The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1881-02-19

compli.hsd the htdcous programme OF re-
CONFERENCE.-The ratification by these sta'eT
~ the thirteenth amendment lad no more
binding effect than ayole on the same pro-
nosItjon by Ho.tentots or Benea'ese. istne
xXytXfh Congress. Messrs. Editors, gooo
Al m the fourteenth amendment. the
yyylx,b Congress assembled December,
IsG5. They procecded~lo reconstruct tue
{. rebel Stasss" by passing the reconstruc-
tim measures, the first III The series beeoh'
ing law IN February, 1867. The exfsting
governments I'm those States were, rs we
have seen. declared TO be Illegal, ana were
oyertbrowp. In pslpable violation Oh tne
Constitutiop, martial law was proclaimed w
,besc,Statss. when there was not the sngnt-
est show of opposition 10 Federal authority.
The States were converted into military
districts: and military sairaps, win move
than procopsuIar powers, were seut uo"n
IA take possession OF them ana govern theth
Sc they pleased. Conventions, called oy
military authority, were required 10 'Sfn
new Constitutions for these states ana
Imposc upon the people, in their organic
law. the terms OF the conqueror.
State Legislatures. soon elected anu
convened, ratified The amendment Win.
out debate. The heel OF The tyrant
was upon them. They were toid 10 taAe
the amendment or The bayonet. was this
rattle dion at all? Certainly II was ho'
ratification In the sense Gf that Term u, Gun
n,oyed bv the trainers OF the Federal Con-
s,itu,ion. The people of these states
Incl, leaders aud guides Misunderstanding
No choice certainly no choice as between the
rot, 6cation and the rejection Of the amend
ment. bnt choice ouly between ratification
and tbe surrender Of life, property, ana an,
70 The cruel mercy OF irresponsible military
desno,s. who seemed even 10 seek oppoftu-
mites of showing their contempt OF law ana
vested rights, The ratification by the SOUTH
ern States Of the fourteenth amendment was
effected by force and torture, ana Is tnere'
fore null and void.
Even Mr.. Seward. thdn-Secretary OF stare.
lnracticed and faciIe ~ he was IN polltical
Incarceration, did lot have the hardwood
IN announce unquaIiicdly the ra,lncatiOn OF
tb,s amendment. HeaC him in his oihcisI
nroelamotion OF the ratification. lie stated
that II had been ratified by twenty-,hfee
states Uwenty-eight were necessary, ana
..in six States by bodies avowng them
solves 10 be, and acting ~, tie Legislatures
nj the States OF Arkansas. FLORIDA, Norm
Carolina, Louisiana, South Carolina ana
Alabama" In the same proclamation lie
tcIls us that the states OF Ob.O ana New
Jersey (cnbraced in the tWenty'iihee before
mnntjoned, "haye since passed resolutions
resnectiyely withdrawing the consent OF
each of said States; but the votes OF these
STATES were counted all the same.
WAS the Congress Of tbc United States
that nropoSed the amendment inceed the
Conorc.s Of the United States! The Con-
e,tutjon declares that the House o. Rep
resentatiycs shall he composed OF members
chosen bv the people Of the several STATES,
aud thar the Senate shall be composed OF
two senator's from eaeh State. chosen by the
LEGISLATURE thereof" Was that Congress
consti,utionaily olganiZed that excluded
from representation in both branches "I
the Federal Legislature Tie people Oh a
dozen States who had duly elected repre-
senta,iyes and senators, and inflicted upon
them. in the reconstruction measures, Whlie
SO excluded, the foulest wrong, the most
cruel punishment, known to modern anhais
In passing this outrageous legislation, me
intention was-and there seemed no oar 10
the fun execution OF the intentlon-to put
the people of these states under the doml-
nation of their late slaves. In lnea'
sure you uf tue North have fallrd' Dut the
failure does not redeem the unpardohaple
cruelty OF the punishment. FOR IL was
punishment, not OF "reDels " ohIy, ouI vi
non.combatan,s Of every class, of women
and Of little chiidren-a punishment 'na''
moi finding sufficient material for its ycpge-
ance in the living generation, sought 10 IN
fiict IFS bitter humiliation on generations yet
i,,1 n
i.h the participants in "rebellion with
loss of propeity, Imprisonment, torture,
death. time at length might have Soothcd
mr. cjcoiriZod our wounds; but when, with
feudish malignity, you attempt to subject
ali classes of our population. and those yet
to come. to cruchXon OF. the sOul-silDmis'
sion TO slaves
"Time but the impression deeper makes.
AS streams their channels deeper wear
The reconstruction measures were 50 OD-
viou,lv unconstitutional that the PRESIDENT
siauncb Union man, was compelled 10 feto
the bill. No greater outrage was ever III
| flclcd upon PROSTATE people. IL Tue
crime OF The age. When they pfcaIhe law
the South became solid, In sei-defe6ce. III
the scheme had had full course there wou'd
have been in these southern States such a
| carnival oil CRIME tHti iuC WIN NNH'N h''N
stood aghast at the in:quty. To the solldliy
of the South is due not only our own partial
rescue, but TO the same fact are you indebted
that your egislation-more cruel than the
laws of Draco-is not pillOried in eternal
inIamy, the detestatlOn and disgust OF the
world and all time.
Most gladly will cc0pcrate WITT you IN
destroying the solidty OF the South in the
only way in which it can be DESTROYED, OF
ought 10 be destroyed. Remove the cause
repent Of your grOS, and frequent VIOLA
tions OF the Constitution of our fathers, ana
bring forth fruits meet for repentance, by
showing Willingness TO mend the breach
The South, though irreparably wronsed,
will meet YOU bali way, and hohtStly assist
YOU in deyising plans for the unihcalion'
harmony, and security Of all parts and sec
| tons of the country. Ii. PuRftAR'
Novelty in AdVeTtisinS.