Year: 1869

States q the West have said n and they win SOs


moment ne ae ISis amsndnsus " ri iriens nom New
be said in relation TO It, but still win Dreny call


the attention OF the House to the matter Secon one


prived or the right Of surage on account OF race,
coler or any previous condition OF servtuue;
men III the world but that must or can be admitted


to the right Of suffrage. And yet you OF the majority


go to work Mr. Speaker, in the first place. and amend


the constitution OF your country by saying tnat the


previous coadition-that the right Of no citizen to


ton you say Congress shall abrdge the right OF any


class that it Mt; because, Congress makes no


course. the article itself viii not be enforced and


besides, sir white this very resolution was penaag


sss passing ac IL n


right & o. thousands Of the people people q sGs G
These men give TO the negro an unlimited right 70
vOte and not one in q hundred OF them can read;
right to send legislators to Congress TO make laws


tors say sr by an act OF Congress passed the other


day In mouse, that OF the thirty thousand citizens


few of them, have right to perform the duties OF


citizens they that Of these citizens naturalized


not one in the Thousand shall have the right
saying that thirty thousand white men OF our own


State shall not exercise their privilege as voters,


while seven hundred and hty thousand negroes OF the


Sonrh, without qualifications without any other right
than the right given to them by thia injudicious


secOn sR


that the Legislature OF California was democratic


and would not ratify the amendment and SO i was


decreed that Congress saw ut to make appropriate


laws therefor California should be overwhelmed by


the millions Of coolies that threaten to swarm over


or the age in which we live Look at it and think OF
the country OF which we form part Look at 1t,


our laws and when great mem eave sSre to the


name OF an american citizen.n Look at it when in


Congress the great minds q the past without regard


which every party loved. Look at It, and think OF the


position we occupy today Congress shall have


but Congress shall have power" II 1t does not


exercise the power, all right. 1t may say these


that the white men Of the North, not or their
own party, shall not vote. Or merely say nothing


upon the subject and leave It all to Legislatures like


Now propose in my substitute to treat this sub


ect fairly. propose that the Will OF the people OF


When we were chosen the subject not before the
electors We came here without any Instructions
this House VINO, II they had the privilege-whicn
they have not under the dlctaon of party caucus


who II they had the night to stand up here tonight
would so against 1t. Why not take the VIII Of
the pcoplef Why not hea: the voice OF that


people expressed at the ballot boxP Are you afraid
| DO you not know they would vote 1t downs You
| do, every one OF you Do you not know they would


reject 1t by at least one hundred thousand maortyS
You cannot deny it. They have never voted upon


It without rejecting it. and by At least one hundred


and forty thousand. But you nave got the power
ment. You are going TO tell the people you are su
preme. Do with us as you please. The same cues


tion before the democratic Legislature OF Ohlo
What did that Legislature dor Did they reject the
proposed amendment2 Not at all. They submitted
| jected 1t. That was fair. Is not 1t Just
| as fair and right and honorable tnat re-
publican Legislature here in this Empire State
| Should nave the same generosity and magnanlmlty
as a democratic Legislature IN the Westy But the


mas gone =, as s a 9a ne
party that three-quarters of million Of ignorant


blacks shall exercise the grave right OF the franchise


1t has gone forth that this party, regardless o its


past professions, shall trample upon violated
stitutlon and upon the win OF the people. With
swarms OF federal Ofice-holders they Will uphold


their party and carry the contest to the bitter end
But we can appeal against It, We can raise our
voice in solemn protest against it. We from day
to day and from year to year. however often defeat


ed we can still say that we have been faithful to the


constitution and that Is great satisfaction. That
Now, sir In the Legislature OF Indiana which ls repuD
ican, the democrats proposed something similar TO
to the substitute which offer to-day. That voted


down mine will be. and the democrats resigned In


body rather than have the popular win dsobeyed.
believe 1t was right. l believe that II we OF the


minority had the power here tonight to prevent the
adoption OF the amendment by any such extreme


action it would be our duty to take it and Tor ono
would not hesitate. would not hesitate Tor the


the WIN Of the people instead OF obeying it. it is my
duty II | can 70 prevent BY all legal and proper
means that Vi0ldLlOn Sir tnink tnat years TO
come the action OF the democrats OF the present
Legislature OF Indiana will be regarded OF the


noDest acts in the political history OF that rising
State. In order that the voice Of the people might
question went back to the people for their


Of Ser s ne are
content. But do you believe they will he reected9
No. sir. The popular voice-the great heart Of the


people-will give them strength in Their determina-


on to stand by one Of the fundamental principles OF
MI. speaker let US remember that We are all citi-
zens OF a common country. Let US remember that


In nation like ours 1t Is the duty OF ali citizens to


act with justice towards each other; that In order


TO uphold our rights, IN order to maintain our prv-
lekes In order to give strength to form Of gov
to make our name respected among the nations OF
the earth We should rise above passion and preu.


Scs We should lorgs paTy we should forget e


party, should think Of our country. And the man
who, rising above passion and above preju
OF the love that he ought TO bear 1t,
that man Is entitled to the name OF "Patriot" But
when man living In country like our own can


forget that country in order to serve party, tnat
man will be known merely IS .'partsan.n Through
democratic party has stood In minority Whatever
its fangs and whatever It's errors land no party Is


free OF ailincs and errors has at least proiessed
IL has given men almost without number and money
almost beyond calculation to uphold the honor and
public has advanced far that it can forget the


pastwhen IT has advanced so far that 1t can forget
democratic party win shine with more lusre than IL
did when led by jefferson and jackson. While the
party In the minority still stands true to principle
IL cannot be eradicated And the time will come, sir
when these gentlemen OF the opposition these gen.


tlemen OF the majority ol to-day, VIII admit our SER
vices to the nation as once they were compelled TO


admit them. They will admit the services OF the great


leaders OF the democratic party to the cause OF the


federal Union. They will admit the services OF those
gallant generals whD though exied to-day yet will
be ever remembered by grateful people; and, sir
generations after us, loving the Union, as trust
W al W n
generations after we are gone VIII bless the day
when the democratic party OF this country weak
minority, once had the courage and strength and
patriotism tJ stand hrmiy la defence OF consttu


ton which they defend In the legislative halls to-day


as they have defended IL amid the carnage OF battle
SNOW IN CANApA--Northern Vermont papers say
that the obstructons from snow across the Canada
line are unprecedcntedly great, and trains have
nearly all been stopped during the past fortnight
Travel Is everywhere not only bad but dangerous
and the hotels on the border full OF unwilling