SPEECH OF
HON. C.1,1A.R1-ES R. BUCKALEW,
AT THE COURT HOUSE, BELLEFONTE,
Thursday Evening,
, Srpteraber. 10th, 1868
IRT.PORTI.I; Dl' L. F. MVIIPIIY
Fellow Cipzens of Centre County :—I feel
gratified at two circumstances, in ap
peering amongst you for the first time
am glad to meet a few persons among
you with whom, in former years, I had
relations of a friendly character, and I
e m also glad that ,the mission upon
4hich I come to you in honorable and
m ay, possibly, bo made useful.,
It has again beemme necessary that
the people of the United States should be
stow their attention upon public affairs
in the aflection of a Chief Magistrate to
hold the highest post is their govern
ment. It is not so important who the
men are that hi places of public trust
in our Slate and Federal governments
lodividual preferences as between pub
lic men may be indulged, and indulged
freely, without much danger to the Re
public. But iCis most important and
vital that in selecting men we should
know what system of government they
will fluor, what scheme of adminiaira
lion and of legislation they will main
tain and support 111,91 their power.
That is peculiarly important at this time.
We hive passed in rectuit years through
s war of great wapiti u.I o, of great vie
tenor, and its results fur good or for
evil are to remain with no and wuli
those who come atter us We have coot
upon no a considerable nuhiber of What
may be ealled monetary questions, uuu
suit and yet of transcendent unportanoe
We have also a difficulty in regard 1, 0
local governments in the coutheru sec
lion of our country. The quest ion of
the relations of race, which has occupit3d
the atteretion of StIIIeSIDYTI and p' ilun
the foundation -of our
go•erNient, IS not yet co vet vi e
OURRIOIi is not yet ended. 'there arb in
the South millions of the deseelidelitflOf
African slaves, there are alstv,iliete
some eight or ten 11l hoes of our own
race These respective populations are
mingled together through ten States of
the Union. and front tho'liteeessity
of the ca, are obliged to live
together, to net lOget her, 1,) hitt I! cam
Mon interests, 'it'd yet if posailtle I/1 tin-
Lain isle Identuy and . l met ext•teure
of each, for I suppose no tit 01 of snilll , l
judgment will owe' torwmol to udINCIlle
their being blended together alter itle
fashion n( span sh .14nertca, et, oh till
the consequences which have followed
in those countries titre this detestable
violation of - natural law has 1.4,11 per
and has born its bitter fruits I
ray we have upon us mill this great
Lineation of the relation! of race This
problem was not solir.l by Ike war; its
tering wertActiange4l. but the problem re
maths, atut it bus I.4ng been, a
great CliftiCully tit Atnerlcon politic+,firl
W.WW it to thrown to the peopio of ilte
cc miry in all our Stake lof iht kr can
aid MIND ; they must take it up. owl
consider it, hurl fuss pelginelit upon it
to the Presidential election of the plc,
eat year
The two grand qiitomilonm then atoll
whAeli we are concerned in the political
debates of IkbK, are Itecoomiroicoioon 11114
Finance, the latter including the clone
Lary allows of olio gm/el-nine:if 0114 peupl.
of ihe United to 4 tates the outojecomul r .e
hue, Imuitien and theburaimeot ot pith
ho ;money , the matter of hooking as ti
has been emtabliehed by the government
of the U dorm , : 1110 Wlll, 1111 , 1 11/1•t
1110,11011 of morrow importance, the re
latinnm lot taxpayer, of the Loan' y to
the et-v.lllora nt the country The gliv•
Mloll'lll iY 1% bill en het Vleo.ll 1111.., 1011
great iniereetx —l,e , ;rt en Ilse men ‘OlO
pay the toles and theoir W;11,
4 , 1.11 it , •f" 1
Juniice ia h u sh 111 11..1 I I 4 ,
Xy +ll.lll Ili 1.11,111011 111.14 r bp' ai, I ,
therefore Juin, 1111.1 it too- , be
led upon principle+ of commerce al, I
that is, objects of taxation .1111141 b,
sought winch eta lit i.t Coll •,•1110.111 L,
eontriblite to the pgllllo !woes...mos nod
wherever iminsirre4 are specialty on
pre.reil by a partteatitr t•le, n IthOlit.l I I.
