Year: 1867

AIR. Speaker, the bill now before
the House is supplemental, as its ii.
tie indicates, "An act to provide for
the more efficient governme ent of the
rebel States" passed on the I'd day
Of March, 1867, and the act supple
mentary thereto, passed on the 23d
day of March, 1867. This bill seems,
by Its terms and language, to be de-
vised only to more firmly rivet the
chains of bondage on the white men
of the South; to degrade them and to
elevate the negroes Of the South to 4
position of equality and fraternity;
and, as far as possible, to prevent the
people of the South, who, like the
laboring class of the North and West,
are borne down by the burden of OPP
pressive taxation, from having a vote
or voice in the Government, while
the bondholders and the wealthy ma
bobs, who, perhaps, made their mon
ey as shoddy contractors, are, through
what is called "New England IDEAS"
ruling the South, the West, and the
North with rod OF iron. This bill
does not seem to NE to be gotten up
with any reference to the Constitu-
ton. The civil authorities are to be
overthrown. Some military gentle
man, when he sees proper, car dis
place judge of the supreme court,
or any other judicial tribunal, and
its functions must cease altogether,
or another be appointed in place of
the one who incurs the displeasure
Of some petty military officer. Others
have discussed the provisions Of the
bill, and 1 shall confine myself more
especially to the general effect which
such legislation is calculated to pro-
duce, particularly in Government
framed like ours.


Ever since the close of the war,
and for some time before it, the
course of policy adopted by my
friends ON the other side OF the
House, has clearly indicated that
party success is their paramount ob-
ject, and that political and social
equality of all races, and especially
the African race, is the hobby upon
which to ride successfully to the goal
of their ambition. A dismembered
Union has nothing III its condition,
presents no picture to their eyes,
which in the least serves TO check
them In their mad career. Cabal and
caucus settle questions of the gravest
moment and deepest import TO the
Government. By a secret decree
made, not as in former time, in the
happy days of the Republic, any
measure is brought forward and un-
der the lash of the previous question,
and the spur of passion and fanatic
ism, is passed and becomes law
no discussion, no amendment being
allowed. A few words of discussion
have been allowed On this bill. A
State of this Union returns ? Demo
cratic delegation to this House, and
forthwith willing witnesses, perhaps
by perjury, send in e1-parte state
ments, and charges of disloyalty are
freely applied to honorable gentle
men. They are not allowed to be
sworn IN and take their seats on this
floor; and thus another star is strlck-
from our flag, or at least eclipsed.


The negro having been slave from
the remotest period of authentic his
tory, it seems that the Radicals are
now making him bear the burden OF
the Radical party of to-day. On his
broad, black shoulders gentlemen are
carried into office and power; and in
order to make the African contri-
butte, so far as he can, toward perpet-
uating the despotic power OF the
present dominant party, he is patted
On the back, called ga man and a
brother" and promised equal, social,
political, and domestic rights The
tenor of the bill now pending, as we'll
as the bills which i. is intended to
explain, and indeed nearly all the le-
gislation of the Thirty eighth and
Thirty-ninth Congresses, and the
first session of the present one,
seems first to wipe out all distinction
on account of race, except SO far as
the sweeping disfranchisement OF
white men is concerned, and thereby
secure to radicalism a permanent
position and a continuance of power
politically.


Would It not be well 10 pause in
this wild career of fanaticism, and
inquire whether the laws enacted and
being enacted by the party in power
are beneficial TO the Government, and
just to the white race, and whether
the present bill is just and consn-
tutional It is on account OF the Ell
feet which laws tending to establish
and place the Negro, the Indian,
Chinese, Esquimaux, white, and all
other possible races of men on an
equality before the law, at the bal
lot box, in the jury box, in the legis-
lative halls, in tie social and domes-