Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1880-10-06


position the Democracy could make. AS they
gained power in States which had already
ratified them, in impotent passion the farce
was enacted of formally resembling and with
drawing the irrevocable assent which had been
finally given. This was done in Indiana and
New Jersey, and Mr.. Tweed did it in New
York.
From first to last, the organs Of Democratic
doctrine have declared these amendments ille-
gally carried-illegal, because Democratic
States that were out fighting were not in to
vote. They never yet have said or admitted
that the amendments were legally adopted
They did say in national convention in 1872
that they opposed reopening the questions
settled by the amendments, and they did say
in 1876 that they would accept them but that
they were legally valid, they never said.
These amendments are constantly and fla
grantly defed in more than half the Demo-
cratic States, and have been for years. The
laws enacted under them have been denounced
in every form, and denounced as null and
void even since the Supreme Court has SOL
EMMY decided otherwise. 1t was to get rid of
these laws that the revolutionary plot WAS laid
last year to stop the wheels of government, to
close the courts and post-offices and put out
the beacon lights on the sea and on the lakes
unless q repeal was yielded. With thorough
bred Democratic President, whatever NAV
happen in form to the amendments, they will
become more dead letter than quickening
spirit, and the laws made to enforce them will
be swept like leaves befole gale. Should
these laws be swept away. and should the
spirit which assails them in the South and
which called them into being continue to rage
mildew will follow in the wake.
When Lincoln issued his proclamation of
emancipation, men and women in this city
were maddened by being made to believe that
the slaves set free would swarm to the North
crowd out white labor, and cut down it's
wages. The draft riots were largely melted by
this wicked, insane pretence. Throughout
the North this was the appeal to the laboring
man, and many members of congress who had
supported Lincoln were defeated at the ensu-
ing election. Vainly we pleaded for reason.
We said no men do not fly from liberty they
fly from slavery and wrong. Events have vim
Dictated the logic Of freedom.
Once more / repeat the argument and the
warning. The black man wants to remain by
the graves of his fathers, but let prosecutions
go Oh, and the story of Pharaoh aud of Egypt
will be repeated. An exodus, not of a few
desparing souls [applausel but a real exodus
will begin, depr1ving southern fields of the
hands that should and would till them and
bringing to the North and West population
not enured to northern 'climes, and not adapt
ed to usefulness and advantage here which
fairly treated would come from them in the
South. [Applause.l
THE NATIONAL BANKS.
sore to the opposition. Their National conven-
tons have denied all power of Congress to
authorize banks. BY votes and speeches in
Congress, by declarations Of conventions and
leaders, by elaborate amendments offered to
the bills under which the National banking
system has been struck wherever blow could
be put in. This fabric Of banking is now in
wrought not only in the business Of the coun-
try, but with the maintenance of specie pay
ments-it stands lion in the path OF fiat
money [applause], imitation, and all the long
train Of financial heresies which possess the
Democratic mind, especially in the South.
! [Applause.] In unnumbered ways, direct and
indirect, this vast interests constantly exposed
to the action of Congress.
The Cincinnati convention seems to have
felt the need of 3 little caution ON this point
when it nominated Mr.. English for Vice Presi-
dent. he is president of National bank
They nominated Union general as blind to
the soldiers, and bank officer as a blind to the
bankers. [Applause.] Evidently it is thought
the Northern Democratic team drives better
with binders. [Applause.l But even binders
do not always answer. In 1864 after solemnly
asserting, just when the rebellion was gasping
| its last, that the war for the Union was fail
ure, the Democratic convention, at iEstigstion
comm then from the sheltering refuge OF the
Canadian shore, the same nstigation which
prompted like expedlent now, put up Union
| general. That general did not issue Order No.
| 40 in the midst of lawlessness and butchery,
which civil authority could not arrest. No, he
issued orders arresting the Legislature of Mary
| land, State which had not seeded, and he
issued orders proclaiming martial law and sus-
pending the habeas corpus at election time,
and placed soldiers as supervisor of the polls.
But even with such Union general the dis
guise was too thin.
SOUTHERN WAR CLAIMS.
War claims upon the treasury have been and
| &f,,1
l am moved to refer to it by the wholly ground
less assertion in regard to it now going the
rounds of party journals. The fashion of this
assertion seems to have been set by Mr. Ran
dali. the Speaker of the House of Representa-
tives Mr.. Randall is one of the ablest and
most intelligent as he is one of the most
courag G: GUS men of his party, and I speak of
him with much respect. In several speeches
he has taken up the matter of Southern
claims, always to say that they are barred in
the fourte enth amendment of the constitution.
1t pdzzles me to see how discerning man Can
have fallen into such an error. The proceed
ings over which he presides constantly refute
the assertion.
In the fourteenth amendment stand these
words: ''Neither the United States nor any
State shall assume or pay any debt or obi ga
ton incurred in aid of resurrection or rebel
lion against the United States, or any claim for
the loss OF emancipation of any slave; but all
ouClI oCbus, OUlSodttOuS 6llu CldlI15 Snail De
held illegal and void" The claims which stand
in staggering totals in bills already before
Congress and in other bills said to be waiting
are not touched by this section of the consti
tuition.
For example, it is insisted that tie direct
tax imposed by the Nation on all States in
1861 should as to the seeded States be re-
funded. [Applause,l The amount claimed is
s., 1872, 10. Again, it is said the war tax laid
on cotton should be refunded. The argument
is that cotton, like wheat and corn, is pro-
duct of the earth, and that wheat and corn
were not taxed, and tn refore cotton should
not have been taxed. There is plausibiIity in
this; but petroleum is product of the earth
also, and that was heavily taxed not only
during the war but afterward, and yet Penn
sylvania has never 81 lined that the money
should be refunded. The amount of cotton
tax claimed is $17O, 180,22O.
Again, buildings were occupied, crops were
traDlpled, fences and wood were burned, pro-
visions were consumed, edifces we're demol-
ished and regions were laid waste by the arm
les of the Union. The total of such claims
dizzies arithmetic These are rot "debts or
Obligations incurred in aid OF instruction or
vol. frYrt lsaJfx 1Of ~, o,I -