abolished or reduced Aral lice there
should be morn-. Jo•lictal system by "Oren
all the tale., shall be collected, by
which it shall not happen that a lax of
sloomillious upon whiskey ell.ll yteld to
'the government only 1 ,20 or
leaving 711 or irr int Irons to be the sub
ject of . corrupt conduit !limy bet Vf 1,11
nrrn employed un if of the govern
ment and men engaged in the prolitic
tion 01 the article (need
0..10 iefTlefl, it has not been my babe,,.
in diseounteto my fellow ell ILCIIS In any
section of our own :irate or elsewhere,
to de tl in mailer of invective, or to in
, dingo in thevie rhetorical efforts which
ore only efficient with the week and on
reflecting 1 hive thought qiretter, up
on ocoirions like the present, to take nip
public question!, and debate them upon
then mini's, honestly snit fairly no fir
an I ...old, and then leave them with the
people whore Judgment upon direr II
wets coy purpose to Influence and to "fid
rest It wilt happen that in Proceeding
to treat public affairs in this manmer,.
speeclies will he delivered, ciotneitines,
which will be pronounced dal and unto
!creating. because they artllrnot °Winne
terised by flrshes of win, amusing area
dotes ore not interspersed through them
the passione are not titillated and
brought up to to state of high excitement,
and we do not go awry front such OCC/1.-
'ions hating or deal - toting our neighbor.
In short, we &Intim go away,flehased and
lowered in mind ; though we tatl tcf de
rive ins [roof ion, our minds are
not polluted or injured
Now, It shall be my oirject to addreen
you fairly to-night, up in the merits of
the two questions I have mentioned:
But before proceeding, permit me a few
introdnotory rentarkr
In the government of the 11. 8., tit
this time power is eery unfairly lodged
and distritinted. Particularly is this
the fret in the two Bottles of Congress.
in which resides the greater inane of the
'Constitutional potters of the Federal
gn•eraiment Unit ot 'Wore t he poop le
North and \Vert art about equally divi
ded betwern n111114%1 nooording
to ilia a l ea rvinir during the last two
Fears. 'Ph at la, In elections held in the
represented •tator N.irth and West, in
1831 vn 1 18 1 17, aril the sprung of the
priient-year, a little over two millions
of voters supported the Itepuhltoon pa:
~~.
~
VOL. 13 BELLEFONTE, PA., FRIDAY - SEPTEMBER 18, 1868.
ty, ands little over two millions of vo
ters supported the Derficerajle party.
This. speaking generally, was Ole
situation among the people of the
United States, in all the states represen
ted in Congress taken together.
While that 'Me the condition of ef.
rotas out of dllOrß—an equal or nearly
equaldtyioiqn of the people of the UnUed
Stolen bet Preen the two parlren—inelde ot
Congreen in both llou.ien the cute wan
widely different. In the Senate end
lloueo of Itepeesentatires respectively,
during the loot two yearn. the r ep e t.ti
can potty ham hod about four time., 5." ,,
much menibernhip dm the Democratic
party, ten no the cane 'anode at prevent
I here are four Republican Senaturo to
one Duniocr alto , four republican repro. -
ttentailvey in the House to one Dern.,-
erotic Connider !hie , here to a coon
try In which n greet Connilintlon"
lablittlied intended to neeure republic 111
iiintitutionn end republican principlen
envernment , And hero are name :in or
37 PIMP"! into wh oh our territory
vided holding endwielling till the reel
doom of political power not conferred
underlying principle of title aunt eye
let?) of State and national organization
is that the people of the United Staten
in a four and eqtml manner ere In gun
ern thrindelven, that the . people (mean
mg by thin term the elector', of the U
S ,) etch one equal to any other. ore to
govern ihroughthe luau 1110•11
tality of three political ligettele•, curie
nod federal, which they have Pet up
Gulfern went retry where in to be their in
atroment and to 'execute Iht;lr will II
IN nullvpulxblß therelorn that the will
and opinion. of the people of the Uo,ted
fthool.t be fairly and thoroughly
.reprevenird Every one will exam,
!lilt , not yet t ere tiro two Million"' 01
voted. In the United ('mount one
hall of the Whole,) will. only nee repre
erointive lu live in the Sen tie nod in the
JI "WO.. or rearret .
