Year: 1866

Extract .frem . Speech BY MIR. Demine z


Of CeAAeetieat.


From the Congressional Globe


1t requires first, that the Government shall
be absolutely protected from . repetition of
the secession experiment by provision in
our organic law: second, that the freedmen
shall be secnred an absolute equality with the
white man before the civil and criminal law,
and shall be endowed with every political
right necessary to mail tain that equality;
third, that the public creditor shall be pro-
tected as completely as organic law can pro-
tect him from any reputation or scaling down
of the public debit fourth, that the citizens,
both of the rebel and loyal States. shall be
prote cten, as completely as organic law can
protect them, from any taxation direct or in
direct, for the payment of the rebel debt; and
unlessthe equality Of the freedmen before both
civil and criminal law can be fortified by leg
islatod here, under the second clause to the
amendment to the Constitution, giving univer-
sal freedom to the slave, we shall require,
fifth, an amendment similar to that introduced
by my distinguished friend from Ohio, Mr.
Bingham,


That Congress shall have the power to make all
laws necessary and proper TO to all persons
in every State equal protection in their rights of
iie' ipefts anu property


Much more than this we might rightfully
demand. much more than this we might rea
sonably claim; but not jot less can we fail
to secure as conditions precedent to the re- ad
mission of these public enemies to the pub
lie councils without being guilty of treachery
TO the living, to the dead and to those who are
yet TO be.


Having thus defined the relation Of these
insurgent States to the Government according
to public law and according to the Constitu
ton, wish to address myself for moment
to the spirit, temper, dnimus of these ''pubic
en7mies' at the present time, and TO ask
what security have we that the indispensable
prerequisites of national safety aud national
faith which have enumerated would not be
jeopardized by the presence here of the Rep
resentatives of those men. who, when the
grass on these surrounding hills, which is now
just withered, was but just green, we're Ipurs,l
ing us with the sword, with the fire brand,
with pestilence, massacre and starvation, as
on that wild and awful night in the kaends
of April-but forbear; the wedding follows
SO close upon the funeral that


The funeral baked meats


Night coldiy yfurni-h forth the marriage tables.


We are here, in the full gaze of the nation
and the civilized world, charged With the fu-
ture grandeur and renown of the Republic
We are here fairly coming and moulding the
rising eras and ages of a continent. We are
here attempting to save IN empire from being
mortally wounded by that ball which has
hardly yet spent its force, and which these
new converts sped at its head when in their
now regenerate bosoms burned all the con-
centrated flames of hell We are here. hay-
ing just rescued the Government from death
on the field of honor, attempting to save ii
from the death of namy which would follow
its perhdy to the freedmen who fought it's
battles and to the creditor who purchased its
bonds.


And when here. under such oppressive re-
sponsibilities to the present and the future, to
the living and the dead, we ask, earnestly
ask, like tortured Ajax begging for light,
what proof strong, convincing. overwhem-
ing, as the enormous improbabiity Of the
suppostion requires-do you present that
these red handed rebels can safely participate
with us in launching the now enfranchised
Republic on its dazzling orbit of Justice,
probity, and freedom, we are forthwith an
swered by fux Of gllttering generalities,
which are no more proofs of loyalty than the
dogged submission of the assassin Payne to
his fate was proof of loyalty. .They accept
the situation;r so did Payne The submit
to necessity SO did Payne. "The aspect of
affairs is more promising than could have
been expected" so it was in Payne's case
it was supposed he would kick and bite the
executioner. "An abiding faith is enter
tanned that their actions will conform to their
professions" that must be faith like Ter
tullian's, who said "Oredo qtid impossible
est


see by the Northern papers that some
reverend gentlemen have been transcend
emily weak enough to bless God '.for having
converted the Southern heart to loyalty" If
this be so, St. Paulfs conversion was rather
tame affair. If it be true that these fire-eat
ing, blood thirsty Southrons, whose untamed
insubordination, whose furious and vndictive
passions were the proverb and shame of our
past, have been suddenly born again, then
has the day of Pentecost met with an eclipse
which amounts to total obscuration and the
epistles of Andrew have worked a greater
miracle than the preaching of Peter


Why, Mr.. Chairman, we all know that
hypocrisy is not one of the vices of Southern
character. There is no loyalty there which
would support what | regard. or what the
least exacting Union man should regard, as
indispensable to the present and future safety
OF this imperiled nation. That most acute
and patient observer of the Southern animus,
General Carl Schurz, commissioned by the
President TO examine this very question, in
the condensed essence and summing up of
his most valuable report says:


he loyalty of the masses and most of the
leaders of the Southern people, consists in
submission to necessity. There is, except in
individual instances, an entire absence Of
that national spirit which forms the basis of
true loyalty and patriotism.


The emancipation of the slaves is sub
mitted to only in so far as chattel slavery in
the old form could not be kept up. But al
though the freedman is no longer considered
the property of the individual master, he is
considered the slave of society, and all indie
pendent State legislation will share the ten
dency to make him SUCH The ordinances
abolishing slavery, passed by the conventions
under the pressure of circumstances, will not
be looked upon as barring the establishment
of new form of servitude"


This is the firm exhibit of the keen obser-
yer deputed by the President to examine
upon the spot the condition Of the insurgent
States.


Sir, their conversion consists in bowinp
their still stubborn necks to q power which
they could no longer withstand, and the in
strument of it was the sword of Ulysses
Their penitence consists in discovering that
they have committed blunder.


When the Administration of Abraham Lin
coin was inaugnrated, two alternatives were
before them. They could have staid here,
lighting the Government from the inside as
they had done for the last thirty years, and
while warmed in its too gentle and forbearing
bosom, marking it for slaughter and measur
ing 1t for the grave. They could have gone
out and attempted an assault upon it from the
outside. They chose the latter. They raised
their bloody hands in rebellion and had no
40 h.