Year: 1867




Constitution is dead, why arc we always,


every day, and at every new step, required


to support it? T.a .. .a


Now, affirm that these military bills are


not only contrary to the Constitution, bu,


directly in the face of the amnesty oath you


were required to take after tho surrender.


Tho Government thought proper in accept


ing your submission, to take your oath to


support the Constitution of the United


States, aud the Union of the States. Why


was that oath required, if the Constitution


was dead ....... ...


But it is said that the Constitution does


not apply to US. Then don't swear to sup


port it.


But it is said again that We are not in the


Union. Then Why swear to support the


Union of these States? What "Union"
does that mean? When you took that oath,
was it the Union of the Northern States
alone that you sworo to support? What
business have you with that Union? No it
is the Union Of all the States known to the
Constitution that you have sworn to sup
port.


But they say that the oath was prcscrib-
ed by the President, and that he is not 10y
al. Then | must answer fool according to
his folly, and traitor according to his trca-
son. What do they require who passed
these bills--this military Juggernaut They
require every man who registers his name
to vote, to swear to support the Constitution,
and counsel and persuade Others to do so
and still it is said that the Constitution has
nothing to do whit! They say the scheme
is outside Of the Constitutions and yet in
the process Of carrying it out, they require
an oath to support the Constitution and to
counsel and persuade others to do so! That
is more than Mr. johnson ever required in
the oath which he prescribed.


1t is my business to support the Constitu-
ton, and my duty and pleasure to persuade
others to do so. Some Of you who favor
the acceptance of the military bills take an
oath to this effect, and still intend to vote
for convention which you admit to be Or
dered contrary to the Constitution! How is
this? If you vote for the convention you
are perjured! Tremendous applause. OF
L pity the race Of colored people who have
never been taught what an oath is, Or what
the Constitution means. They arc drawn
up by selfish conclave of traitors to in
flict death blow upon the life of the Re-
public by swearing them to falsehood
They are to begin their political life by per-
jury to accomplish treason! | would not
visit the penalty upon them. They are
neither legally nor morally responsible, but
it is you--educated designing white mem
who thus devote yourselves to the unholy
work-who arc the guilty parties! You
pratc about your loyalty! l look you in the
eye and dcnounce you! [Applause.l You
are morally and legally perjured traitors
You periurc yourselves and reriure the poor
negro to help your treason! Immense ap-
plause. You can't escape it You may
boast Of it now, while passion is rife, but
the time will come when the very thought
will wi;her your soul and make you hide
from the face of mankind.


l shall discharge the obligation of t /,
amnesty oath. 1t required me to supp It
the Constitution and the emancipation of
the negro, and do. l will not bind my
soul to new slavery, to hell, by violating it.
I talk plainly, but l simply want to strike
through the incrustation of the hardened
conscience, and make men feel and realize
their true situation.


have proved that these military ILLS
violate the Constitution, and that you, in
carrying them out, violate it and your am
ncsty oath and your registry oath. And
what is your purpose? 1t must be great
good you seel; to induce you to commit so
much crime and folly. |


Sometimes men wink at what is by strict
technicalities wrong in the individual, to ac-
,omplish some great good to the public. /
do not recognize the correctness of such |
action; but what do you propose by tramp
ling upon the Constitution and violating
your own solemn oaths? Is it to save the
State and preserve liberty? This is not the
object, but the purpose is as Infamous as
The measure resorted to to effect it. You
irst propose to abrogate your State govern
ments by authority of the so-called Con-
yress-a mere conclave of portion of the
members Of that body. By whom is this
dictated? The principle that whoever
orms a govcrnmentshould form it for them
selves as well as others, is correct one but |
he men who propose this for us do not live
n any of the ten States affected by their
egislation. 1t is not made to suit either
black or white, Or any other class of our
people, but to suit themselves, while they
ire not affected by it. aud if you act upon
their proposition, in manner to suit your
selves, you will not be accepted by them
nay, you violate the Constitution to subvert
the Government. And by carrying out
.hese measures you disfranchise your own |
people. Suppose We concede, for argument,
hat it is right to onfranchise all the negroes;
r. this he ripht by what nrinciple of low