rvvity repro-414i lAA Slwatli and ae pea
the of the chutury ' If therehe aria
trutli in our njatein, if it he, as we mop
P, Irue and ittal kyntoll - 1, Otte mticu
lotri 111 lla namre end eitt,lllllll4ltl In
oiotrato fairly and to produce bertelimetu
and milionry reetillv, thin oontitlion 01
!err. to•littllioll nnurl lie connolereil evil,
mind 14 1 4.1. r, tit liherty to improve, 1.2 v..
invFivoigi tom, that color in,
elite( W Iff eorte Into the govertimini or
olio nun action to ditittirh or pervert it
Now. I prnpone to ?Mow you that emelt
pas in point 01 tact been the cone, Ilia! /1
palitieitt party repreeenting only 'IN
the if 01 . .1.'4 the rerreeenieit .111 ten,
hoid
lu¢ nn 1119.1.1 rower Ira, Coo
greva have doling tire Mai two pot,
O, I OOV 1111-1141.4 Riot glotseof their 1 t”."
ern to lire 111 . 111ry Of thO people of the U
8 and to tile matitiovi danger of !quit.
Mean inatuntione
\Viten Centri.... , met nt I)ereinher.
the I're.titeni informed the two II .1,1.4
'hat in. the 0011.11t,11 COMO rOel it]
nleflig had hart' root ffanizial o a Final,
1.(1.1 mall of client r tor
rtto g 10111.1 WIIIIIII tale.
0. , the 10 •ople ifiero ha I repudiated the
,•1•4.1 1 ,01.1111 , 111.44 wl, 101 hail been
In 1111.1 r hehnit, lint! r eputfluteti
111 , 111010 n i•lavery and made 1,
Ititure had 1.141
,Itawu or repeol.ol all their iittlintinee.
of and had atiaoniail what was
tlts.cr dnv ••t loyal atttin.la" Inward
tati Th, 10 WlO.l 110 r.in
lea, 0,1 1 liro lip 1.01,011111.1 lo 'he Iwo
lloa.,•1 the tit) -dian of receiving Pest
tore 1.1 d Itopre.entatt•en loan Ilie•te
Tliat wag all that wog neCiollllry
to eouiplrlo the wolll 01 rvraoritl 1011, 10
111 ,tut the 11111 111 CO 111;Irlely
ettl.l reaiiire In R 00114.1 , 11 ,1011 1 i
i noint of i . tw, the former condom' of
Rtng•
Suti gecilecir H i 11 t too,11.1,1•• 1 , , you iv
Ile/ 0 6 111 11 li very 111441
what tool' ph" , arterwaril.
hero, the hued mg of (',tile-rose In De
a ,tiotiee eat ed togethet
the majority ratchet.' or the float' iao
artisult anon 111 it committee room l ' he
met there and took into consideration
• the zoiliiical 0111.11111111,. Tihie wo ' e ' belorl•
'4 3
irto.titleot tied 'roust, it s s men.
'erigs,!tielore the House had organized it
61! in 6,141011 There, 11l that secret
me4tlng, a party caucus, a resolution
1,111 pr.ip0,...1 by Mr. Itepreseutli Ira
gleVellY In V 11,111141 a oominitlue on Its
01fl1el 1011, 1„n be eOllll/011e 1 1 of Weill
hers of the two Houses, and that until
that committee voted upon the subject of
Reetrustructitin and reported, neither
house of Cougretslinould admit members
from the states of the South a? take Buy
action whatever upon the eurijeet of red
Loring those Armes to their fortnera , n.
emotional relations to the goVernment
of the U S. That west agreed to to a
few moments without debate, without
much reflection, without conmoliatiou
with the members of the other branch of
Congrees, without information to the
public out of doors. Under the influ
ence of Mr Stevens who was then in
fact "the inflater of the House," as he
has since been called, toot policy was
tiaapled : and it was perhaps that fatal
resolution that led to all the dificultiee
the people of the U. S. have since un
dergoneupon this subject of Reconstruc
tion. These leaders would not well un
til Congress was regularly assembled
and the President of the U. S. in pursu
iilloo of the constitutional duly Imposed
upon him had committed to them the
artuation of the country and his •iews
upon public affairs. No ; but to oirtzum
•ent him and steal a march upon all op
posing or hesitating opinion, this eau
cue resolution was adopted which tied
up the political majority before hand to
a particular line of conduct. Oa their
•
try,/
"ESTATE RIGHTS AND FEDERAL UNION."
