Year: 1867

Citations OF the South and Eul0zics OF the
Black Man-Chrlstinn Abuse Of the President
by one of the Clerical Members-The
"Providence Ot the Devip'-The Amend-
ment Likely t0 be Ratified, sc.


BosroS Tuesday, March ~, 1867.
About fortnight ago majority OF the Legislative
Committee on Federal Relations reported that the
amendment to the constitution Of the United States
ought not TO be ratified by the State Of Massachusetts,
and that the whole matter ought to be referred to the
next General Court. Tho colored member Mr.. Walker
OF Charlesown who Of the committee was ono Of
those who signed tho majority report. minority Of
tho committee reported resolution recommending tho
ratnc alton OF the amendment The upon which
both Of these reports founded given in
full In the HERALD Boston correspondence at the
time they submitted 10 the Legislature After the
two reports had remained the orders Of the day for
period Of two weeks the member OF the House from
Newton, Mr.. Mason moved that the report Of the mi
norty OF the committee avorps tho ratification Of the
amendmen be substituted for the report Of the MAORI
y, which opposed action and referred the matter


to the next Legislature When the question: therefore,
was called in the House to-day tho matter 10 decide
was whether not the voice OF that representative body
of the people Of Massachusetts, should in favor OF
or against the measures of Congress-
set forth the proposed renewal or the federal const
Triton. There large number OF visitors present
the most OF them probably attracted by desire hear
the coored member walke express his views upon the
national situation.


Mason, Of Newton, commenced the discussion with
long argument in Of the Legislature ratyng the
amendment He said, in beginning, that he did not see
any reason why any committee OF the Legislature
should have recommended either ratification or non
ratification, for IL matter which should have been


left entirely with the House. The question seemed TO be
whether they would raf and endorse the action OF
intelligent and practical Congress in time Of great
peril when the country Is burdened with heavy debts
and taxaon and when people the very verge
OF ruin aud when need the spirit Of true brother
hood and union TO character and stamina to the
country Twenty OF the lova States have adopted the
amendment and OF them rejected 1t. All Of the
disoyal have rejected IL and Of them have
adopted it, and Massachusetts, Is to declare whether
will 90 with the loyal dslova States She
should not postpone hesitate to do her duty. Any
| attempt defeat this amendment is attempt to
defeat the reconstrucve measures of wise Congress-
and K one falls stands so II is with the other.


When Mason had finished the eyes Of all were turned
upon tho coorad member Walker, for II generally


understood that he to lead off in the debate in op


position to the amendment As he and addressed


the Speaker the House hushed to silence. The fall


ing of pin could have been heard in any portion Of the
spacious hall, all 70 hear the first speech


Walker said that forgotten the fact that tho
country had found partial relief In losing that abom


rabe institution which had for SO many years deg aded
this Grand step in advancement, he would still maintain
further Justice and guarantees md ask every true
and and zee % , where ~ we are are to be led by ncor-
pnrang into the national constitution such IN
Congress He belle cd that The men who were foremost
in establishing this government intended to establish
govern ncnt in which people should be supreme and
he found huns warranted this from declara-
tions made convention In ITO. viz. :-"we hold
these truths lf-eviden: that all are FREQ
and equal and be believed terc also something
declared in that convention ab0lt life b
erty and the pursuit of happiness Now he would saw
az TO every male member of the community twenty
years OF age the ri sht vote and will secure TO
all nc, liberty and the pursuit Of happiness BIT ~ oil


Institution Of slavery gvc life and strength to that
which Is not happiness. but misery; not liberty, but
bondagc and not life but ath Unless he added with
great emphasis you believe the lately in slavery
entitled their rights citizens in free republic


can they will receive kind of justice
from the white men OF the South whose prime II not
| whose only movement in secession was to perpetuate


negro slaverv9 BY looking To the constitution which II


proposed 10 amend, he found tho reason why tho


constitution was ordained and established. u was for


the welfare justice and guarding generally OF the


people, and last but not least TO for them


the blessings of liberty. In II he could find nothing


the adoption of the second section this amendment
he would like to know what proposed to be done.


measure n It intended such he sorry; but
let IL in shane he bound to oppose It. Hts
! own feeling that II " intended compromise IL
| proposes to admit who few years ago sook-
ing destroy this government and who ceased only
whom they had exhausted every means In their power


Assuming as before that II intended a compro-
mise measure, no did not wish to be understood
| az believing 1t TO be compromise with the
men in the rebel states as majority for they have 30
far rejected the amendment 10 manner which would





To tho oath, said he did not believe there


single the floor Of the House of Representatives
| who seriously believed that 4 amounted to anything


with Southern people, The second section places in
the hands OF the Southerners the enre black popua
tion Of the Southern States and in view Of this he
hoped the Legislature would DO little can did about the
matter before the announcement should go forth that
Massachusetts, had adopted the amendment H would
say H. colored man, but representative OF
Massachusetts and American, that this amend
mt is par with cvery ohcr act Of the people with
the South Look at It, Look ana see how carefully il
puar da
Of blacks Of this country TO others gentlemen,
IL Won are coming back Won show that you have
not held Office such a to have sworn
10 support the constitution and then violated


IT, This is because the safety = the white man would
not otherwise be IL further that must
agree stand by the national debt and tina, the
government Of the United States will never pay any part
OF the rebellion debt All this Is demanded because 1t is


tho only safe position In which you put white man
In this country But with regard To the two hundred
down the rebellion nothing said 20 the errnc brethren
OF the South, bnt on tho contrary they are allowed TO
they have no voice In Short the section


TO incorporate slavery into the constitution Of the United
worse than before the war broke ont whom they
slaves and that saved the Union from the South
en grasp but s We 40 ask wsb ~ csna1r @ wno Doeys Yes
blacks their rights hut Leaf ing out the negro look TO
the interests O. our country. You know tna.
have been Of the negro and while the rebels
Of the South fighting and seeking to destroy the
the condition of man shalt be changed. That was
vow TO slavery whio slavery established. While
the arm cs OF the Union being whipped every


field the people again spoke and said that " the govern


ment and slavery both be saved 1t must be done Tor
the people of the South; but only be spared
lot slavery perish and save the government Liberty
came TO the blacks because II necessary The gov
ernmen always said that II would not strike slavery
until compelled do IT, Bot now since II has passed
away another atemp. to revive, another VOW to
the institution tho shape OF the second section OF this
constitutional amendmen Tho only article in tho whole
amendment which touches the negro s the second sec


on and that places him In the hands or his southern
(Ut nj
lead In every and worthy reform. she the first
20 establish the right OF petition, and u was her
that sent Sumner 10 Congress- and he hoped sho would
sustain and perpcuats her high reputation by repudat
ing this unjust and outrageous constitutional amend
mens II Representatives In Congress gave II TO US


they hnd done in the heat and smoke Of the last light or
Richmond, and did not then that the people
Of he South do not intend 10 submit 10 the government
OF the United States. He himself would not now, and
never would have voted for this amendment or any