Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1878-12-20

be that if Senator from New England pro
poses to inquire whether the Constitution
has been violated in deprivng anv part o
the people OF the States of their right to vot'
Ter members of Congress. etc., he thereb,
ineurs the danger Of oyersetting the Constitu
ticn itself, which says the States in thi
body shall be equal, and therefore | under
stand him to put it out as a warning tina
the people Of New England, through thei
Senators and Representatives, have no righ
to stand up for the Constitution as it is, il
favor of an equal representation by tn,
people Of the States in other houses, unles
they run the risk of being exposed to tn,
danger of having their Senatorial representa-
tion overturned in other words, the rep
resentatlyes of the Democratic party Of th,
South say to an inquiry into violation o.
the Constitution ''lf you dare to make
turning the representation of the States and
reducing yourselves to state of seryitude. ,
That il the proposition.
Mr.. LAMAR made no such suggestion
1t was simply in reply to the theory the Sena.
tor from Maine had broached, that this inyes.
tigation was justified in order that the evil
which he has disclosed, Of 100, 900 white mer
in the South having political power and vote
in this Government equal to 100000 some
where else, that said that the tendency Of
such an inquiry and any theory justified by
such resolution would lead to a further in
vestigation, and would condemn the policy
and the system and the genius of the Gov
ernment upon which our Americ IN fabric
rests. did not mean what the gentleman has
attempted TO force my remarks into, but
which he never will succeed in doing.
Mr.. Edmunds-l have not attempted to
force the Senator's remarks into ANYTHING
The record will show exactly what he has
said, and think it will appear that have
not misstated the substance of what he has
said but the Senator has greatly mistaken
the point of the Senator from Maine.
The Senator from Maine did not COMPLAIN
OF inequality Of personages in one part Of the
Union or another. What he complained Of
was (suppOsing what he believes to be true
turns out to be SOY that small number OF
persons in the South, by gross and outrageous
violation of the Constitution, have taken to
themselves. by that species of usurpation,
the power of large number, exercised under
the Constitution in a lawful way in the North
west. Is the Senator dissatisfied if that turn
out to be true, or would he like to rectify it?
The Senator, of course, would like to rectify
it; | must assume that he would. What,
then, Is the use of saying that you are
going to Overturn the Government if we
undertake to find out whether the Consti-
tuition has been grossly violated BY denial
OF equal rights in respect of the elections to
the popular branch Of the Congress of the
United States, and where is the necessity in
such case OF holding out the terror and
kindling the conlagration that the Senator
referred to in respect of the Senatorial repre-
sentatiOn upon an inquiry of that kind ?
The people of New England, as far as
may speak for them. believe in justice and in
equal rights under the Consultation and ac-
cording to it, just as the fathers and their
successors have made it and that is, that in
the States (and | am surprised to hear q
Southern Senator assail the very foundation
OF State rights there is and there must be
political equality, that in respect of people
represented in the other branch of Congress,
there shall be fair equality of fair numbers.
fairly and freely exercising their rights, and
not the subjects of tyranny and corruption
and fraud anywhere. That makes your
Government nothing more. and nothing less
| fail to see, then. Mr.. President, the great
danger that New England runs in undertak-
ing to make an inquiry of this kind, If the
Senate agrees to it.
Mr.. Lamar-Mr. President, | cannot &C.
cept the position which the Senator from
Vermont assigns me. lie says that he is
surprised to find Southern Senator assaIl-
ing the principle of State rights. lie will
never find me IN that position. Sir, have
been the defender CT that doctrine, but inas-
much as surprises are sprung the whole
country will be somewhat astonished to find
the doctrine Of State rights advocated By the
distinguished Senator from Vermont.
Mr.. Ejmunds-I think not. have always
done it,
Mr.. Blaine-I understand this to be about
the residuum-that if | move an inquiry
into the unconstitutional representation of
Mississippi in the other house, he will move
one into the constitutional representation of
Maine in this branch. Laughter.
Mr.. Lamar--That will do pretty well for
wit and pretty well for the Senator's pecu-
liar species of perversion, but it will not do
for the truth; for, sir. protested that not
only would move no such inquiry, but that |
would oppose and fight against any such
purpose. No, sir, the doctrine that stated
wai that, if there be the right of suffrage
invaded anywhere or any constitutional
rights inf,inged upon, they shall be main
taiped and enforced, il necessary, BY ali the
power of the Government.
Mr.. Edmunds-Then we are all as one
Mr.. Lamar-Exactly so but not upon the
ground that we are to embark in a crusade
by which States shall be deprived Of any Of
their powers, and repeat the warning, that
those gentlemen, in throwing their net into
this troubled sea, may bring out a vase like
that which the fisherman in the Arabian
Nights once brought forth, from which when
the seal is broken, demon may arise who
may be stronger than those who deliver hi IN
from his restraint, and turn around and de-
.troy his deliverer.
Mr. Elmunds-I do no. know but he is
here now. Now let us have the regular
)rd-r.