orgenivition, the Iwo Houses passed
that resolltilon an a Conenreent reoolti ,
lion, without sending it to the 'Presi
dent, and adheretLto it during serest or
eight mouths of AlOOll, awl the Slow
woo not restore( this whole subjent
was kept open. Finally (roil that et rn
milieu there woe repuritt.l and adopted 14
propositiOn for amending the Constitu
tion of the U B', Which woo ingeniously
drown ro thud half it dozen different pro
posit inne af oinettflnient wore all bundled
together, riot to be voted for reperniely
diomot ly bat to be voted for ftlihdrie, all
sccepied or all rejected by one tt,e,
tonal unfair 11,1iiig, and, n lorhaltien, by
the Constitution of our own state when
oniendinenin to it ore propossd. It wan
nut Illietaird that lb LI amendment should
hit neeeptetl I,y the bat flute,
hence its parrs cola, torte.
Now, gentlemen let lit take a loop
frym DeCelliber 181;5 t o September
he date at wit lob we ate asseintfled lit
gelber. Brad your pfliSe'rittf ottser•e
doily their Hi eoulottons tip di the sub
ject of the tens , ' luboog C o ngress ;
and whoi do you lettriq Why, not the
4 I 1 'fIiRIIVIL•
cnntg.il with wett pilot'', dime., artne.l
• great puhlio titittettrtey with Int.,
lit make 111114 for 3., inillmos of pe‘iple
in all matters a untlnl,xl eoneern,/nre
for the Mule being in the 11.11 , 114 Of is suh
conunun•e of atiltuicors plc
Robert I'. tiellehrk, ol Oato who
hat/111111 Of !lie It I , llenl etintiontgn et , in
!nut., lit the Iteide•entotive
mod l'altrut 1.) M•ttgnn, 1,1 % . tor lot k
Ifrly, e,sitllnl4ll 111 trte Rolled
e onpoi,„..n eolittilll.4 . 4 . [ivy nie 01.113141
runs whether Coov.reaa 1.11 1 / 1 .11 Ile 1.1 qci
the 2131 44 flit, rliele l ll, Or not - Colter e*,
Iw I.l,lColimi , lorliiit 0..1111;411 . 1111 I! 1111,10
Iwo 111 , 11, (lir 111,illowf ill pftfly liptel.lll4 ,
cry for the reepeei It llott,v, .1 , 106r11110
11,1 Coner, it lti 10 Meet ell Ili , 2.1..1 of
It 1. mouth. 'hey will ',me !bet, It, re..
Ind all obrgliriti klit.jecfs 0(
itth. l , t 1111 ir loin) il l , ginliev, by their
pwrilikaal Illlerelol. by evils consolern
lion which Con more poly nun. I.l'o In
ohry,o No decree by 11/1" 1:111 .
ityror or all 11,f• IZIIPtI it, 10 1114 , 11t1 ,1 t , 11 -
, 111410 official+ Pr to Illy oh, people
10111 rOCCIVe 111111,1' complete re..pect ' an.l
1,),..•11011Ce 01.01 11.1 . 4 pi liC.llllllnlioll Of twit
t. , 1111101 1 1114 real , lii lig lie n.tetilli.ling of
two 1i! 1:1111t(t, 1 4. 1 1.1 1,111.01 t. •
1 , , ri me It ;hey 0.9 that 'hen, Chill)
se.-litot 1111 t he 21.1. and 1 4• . /e a fie
10 11,111 1 fleet Then to Ike meat of no ,
erinnrut wi ll go trooping the politician. '
tit the Its licit faith Inuit all newton , of
the ; then they are to be can
vtgaimi 81111 'Awn are to he ',named If
hey, on the eOll l l , lll, Wllll6Olll 'hell
/0, ler., or 11.110 wile 01 all 011111,11 P 0114 r
• l'r, Ilie/0. hit Iliber, of Cofigre.v or flifirl
of them aril pitriule in their re..pee'ive
let, the 1,0113 In f . re-ling Miff 10
11,•111 liilire important 1 ttiploy intuit of 1,1
,Vertlig 10 get re elechtl 1 11 you not
e it Ilie I, gr.l f lll O gtoT
et lino tit of the S 14 111 c0...111 , 1am '
banded flier to thy rltte( 0' n Te‘rfy
o,r1:11117.111111, `l , l 0,1 ION 11, ttl..elltig
h 111, o f the Feder hi
1:01Prilllielll 11101 the 14.411110 1 . 11 . 1 e,
of INNS lof 1110 Allierleoll people Ile' end
upon Illetr will
Ito you hear anywhere the qu , Vtion
ilt 11,11 I! %Ile, 1111`r the 11111.r1 . .t 11, 1 /It 110. p/
1111 are to ho or• not, by Oita
prtiposed meeting of roogrevv" Ni
in in wll.l wt..] Vinci' or ...peak on the
.011jeel 111 rlial r 0 ,11. 1 ,1 would bit Intigliel
