Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1874-01-15
The Speech of Elliott,

| ln0 cOlOIeu tOtlS toSiudu liOLA NoOut
Carolina, in reply to Stephens, Qate {
S. a., on the Civil Rights Bill.
He referred to the services of tn
men oil his race on the battlefelds @
the country in the late war and in In
war of1SJ2. He reminded the gentle
man from Kentucky (Beck,) who wa
always so active against the negro, ,tha
in 1861 the negro, true to that patriot
ism and love of country which had eve
characterized and marked his history
on this continent, came to the aid o
the government in its efforts to main
tain the Constitution. To that govern
ment the negro now appealed, and thai
| Constitution he now invoked for pro-
| lection against the outrageous and un-
just prejudices founded on caste. Re-
| plying to the argument of Mr.. Ste.
phens, of Georgia, yesterday. Mr.. El-
lott contended that Congress had,
under the fourteenth and fifteenth
amendments to the Constitution, conn.,
plete power to protect all citizens OF
the country in all their rights. He
discussed the doctrines of the decision
of the Supreme Court in the New Or
leans slaughter cases, and asked the
gentleman from Georgia lStephens, J
whether they gave color, even, to the
claim that Congress cannot leglslate
against plain Determinations made by
State laws and State customs against
that very race for whose complete free
dom and protection those great amend
ments to the Constitution were elabor-
ated and adopted? It could not be
pretended that the evils of which the
colored people complaned-their ex-
clusiOn from public inns, from sleeping
cars on railroads, and from the right of
sepulture-were the exercise of police
powers of the State. These things are
a denial of equal protection of the laws
which those constitutional amend
ments were framed to guard against.
He shared those feelings of high, per-
sonal regard which pervaded the
House in respect to the gentleman
from Georgia (Stephens,) but when
that gentleman lent his voice and in
fluence to defeat this measure, he Gel
liOtt) would not shrink from saying
that it was not from him (Stephens)
that an American house of Representa-
tives would take lessons in matters
touching human rights. No consider
that that gentleman now offered to the
government which he bad done his ut
most to destroy, very poor return for
its magnanimity, in coming here and
seeking to continue, by the assertion of
doctrines obnoxious to the true princi-
pies of government, the burdens of op-
preston which rested on those who
had mover failed to pray for the success
of the government which that gen.
tleman sought to blot out from the gal
axy of nations. Applause on the floor
and in the galleries, which were filled
with colored people. 1t was scarcely
twelve years since that gentleman had
shocked the civilized world by an
nouncing as the highest form of gov
ernment, one that rested on human
slavery. The progress of time had
swept away that pseudo-government
and the race which he (Stephens) ruth
lessly spurned and trampled upon, was
here now to meet him in discussion, to
demand that the rights enjoyed by its
former oppressors should be accorded
to those who, even in the darkness OF
slavery, had kept their allegiance true
to freedom and the Union. That gen.
tleman had learned much since 1864,
but he was still a learner. He (Ste-
phens) should put away entirely those
false and fatal theories which had
marred his otherwise enviahle record.
He should accept, in its fullness, the
great doctrine that American citizen
ship carries with it every civil and po-
litical right manhood can confer. He
should lend his influence and his mas
terly ability to complete the proud
structure of Legislation which made the
nation worthy of the great declaration
that heralded it's birth. Let him do
that, and he would have done that
which would most certainly redeem
his reputation in the world, and best
vindicate the wisdom of that policy
which had permitted him to return to
his seat in the House. AS to the gen.
had yesterday transcribed decency and
he (Elliott) should have no
words with him. He would let that
gentleman feel that q negro was not
only too magnanimous to Smite him in (
his weakness, but was even charitable
enough to grant him the mercy of his |
silence. Applause and laughter.] The
Holy Scriptures told of an humble i
who had long and faith F!
fully CLEANED In the rich fields OF her |
kinsman. and who, at last, in
spite of her humble antecedents, found
complete favor in his sight. So with |
his race; it had for two centuries reaped
down heirfelds. The les and woes
which they had uttered had entered
into the Lord God of Sabbath, and they
were at last politically free. Tho last
restitution of civil rights only was
needed. Having gained that, they
might, with hearts overlooking with
gratitude, and thankful that their
prayer had been granted, repeat the
prayer of Ruth: "Entreat me not to
leave thee, or to turn from following
after thee; for whittier thou goest l
will GO; and where thou lodgest will
lodge; thy people shall be my people,
and thy God my God; where thou
diest 1 will die, and there 1 will be
buried. The Lord do so to me, and
more also, if aught but death part thee
apd mo -