The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1876-07-12

tnls matter. The only allusion to the SUBJ
ject is by way of recital in these words .
We do here regbiym our devotion to the
constitution of the United States, with
its amendments universally accepted as
nnal settlement Of the controversies that
engendered civil war;" This Is all there
is OF it. Every word. In referring to it.,
we can but remember that, four years ago,
this same democracy unanimously resolved
That they recognized "tbe equality of all
men. before the law" and declared that
1t was the duty of the government"to mete
" out equal and exact justice to all, of
whatever nativity, race, color, or per.
" suasion, religious or political !" and that,
after election, the democracy, as represent
ed in congress, repudiatcd the declaration,
declaring that it was adopted solely as
political necessity, in order to carry the
election. Can we expect anything better
now? A positive declaration was then
made now it is merely referred to by way
of recital. But what are the probabilities
When we consider the danger there is
that democratic victory may, also, give
the senate to that party, and recall the TACT
that at least two-thrds OF a democratic
half OF the senate, if they secure one-hslf
of that body, are and will be ex-confeder-
ates, it is evident that the south can and
will dictate the policy of the party in that
body, and it, therefore, becomes a matter
of public interest to examine the record of
Thomas A. Hendricks on the matters GOV.
cred by these amendments.
lie was senator OF the United States
from Indiana from March 4, 1868, to
March 4, 1862 being elected by that demo-
cratic state legislature that endeavored to
transfer the war from the south to that
state and to take Indiana out of the Union.
While in the senate, he voted against the
bill allowing colored men to be witnesses in
the United States courts in favor of ex-
GLIDING colored men from the cars in the
District of Columbia against allowing
honorably discharged negro Union soldiers
to vote in the District of Columbia
and against the bill prohibiting the coast.
wise slave trade--being the only northern
seDator so voting. He, also, alone of
northern senators voted against the inter-
nal revenue act of 1864, and also voted
against the bill temporarily Increasing the
duties on imports-both of which were me-
cessary to meet the expenses of war.
But to come to the constitutional amend
mens. He voted against the thirteenth
amendment-only one northern senator
voting with Misunderstanding slavery. He
voted and made fifteen speeches against the
fourteenth amendment declaring who are
citizens ; prohibiting states from abridging
The rights of citizens, from depriving per-
sons of "life, liberty and property, without
due process of law" or from denying the
equal protection of the laws to all de-
claring that the validity of the public debt
shall not be questioned; and that the rebel
lebt shall be. held illegal and void. He |
voted against the fifteenth amendment |
which provides that the right of q citizen |
osTote shall not be abridged or denied ON |
account of race, color, or previous condi-
ion of servitude.
Such is the record of Thomas A. Hen
tricks, and we doubt not that he is ready |
o "reaffirm" it. Will it be any safer to
rust him with legislation on the questions
growing out of the constitutional amend
nents, that it would be with the financial
question 1. VIVA "o,,~~a
cital of the st. Louis platform is not in
consistent with this record. The platform |
can be carried out to its very letter, and |
yet all the work accomplished by the con-
stitutional amendments, save, perhaps, the |
abolition of slavery, can be undone. With |
twenty five ex-confederates in the senate, |
and with Thomas A. Hendricks ready to |
give the casting vote, what security is |
here against re-opening all of these ques-
tons, against rcpudlatlng the national debt,
against assuming the rebel debt, against de-
nying the equal protection of the laws to
all, against abridging the right to vote on
account of race or color ? Can the country
afford to risk Thomas A. Hendricks with
such q record ?