Al Ihe ,kill 11- 1 .1 1 .11 011elily 1114.11 e lit
Ilegl,lolo Y. 01 1111. 11 , 11 r) IS Wherlier
the ra.lioal party CAA 111/fk1 . 111 , 1 by bnv
ino Cougre•H convened loge , 11, , r ur Ho/
1.1 1101 lhal Olip par! it 111110 111 , 141
11111 t by the rt 1,11..1011in.; ..r the 'Wu
11.2 , 8 kip' the pa,ttut 4,1 feint n ndd l
11011111 biwv for ltonithein country,
they C/111 111 0 1 0 cern/It/ 1 y Tternte ••Iticieral
viol" fur I helr coultilittev tor Prevl..l.oll
awl Viet' Treat lent Another elatta
a6pi.og theta insou th - at • by ineetlng
1 Willldl/LWllle 1111 . 111e1 . 1ye . 4 frnrli
tLs l'origre,,i,fii C:17,9f534 111 home, they
err worn likely. to love thitn to gain
' what it provi t ion of public pow
er, what a loweling lit Ihe public .ligni;
fy that the noenu ghi Congre.tv' nllOlll.l
dt:etivveol, not nit) l may concern the
affair , ' of nit the people hut the tempo
eery interests of politic/it adventures mid
of party men who being on trial before
the Alll.'llo l lll people, are littpotioil to re
noel to every art and to eveny dent'' , by
which they eon retain power and con
tinue 11l riot In that p.blie plueder the
nop,ession of which iv, alter all, the ul
timers object of all their Wove and of
all their evertions (Applause.>
Out of party government, pure and
simple, such nn we have hail it for sev
eral years paid, hat come Reconstruction
• is now presented. and has come tile
existing financial situation. Ndw, what
in Reconstruction? It is to nay first that
all State governments in the South were
invalid, in point of law bad no existence
at the date when the first recionstruotion
law was passed, namely March 2nd,
What next is reiconstsuction It is to
say by act of Congress that all the , male
negroes In the Southern States over 21
years of age shall be elittalors In those
States, and shall wield or — resist to wield
thirpolitioal power of those States in the
National government. Congress prom
ised that all that class of inhabitants
should vote at the election for the choice
of members of Stale conventions who
were to form constitutions, and after
constitutions were formed that they
should vole upon the question of their
adoption or rejection. • Congress also
provided that if the us* constitutions
contained provisions securing negro suf
trage, in the future, in these States,then
those constitutions would be acceptable
to Congress, or accepted by 11 and the
lat 7 /ma wwit,tt
States hhould be restored to their farmer
reptesefitmloo and permitted to evi,piy
the pristlegt s of nit othership in the
F..der.l Union.
rhos you see that it is by not of Con•
goes? that negro suffrage is established
and arts uitivereal in the South. No.
body can question that. Observe degra•
drd suffrage was commanded for the first
election ; It Wan oommat,ded for the seo•
out election, and then provision" Was
made that the new 00110111 W 1005 80 formed
contain the sane principle of
cidorrit mulrrage, for the future And
what then ' Why, Congress put all the
ten states under military commanders,
autherized them in have complt:ie
Jtcnuu hoLli nt civil at :fermium! ofEtirB
to try e ‘ vell the grayest crime by military
uotwo/to•loU or court martial. They
cold du anything ihry pious.. I in all
Slates by tuliit.y r uwrr Hai
eXCeld OW( I y remit not [alto human
life wtthrsnt the consent of !lie l'rt nulont
of the lJ S , and shot eicepit
extorted by vigorous dehrtie bile in It
virght ees,ititi of the Stuntle Why did
C.mizress put these ten slates und.r th e
s ..1 Indoor me r T .
cohat roe , toil as these laws clllllittlipla , etl
and (;nn¢rei#dertrrd, and to take away
from the people Or 1/10 8.10111 all choice
and discretion What wore did Ihry do!
