excluding Indians not taxed But
when the right to vote election for the choice
of electors for President and Vice President of the
United States Representatives in Congress, the
ecntiye and judicial officers of State or the member
OF the Legislature thereof is denied to any of the
male inhabitants of such States, being twenty-one
wears of age and citizens of the United States in
any abridged, except for participation i'll rebell
ion other crime the bass of therein
shall be reduced in the portion which the number
of such male citizens shall bear to the whole
Der of male citizenstwentyone years of age in such
State. IL
SEC 3. No person shall be a Senator or Repre-
sentative in Congress- eiector of President Vice
President or hold any Office civil military, under
the Unite1 States, under any State who, having
previously taken oath Member of Congress- or
rs Il officer q
any Sta,s Legislature, executive judicial
officer of any State, to support the Constitution of
the United States shall have engaged in i;srrecton
or rebellion against the same given aid coai-
tort to the enemies thereof. But Congress may by
vote of two-thrds of each House remove sush disa
bility.
SEC 4. The validity cf the public debt of the Uni
ted States, authorized by law, including oebts in
Cured for payment Of pensions and bounties for
vices in suppressing nsurrectiop rebellion, shall
not be But neither theUnted States
State shall pay any debt obligation in-
CURED i'll aid of rebellion instruction against the
United States any claim for the loss cnancp pa
tion of slave: but all such debts, obligations and
claims shall be held Illegal and void.
SEC 5. The Congress shall have power to enforce
by appropriate legislation, the provisions of this
article.
XIV.
SEC 1. The right of citizens of the United States
to vote shall not be denied abridged by the United
States by any State account of race color,
previous condition OF servitude. s-4-.
SEC. .. The Congress shall have power to enforce
this article ty appropriate legislation.
These amendments were imperatively
demanded by the changed condidition Of
affairs after the enfranchisement of the
blacks, and the reconstruction of the
rebel States. And one would suppose
that man like Eidridge. living in free
State. and having the good o.. the ma
ton at heart, would have cordially ac-
cepted these new articles, but, like Jeff.
Davis, be accepts nothing that looks
like disturbing the old regime The
XIII article abolished slavery that
hurt him. The XIV. made the colored
man citizen of the United States-an
utterly preposterous idea for "a Democrat
to entertain. and an insult TO the memo
w of the late Justice Taney! Il pro-
hibits certain class of rebels from hold
ing certain offices. unless their disabili-
ties are removed, and to deny Demo
crat an Office Is to inflict the sorest pun
ishment upon him that can possibly be
conceived, 1t prohibits the payment of
the rebel debt, and that will impoverish
many Southern Democratic capitalist
The XIV secures the right to vote to all
citizens of the United States, and that
greatly interferes with Mr.. Edridge's $
ku-klux co-workers for Greeley in Geor-
gia and elsewhere. But let US look M
his official record little -
will 500 -
.nat the more it is scrutinizea
the meaner it is. On the 18th of March
| 1871, in the House, Mr. j. NJ. Wilson
moved to suspend the rules, to enable
L j.. Al