National Republican., 1883-12-13
Senator Wilson Proposes New Amendment
10 the Constitution.
Endowng Congress to LegsIate for the
Protection Of Citizens.
Powerful Speech by the Iowa Senator on th,
Subject
Senator Beck Grlcving Over the Rapid
Cancellation OF the National Debt.
THE sENATE.

Among the bills presented was ono ebY Mr.. Jonas
TO regulate tho removal Of causes from circuit
courts Of the United States to other circuit courts
OF the United States 40 O000s sse- .'
Mr., Van Wyck offered resolutions calling on the
secretary Of the treasury TO furnish copies OF all
vouchers and items of expense for special or as
tis.snt attorneys aud detsetyess, with the names s
of the parties since March 1881, except for such
period as has been covered by the Information
already hiInishod to the senate.
Also calling on the secretary Of the interior to
empsd doGPis 81 BY 1P Texas Paec Rarod
company ofits land grant to tho Southern Pacific
California, and also copies Of any memorials,
briefs or letters relating TO the matter OF lahd
grants or subsidies to the Texas and Pacific rail-
road. ordered to lie over day and be printed.
tion:, offered the day previous by Mr, Beck;
and he Is herebE directed 10 inform ihe senate as
soon as practicable The amount of the public debt
the act Of Feb. Is, 1862, were obtained under lis
provisions, and hoY much said public debt lras
now been reduced beyond the amount required
Of Of Sections Sc ana Of lpn the y revised satues
pnd to further inform the senato what sums will
hereafter be required annually until the maturity
of the per cent. bonds in 1901 in order TO comply
with the provisions Of said section hs now con-
strued BY MS Department. stating how the amounts
80 required red can be applied 10 the sinking fund
MIR, Beck explained that he desired this infor.
nation so that we may consider the basis on
country 1t Is perfectly apparent that the request
gepor 10 eep I'M o' nSaon beyond tbe n wants Of
the goyernmept, at feast She,060,o00, to he applied
TO the sinkfrs fund ought not to be complied with
this statement.
The sinking fund hhs 8 heep fully and fairly pro.
purpose Of the fund'was to give assurance or Sc.
curlty TO the cIedters of the United States that
Would DO %hoas ao necessity Of oo%ns he
recommendation Of the secretary of the treasury.
Mr.. Sherman said he had no objection Whatever
repeated his remsrk OF Tuesday, that the pub
lished statements relating to tho sinking fund,
Kentucky lMr Beekl desires. No information re-
istng t9 the affairs Of ihe geyernment had been
public debt IN all its phases; He explained the
condition of the sinking FUND, and the difficulty,
owing variations In the rates of Interest &c Of
toretellipg its precise condition at any specified
time. He thought, however, that &t Lhe present
the aa of hs
Has not the government of the United States. In
justice to its pledged public filth, the right TO
IN excess OF the requirements for that year. in
order TO make up q deficiency in q subsequent
lie believed the policy good one which pre-
served the sinking fund intact; there should be no
interruption 70 that policy, except under extra
Porary, and 4 should be resumed at the, earliest
moment and persevered in until tho public dabl
Is pulu pU 70 INC very utlerInOSt hItnlHH,
Mr., Beck in reply said that he desired no action
or legislation that would inure the public faith oT
credit but On & The contrary what he wanted =, %as
ialibg money AZ the rate Of sSoOGooOO year or Of
ndvancing i the pEespeeis OF any man 70 nonina'
I5 Bays sSs HsSSaS aSefe@ The resolution but wlsAst
IL enlarged SO as 10 show the legas status of this
sinking fund. lie moved an amendment Il
the resolution under consideration, so that II may
call Tor report showing under precisely
n prnV
debt las been effected.
Mr. Plumb thought the sinking fund at the
present time mere matter OF bookkeeping. Tht
people Of tbs. G ipnily were anxious that the deb
hgla BE- paid 9 ~ Espaldy adb s possible Tse.
apasns inc he sNss ssona a banking M syse Th,
national banking system, so far as It's relations 4
the currency are concerned, Is doomed with thu
mands of the country for currency are CONSTANT!
inSSteasng; He held Y TO be- be the part q goS. q
Something that shall take the place of The presen
national banking system.
ana the resolution as amended was also agreed to
Mr., Wilson then called up his Joint resolution
proposing an amendment g the constitution re
reference 80 the committee on Judiciary.
The resolution proposes the following article 0
amendment TO be numbered article To-
aons S sys Citizens o S
the exercise apd enjoyment OF the rights, PRIV
equal protection Of the laws"
Mr.. Wilson addressed the senate in support @
tho resolution. Two obligations, he said, resul
from the establishment Of government, namely
siieyiaaiSe yied and py91sson and !hs3e Obligation @
citizen, and whatsoever Is citizen is entitled I
protection. This is the doetrne Of our conslitu
lion. 1t was not mn idle play upon words that 10
"all men ara created equal.n We did not nee
the awful experiences which came 70 this naIio
allegiance and protection are re Reciprocal. III III
broken columns OF the nations were evidence
sufficient OF II, for 20 people has continuously eI
joyed the ends Of government as enumerated 1
The preamble to our constitution without the co
operation Of these two factors, nor will 1t ever b
otherwise.
But the mere declaration of right theories on th
subject Mr. Wilson said,wil never accomplish III
enns q government what y wanted Is the soil
feouve protection on the other BY the allegiance
ths siIon b9th 20 hIs ProPsry ana lile are bel
aud sleeples; presence, Is The obligation Of proIec
ton, The .itzen has, therefore, The right to de
mend the utmost protecting power Of the govern
ment In return for the duty which he owes 10 1
When this y denied then are the foundations {
revolution laid. Whatever right of protection be
longs to the whole OF q considerable body of VI
people y the rlgRr q each citizen; Each eizg
himself ana TO apply It in his own defense, ali
what each would dd for himself, 1t is unbeeomin
In him TO ref refuse 20 Sthers Up 70 the war Of u
inconsistent with It's practices but the priuciplt
were right
taken 10 pholish slavery. Before all the stat,
had resumed their proper positions as membe
of the unlop slavery had disappeared, and ne
complication presented Itself to many mind
The slaves were free. Thers were several million
OF them. Where they cit zens2 l do not dopl
that they were, Az the Time referred 10 did III
doubt that they were native born eiuzens' Bl
there was some confusion of belief on this poin
1t was determined TO settle the question, IL WI
settled by the adoption OF an amendment 70 III
constitution, which, among other things, pre-
vides that; YAH persons born or naturalzed
the United States and subject TO the jurisdcuo
thereof, are ctlzens of the United States and
the states wherein they Tesde,P
This should have been of Itself sufficient to SET
determine who is citizen. TO each person thl
declared citizen the obligation Of allegiance a
taohed, and By every right intendment this Q
tshlshed IN behalf Of each citizen the reciproc
obligation Of protection This Is both the philos,
phyApd ethics OF government, There ~ no g
cape from the logic of the case, Hut congress m
the states when they made the amepdment
my attention, recognizing the complicated polil
cal ph9nompna ooeasioDed by the lpdlet
and political inteInretaiion 10 which
have alluded, resolved IN put the case beyond II
lines OF dispute, and 10 that end placed the MI
section In the fourteenth article In these word
BY spPgopIihte legislation, lhe tEqys!pps Of N
these quesiions. That section was made u part
the constitution in order defnilelyt to deteTmil
the power Of congress TO provide means for "
full discharge Of the obligation Of projection
ihe citizen. in return Tor the obligation of 4
SO 10 do did not adhere III the government, hut I
rause n conflict of ODiuiOn had nrlA N as hQ