Noi a u fiod 'hal force applied tbrongli
I.lj.ir Gen. rale of the minty and backed
by the [11,111.11[1 apprurialloor Made to
Ito alloy wotll , l be sullielllll to areuth
piNh Iheir 11/:1001 lily employe,' 41.011 1
ur 111 4 , 1 111..111 It W 4,1 111.,114111. 1111 a Ihl.ll
wsi RIM. et of lilt Ce 11111;111 tint he
cieui f .ptirpo.e m •1.411, 1111 , 1
ilierl.rnrll 111.1 FClteird one of coreiip
flll,l 11111 They t•onbli kited ht.] kept lip
111 thit-e ,litteS a Feeedteren'a Bureau 1. , 1
a pi,ltitesl insittinient by which the col
ored toter., allied int° e‘1•1.1.11Co by the
ut i',Jugrk sr , shouid be :It
-dim:led tint untreliltlled to the pollA (hit
be hook n p Rllll .101111 loot trite--
en in ell 11111 wale*, eo that region
idrucliOn keAlade nn CYllijc4l
deeired ii to he
Coder the etiejoint operation, !lien, or
Luce by the army arid of con option
through m Bureau fwhteh 'lied
ini'litois per anntim) these southern
0100lioivi wept held, and this proceeding
of itiorgattivation went on until it woo, 140
tar ro it-m=,lrd In the month of June
b. , ' that 1,01/011 lorlell Suture were reatoretl
to their former rt prreetilttlll,ll In eon.
Kies+ by solemn act , Arlomene by an
JOI posited on the 22iid of 111110, 111111
Noah end South Carolina, Georgia,
Fl o rida, Alabama 'toll Imoi.isania by on
unit paested On 1110 25 , 11 of the online
moot t Aftei wards ft part of their
SOOlllOlll tame into the upper :India part
of their Representatives' into the lower
House., and if _Messrs. Scheuct and
Vorgan aoti.vene the lieptesenialives of
the people turl-1 01 1110 SIN 10•1 inn 1110 2141.
.11 SOlOOlll l , r, the tern ioning Sell.llol
11111 neprOirtl l ll l ives from those nrties~
w i ll lie admitted 10 seals, Loot, at the!
iit-t of them, one in four or Lire possibly I J
men 1 1 7 the South , them cis
to, i s of tin tt•nchuseits and of IV i.cousiii
oud of other illlell of the North, who
went South within two Or tbree yeart.,
either its fidrenitirero btr• 1)n -hi or an t
I !Whiff"! 01 office under the government
of the Gelled States. The Statt• can
11.1111 min were milled with the 'yews o f
ihe Fieedineti's Bureau and vutti milita
ry officers. .1 barge part of the t4ena
iors and Ilepreseniativea that COlllOllll . lO
%% eslutgtun are Irons these classes of
Sort het n men, who have gong there and
because they possess the 1111111:try pow or
of the gOrernlerlll and the power of the
Freedmen's Bureau, the power to compel
oiel the power to corrupt, have taken
the offices created by Ille constitutieno
of those stales.- Tlo y come 111/ 10 N.
gee-s the political power 01
toot° states, any, come there to
make laws forts. and to vole Reny ac
cording to their pleasure and by Oleo
!linate power the money nod the 1.1Xe.4 of
the people'.
Not only did reconstruction commit
p o litical power to the hands of the co
me ma le adult negro population of tit
South , IL 110111 lumber, to make the
wink more certain it dinfranclitoed large
111/leery of the while population II dot
fi enehised men who *ere no more cull'
tile in the rebellion than other nigh. 'lt
dit.franchteed meta who bail held office
in those stales under the state govern
ments 20, 30 and 40 years ago, magis
trates, constables and others—w per
son engaged in rebellion w tiny for
nier-period held an office where he was
required on assuming Da duties to take s
an oath to support theConstittition of
the United Statee.. The amount of this
disfranchisement is smatter of opinion or
of estimate It has been stated as high
as 300,000 ; it has been stated as low
as 160,000 or 200,000 In point of
fact, there were of competent white men
under State conslitutfons at' least 1300,
1100 men unregistered when the proceed
ings of re - organisation in the several
states took place. Some of them, no I
doubt, withheld themselves from regis i
try ; but a quarter of a million, or very
nearly that number, of the white men of
the South must have been disfranchised
under the operation of the laws of Con
gress. They were kept away from the
elections; they were forbidden to Tote ;
and to a great extent that disfranehise
men.Unts been continued in the new con
stitutions whioh have been established.
