Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1880-09-16

pressed? Whe rebelled, republicans OF
democrats? If democrats, how were they
to be suppressed except by the authority
of the national republican administra
ton? What member of the republican
party, from 1861 to 1865, melted rebellion
aided rebellion, fought for the rebellion
against the union? Senator Trumbull
says Grant was a democrat He saws was a
democrat and voted with the democracy
in 1862 Gen. Grant and myself went in.
to the army from Illinois in 1861, and re-
mained there until the rebellion was
closed From the time of the first rebel
attack on Fort Sumter no honest patriot
acted with or sympathized with the democ-
racy IN Obstructing the cause of the union
| In any manner whatever.
Senator Trumbull gives. figures, and
shows that more men went into the army
than voted for Mr.. Lincoln. What OF
that? The first gun fired at Sumter, in
the spring of 1861, made more republicans
than voted for Abraham Lincoln. Sena-
tor Trumbull says the state of Missouri
sent more troops to the war than voted for
MIR. Lincoln in that state, and more than
several of the northern states sent. Mis-
souri,, although it is now a democratic
state, was during the war republican
state, and up to 1870, when all rebels
were enfranchised by republican generosi-
| ty. To-day it has 10000 republican
voters, probably majority Of them made
! such by service in the union army. Illi-
nOis was converted from democratic to a
| republican state by like causes. Why,
nine-tenths of the men who entered the
union service as democrats came out re-
publicans, and remain republicans to-day,
unlike the distinguished candidate who
now assailS them. They had their democ-
racy shot out of them at the muzzles of
rebel rifles and rebel cannon. If Senator
TrumbulPs conversion from democracy to
republicanism had been from like causes
his gravitation back to his rebel democratic
associations would probably have been less
hrecipitate.
THE RECONSTRUCTION ACT
was passed, on July 10, 1867, and March
II, 1868, the supplemental acts were passed.
These acts were for the purpose of reor-
ganiZing the rebel states, and they de-
clared that :" no legal state governments
exist in any of the states mentioned
Under the reconstruction acts state con-
stitutions were formed and legislatures
elected. These legislatures voted on the
adoption of the thirteenth, fourteenth and
hfteeth amendments to the constitution of
the United States. These amendments
were all opposed by the democrats in con-
gress and out of congress, and in 1868 they
declared in their national platform that
these acts were Revolutionary, unconsti-
tutiOnal, and void" Now, does Senator
Trumbull indorse this declaration by in
dorsing the present national democratic
platform, which pledges anew the democ-
racy to the constitutional doctrines here
hot for. Nv +hoT, ~,
not their statesmen all announce the un-
constitutionality of these reconstruction
acts ? And if they should get into power
what would be the result in this case
Would not a decision of the supreme court
of the United States, that these recOnstruc-
tlon acts were unconstitutional, overturn
the thirteenth, fourteenth, and fifteenth
amendments to the constitution? If these
acts are void, would not the legislatures
convened under and by virtue of them,
which made up the quota of states neces
sary to secure the adoption of these amend
ments, be illegal bodies, and their acts
void? Have not the democrats already
commenced this programme?
The authority to enforce the constitu
tlonal amendments by congress has been
exercised In the passage of various laws.
The act to enforce the right to vote, pro-
tect the ballot, ETC., was passed May 81,
1871. This act was not only necessary in
the south, but in the large cities in the
north.
1t is we'll known fact that
FRAUDULENT VOTING
i'll New Y ork had been reduced to a science
and it has only been since the enforcement
of those acts of congress that there has
been the semblance of fair elections. Our
old friend Senator Trumbull, however,
since he has become a democrat, attacks
the modes even in New York of protecting
the ballot. He finds in a list of some 1900
duputy marshals some five or six men who
had been accused of some offense unknown
to the appointing power at the time of ap
pointment. He attacks the whole number,
as well as the law and the commissioner,
MIR. Davenport. Senator Trumbull we'll
knows that democrotic committee have
been trying to throw mud Oh Mr.. Daven-
port for years, but have wholly failed to
find anything by which they could pro
cure his dismissal. If democratic re-
peaters, thugs, blood-tubs, and gutter
snlpes could commit indiscriminate frauds
In that city, and carry it by any majority
to overthrow the ma sjority of republ-
can votes in the state outside of the city,
Senator Trumbull's political conscience
would be appeased. He knows very well
that the only fair elections and fair ac-
counts obtained in New York for twenty
five years have been under this law and
under the management of John /. Daven-
port. 1t amazes me to see from Senator
Trumbull this covert defense of election
frauds in the City of New York,-frauds
which find no parallel except in the demo-
cratic frauds in South Carolina, Missis-
sipri, and Alabama. | am sorry to find
one of whom / have naught but kindly
feelings resort to such misrepresentation.
He knows that these frauds in New York
and the expressions in the south required
strong measures for redress.
THE KU-KLUX BILL
passed March Is, 1871. Could any one
reasonably object to that law? 1t was sole
ly for the protection of the weak and the
punishment of the lawless, and when Sen
ator Trumbull stands up in his day of our
civilization and attacks the Ku-Klux laws
and their execution he becomes thereby
the defender of ballot-box suffers Ku-
Klux raiders. White-Line murders, and
the entire shotgun policy of the south. If
a political leader in state which sent
10000 Union soldiers TO the field can be
supported in teaching such doctrines,
doubts may be well entertained for the
safety of the republican institutions.
Senator Trumbull speaks of the election
laws by which, he says, the republican
party tried to perpetuate itself against the
will of the people. He fails to mention
one of the most important pieces of legis-
lation attempted by the democrats, which
was the attempted repeal of the statute en-
acted under Washington and amended
under Jefferson and Lincoln. By virtue
of this Law the bayonet rule complained of