Year: 1867

the council sbe Of he nsson But we are also anxious
TO have done on night terms on jus terms on terms
South, from the Rio Grands. may DO able 70 stand up
and say nag and the nation and the Union
without fear OF danger and moestation. And We viii
take no LEES than that We and We have been Tor


immediate restoration % just terms Our opponents
reenhronlng IN power ths party Of and rebel
lion. Now what did we do from our frat Congress--


nay from ns ns ..r q ws. s hs ra. Sa ra
Of reconstruction then proposedf constitutional
amendment That amendment was bond OF public


Justice and safety combined; II was TO be embedded In
our national constitution Il vas TO show 10 all pos
terity that treason uas . crime. Its terms
were more magnanimons than those even offered by
any other country to those who had rebeed against


its authority Mr.. Colfax then explained the various
provisions OF the amendmsnt after which he proceeded
a. follows.-Wbat there unjust wrong n thlsY
These terms were kind and foroearing and mngnani


nous; they were loss than we had right 10 demand
but y dsS :. W.


al by every legislature in the Southern states which had
9ss1 "a; 's Of Aasw
repadaisd il. DO you know why' IL was BE-
consequence OF the rebellion, after Il had closed, than
they had before II was commenced The rebels de-
tpemseves but also for their emancipated slaves cres
Never" and chocrsI Never; that time has passed
away Then. when this vas repudated, what did We do
nextY We came together again the succeeding session.
and said, "Reconstruction cannot be left an open
question want these States back with guaran





protection tho Union men Of The SOUTH who had
dared 70 stand up FOR the nag and the Union agans.
Odds %e nsre "efs iour roads before us
should be confined to the loyal whites OF
tho South You know know % very Wen how that a.
the Southern people who could be called loyal who had
yielded TO the maelstrom later and had
given in their adhesion 10 tho wicked OF
sion. Mr. Lincoln had proposed that IL you could ind
onssnth part OF tho population Of any State loyal he
was IN favor Of putting political power Of that State
int hoi the democratic marty Al aaid.


We won't have IL; the majority ought not to be ruled
BY so insignificant minority" Therefore that plan
was rejected in advance. Then could have put
construction the bans OF loyalty only. You know
that result OF that would have been to have made the
given the Of that portion OF the
country TO the colored men who had been sold
whose families had been torn from them who had been
manaced and tyrannized over IN every possible way.
And yet the flag was in danger, when the armies
OF the Union came near them, they couid see in the
Stars and Stripes some hope OF the liberty for which
they had longed and prayed. You cannot point out to
me, among the four millions OF black men of the South,
solitary man that ever turned his back upon the
flag the defenders OF the flag If there Is any demo-
cratic soldier standing before tonight any
has gone down South to put down treason, appeal 10
that on his conscencs TO say IL he ever found
traitor with black face. or II he ever met met
black faces and black lips. And II he had ever been


flying from the horrors Of Andersonvile wherever that
democratic soldier white face he lodged into the
swamp, and wherever he saw black face he knew he
had but to say, II am flying soldier of the Union;
am St8rVlnB ana tnaL OacK man, numOe ana ignorant
as he might be. would share his last meal with him. and
plot him in the darkness and show him where he could
nnd relief and succor But we could not reconstruct
these States on the basis Of loyalty alone Then there
the third roadto reconstruct these States white
votes alone and that would have put every gov
ernment into the hands Of the very who used these
State governments in 1861 to organize the con.
federacy and arm and equip the rebel army.
anem 1Srs nor was the fourth plan the plan we
and vindcae TO base reconstruction first upon every
loyal man in The South, and then add to IL every
In fhaQ tol had AnVvt toa1 1VA
only those men who, having held Offices which required
them to swear allegiance 10 the Constitution, had added
well rebels Mr. Cofax then read the provision in
the constitution requiring that all officers shall take
oath q Office Before ne began 70 read, however BE-
those which had been left by our distinguished Pre


dent when he was swinging round the circle. He ,the
speakerI would not like to risk reading from his tths
Presdents) copies because he seemed to read them with
rebel spectacies taughter) He continued as follows


The terms upon which these gentlemen down South
could readmitted into the Union Ia 1865 were
not good they could have received In 1862 AT this
time they think they see some encouragoment IN the
action and prospects Of the democratic party, which will


produce some curious results in several OF tho southern
States during the next Presidential campaign. What
ever may be the result OF their action however,


thing have determined and that that these States
TO return to the old council halls Of the republic
In those States faithful among the faithbess and
they the who In the rebel CONGRESS- both in
old nag and say. .Wecome exile welcome death
but % for will stand by the Stars and
Stripes \" (AppinueeJ Goa bless those faithful
Southern Union men, Applause) They came up
out Of that treason furnace with not the smell OF
Ere on their garments. II you willing to yield
up those noOle southern to the Vaccinations Of
their dsoyal fellow citizens tell you that the
ing finger Of shall point you from all poster.
~. am told that in dealings with tho South
ought have larger and orgvng hearts, and that
during our deliberations the reconstruction question
we ought TO profit BY the parable Of the prodga SON.


mothers knee IL taught lesson which learnt
thoroughly and have never forgotten but in applying
4 stn wh.taf
loss to the parallel II the prodig son, instead Of
only wasting his substance in riotous living, had gone


family and snSs ANA ana hsa them
gone back and said, give me back my
rights absolutely and a once do no. believe there
night loud laughter and applause.) am inclined to
tfink that calf would have lived 10 this very day.
you all know, went back psnitent and the old mans
heart immediately warmed towards him. Did any rebels
a any su


after month and said they would continue vbng until
the last man fell IN tho last ditch; and they did con-
tins day had II not been for the gallant soldiers under
Sheridan and Grant Appiauss.) Ishouid have named
is the nobest and the greatest, uniting he does the
pertinacity Of Wellington with tho dash Of Napoleon,
fns ine soldiers Scwns nS


the rebels TO surrender and only that
and by their efforts that the armies OF Lee and Johnson
ever laid down their arms Not one OF them all
surrendered voluntarily When these men appeal TO
me with Their hypocrtca cries for forgiveness, and
hands are sill red with the blood Of the faithful
soldiers OF the Unon there one thing will not do,
and there Ia one thing which before God dare do,
and tlat TO once moro put into hands tho dagger
with which they can strike ut the nations heart That
We shall never do--nover, never tApplause, and cries
OF "Never, never'' want TO see some signs OF
triton first before do It. But suppose you could put
those States back again into tho Union, what would
be their condition7 To nnd that out you have
only got TO look at the State or Kentucky, where
to-day the lives OF loyal men are unsafe.
and 70 have been soldier OF tho Union SUN ,Ient
why he should be driven from his home and u
proportion he was faithful to the Union 80 much
more is his danger, and that would be the state OF
things which would prevail In ali the states lately 10
beon Another thing have to consider and Is,
If the tocsn Of war should again be soundsd-f Eny-
land France the allied Powers Of Europe should
declare against the United states and land their
armies shore, you might appeal Governors
appeal would bc In vain, for they would say nov awe
trample the Union under foot and establish this
confederacy OF ours.n But IL Ia mot going 10 he
lCraa of aNo. an 1 shall mn sneax fas