But what is more material, g e ntlemen,
In,nonsidering reoonstruotion, is that
by oaths preseribed in the new constitu
tions and in laws which some of the new
Legislators hate entnited large 'moats
of men must be excluded from the right
of suffrage in the future Ins required
In 'the °omit-Buttons of many ot !these
NO. 37.
reorganized States that a man in order to
be registered or to vote must swear that
he accepts the civil and pol l itical equali
ty of all men, and, more than that, will
maintain it IP the future; not-only that
it is lire opinion now that negro suffrage
la rightful and just and that he accepts
it, diet that be will maintain it hereafter
This In to be under oath, an obligation
between the voter and bin Pod as to his
present position on this question of opin
ion and as to his condoct In tha future.
That is an oath which would exclude a
majority of the population of our State
and of other Northern States from the
right of suffrage at ell if it were in our
oonstitutionn, offices we should take it
for gratited that our people would'swear
falsely, wouldecounnit perjury, or for
swear their manhood, in order to obtain
the right to vole. Will you, men, of
Pennsylvania, vote that this is a rightful
or...permissible system when it would in
clude you, the very men who are called
10 vote in its support, from the right of
izallrage if you should emigrate to those
Sintee and claim there, as you , enjoy
herreohe privileges of freemen, the priv
ilege of pirtticipittiugin the political
ul. of the community or which you
would be mehrbern.
ut there haat/other feature in Freon
strutilion which is remarkable, and it is
ill is .—iliere Is a dispensing power es
tablished by it; Congrese by a two-thirds
tiote MI remove political disabilities in
the S,llllll , arid 111 imitation of Congress,
m ilia new constuutions of these South
ern states there are provisions thaddlie
Legielat ores of the mates also miry re
inove political disabilities imposed by
the slate Cl/rIBIIIIIIIOIIS In other_ words,
here is IL power to dispense with law,
b o th In CliogreSS and In the reconstruct
ed Legielaturen Large masers of men
are depiived or the right to vote, but
they may be rvendorsed With that right
and privilege by, the nitjority in Ctn.
gross or the nibrity - in the Stale Legal
lature What Is rat-but a continuance
tor, political puY!toses, to disfranchise
men ft) iieceurii the' intlrtantrita of a
party majority, to cultivate their af
fections awl good will, to hi. their WWI)
crates in political action' These proni
sums were intruded to subserve that
purpose and noire oilier.
Ddrlowtte last Spring it samttle bill
was pasted through the two Houses ol
Congress ilisperuting with the disebiltties
irripdsed by the reconstruction -110'S as
10 some 1,290 men in the South When
it became to be 'invest ignied,about every
men of thew wan found to he a It .dicul
In the case of North Caroline, the polit
ical trisjori.y In the conrenlion which
binned the new •onstitution selected
through the State eirose 'torn who could
be active and useful es politlelenS,Seril
I u their 118111e0 to ColigrellB, and they
were oons•tb•red by a committee Aud
Inc reetnailliend Ilion, were made frow
otherlid.iles, and g tthering anti bring
rig th e m t.nget t r. it hill was passel
w re- weeli ing from all past in trinity
:VIDE 1,200 active politicians of the white
• rice scattered over the qdrilla. i t en dis
freiretised by t1..-daws If Co i t -res., v,ito
had perricitrated in the rebellion, and
loin) , of whom arc among Ow puiPirai
inrri in Ibe reheldon, -cr.'s the keepers
or vent ails .or Arnie:semy:He prison
When that hill conic to the Senate, there
wits added to It the 11/1010 of (letup
llouston, of ILihlnul, a n d sil lrwanls
upon roolioll 01 Mr Ilendrieks er 11011
1 / 1 1111, the name of George W. Jones of
Tennessee, a twin who had resisted 80-
SCSAOII very •Igorously mot only yielded
to it slier his tome had gouo nut and
hostilities lied broken out, n nine who
woo formerly reinarkiible in Congresa as
to defender of,, the politic treasury, no a
man who reetio. , l all pr.ftlqtate ou tl a ys
of public money. Here Were Iwo Dom
gentile 111.1 Del alit-I 1 0 ' , in n ( 1,11 in t h e
ainatr -anmei of fair nien__hrit not
n /.11, 011 ( (lAOIOII.I 0111 04111011 The hill
w o o scot to the irown,,, wiih
IlMelldine018; it afterwards went to it
committee of conference by whom it was
considered to private and a Collis 1/ "lc
to the two llou•es upon Ili. report
of the committee purift,ed rillogerh
er from any Democratic lontarninition.
