Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1880-07-29
Democratic Schemes,

| 0SAntNi atlC GCuCucS,
1t has often been stated In these col.
umns that should the Democratic party
| succeed to power, all the fruits of the war
would be lost tina; the plans Of the South
would then be fully carried out, and that
one OF those plans Is TO wipe out every
vestige Of the war legislation. Mr.. PoR.
TER, the Republican candidate for Gov.
ernor of Indiana, IN his speech at Indian.
apolis on the l4th inst, set forth some of
these Democratic plans in so pointed and
clear a manner that we give an extract
from his remarks. He said:
Suppose they get into power; they will
have Solid South and thus secure three.
iourihs OF the Democratic members of
the House, They will divide Texas into
hVe states, according to provision in
the act OF admission, and thus secure
| eight IN place OF two Senators. They
Will admit Utah with the institution OF
poiyagmy untouched, and secure two
more. They will organize the Indian
Territory into "a State and secure two
more lhal Territory WAS disloysl dur.
ing The war, and maintained slavery.
mus they Will push all their claims
| through Congress, payment of which is
not forbidden by the constitutional
amendments But they will not stop
hero. The validity of these amendments
| can't be maintained If the reconstruction
acts shall BE- held void The votes of
the Legislatures Of the reconstructed
States were essential TO their adoption.
One OF The Democratic National plat.
! forms pronounced all the Reconstruction
acts to be unconstitutional, revolutionary
| and void, In the case OF these amend.
menIs the Legislatures OF two of the
| States voted To Withdraw their assent be-
| tore the proclamation OF thelr adoption
WAS made, The withdrawal was treated
as Intellectual but the consent OF these
two States was essential TO their adoption
Ia relation to the Fourteenth, the consent
| OF Indiana was essential To its adoption
| GU know the circumstances The Demo.
cratic members resigned to prevent It's
| passage, but Morton was at the party
helm. He was not spirit used 10 defeat.
| His spirit rose 10 the trsnsceudent hight
OF the occasion, The State rights and
slavery alliance had withdrawn from the
Legislature, but the Legislature vet re.
manned. The loyal men who remained at
| Their posts, they were the Legislature.
such WAS the decision, aud thus the
amendment was passed. Now, II mi ght
be easy enough Tor a court composed OF
men believing IN the doctrine of State.
rights To holu, without violation of their
consciences, that all these amendments are
VOID. We know from sad experience in
our own State how easily constitutional
amendments, AS webcieve validity passed,
and sustained by an overwhelming ma
jorty OF the people, may be cverthrown
to meet seemingly even the small exi.
geuces OF a party. Now see how easily
these amendments may be overthrown to
meet the overwhelming demand OF
section. The way is already prepared A
bill Is now pending to increase the num-
Der OF the Judges OF the Supreme Court
to twenty.threo. The pretext Is that the
business of tho Court requires the in.
crease, and it Is plausible. Let that bill
pass, AID the South will require that
these Judges shall at least ihree.tour,hs
be appointed from the South. 1t fur
nishes more than three-fourths of the
effective strength of the parry. The Cab.
met, lhree-ioGrths Southern, well know
how 10 select men whose sentiments are
| known beforehand on quesiioes SO vital.
The way will then be prepared upon
some agreed case dixie the case in this
State) to have y decision, and all the
amendments may be declared, In the Ian.
guage of the Democratic plstiormion the
reconstruction acts, UNCONSTITUTIONAL, re-
volutlonary and void"