Acker] Radical bill (Laughter ) Af
terward•, 'Jour the end ~f' the cession, an
they collected further information, rtir•
other measure of the Same hind contain
ing_Neveral bundred names was ruelind
through both 110i/see; and these reeou
structed men—reconstructed by act of
Congress—purged and purified of disloy
alty and upon condition of
serving the Radical party in We South
are now the eloquent defenders of Radi
cal government and moat -loyal srul 114-
ceptable supporters of U. S Grant !
(Laughter ) I might go on and show
what has been done in the two Hooves of
Congrbs with reference to the othniesion
of members accessed of disloyalty ; but
thins will not adonitstoc the examine' ion
and I rhall pass that topic.
Gentlemen, shall Neconetruotion stand
Nobody pretends (bat it is authorized
by the Constitution unless he floes so
with 'smirk of the countenance which
conveys very distinctly the idea that be
is joking about it Reeonstuntien, la .n
...enema, a system teltioh has arise". alto
gether outside of any Constitutional
power rested in the government of the
United States and ban been proaeouleti
down to this . moment in contempt of the
provisions of the fundamental taw. The
great leader of the House distinctly told
us that it 06 all "outride of the Purist',
tution,"'and therefore, I wilintld, WAS of
necessity oh exercise of arbitrary Red
unauthorized power. in It to stand
It went to the Supremo Court fir judg•
inept, It was there brought under de
bate Distinguielied coun•ol dlsoutsed
It heroic this only tribunal appose a 'by
the organic law to judge and determine
quest,o is of law. • That court wee about
to decide it, last March; the case bad
been fully ergked'; the judges had been
in consultation, and it was *ell kboWli
how they sto6u, six against the consti
tutionality or Congr.esloaal Recoustruc
lion and two_ in favor of it. So stood.
a
that court , court composed oreight
Judges, five of whom were appointed by
Mr. Lincoln. Then what happened
The Radical majority in Congress, in
hot baste, by trick and-by rush in bolb
Houses, put throughn bib to witifdraw
the iuriediction of the' Supremo Court
from that case and from all cases like it,
to prevent the voice of the judges from
being beard upon this
.subject by the
people of (ho country, to prevent the
constitutional tribunal appointed by lb.
fundamental law for the decision- e lm*
locations from passing upon thii one.—
That is what they did, and the whole
country looking on saw it. I hope the
whole country understood it thoroughly.
That wse an open confession by the ma
ji,rity in Negress' tbitt their ReoOnstrucr
t ion Maws were unconstitutional and
void; that In passieg them they bad
usurped dtbortly not conferred upon
them by the people of the United States;
and that whenever their sets shoal&
come In judgment in lin honest court
they would be condemned and trampled
under the judicial foot and afterward,
despised and condemned by the Ameri
can people. '(Great al planet,.) Because
this result was inevitable, they palmed a
measure to deprive the court of the power
of exercising its judgment--of pronoun
cing upon the work which they had es
tahllrhed in the South
Is reconstruct ato eland ? It ie put
in debate, and it is to be decided in Ihie
Presidential election. The republican
party, if they have power, will maintain
it. Thb Democratic party, if it be
charged with' power, will destroy or
amend it thoroughly, will restore con
eillut tonal principles and unnetitutional
government every where throughout this
Union, (applause,) will withdraw the
heel of the 'wittier from the neat of the
(applen.e..) will withdraw the
Freedmen's Bureau from the eentrol of
the Pro.onged apptauve_) Ilut
it is sent these results are not to fellow.
Ali! is that Ihe doctrine ? The Suprenne
Court is nut to decide - ftpen Iteeenstrue
lion; that we have been told already,
find told by act of edegrces. Are we
now to be told that the people ate ant to
decide upon it to their' ao•ereign saps
city es electors; that when they come
forward rind choose a competent nail re
liable iiktle.itnati from New York,(great
applause) ,tad a gallant associate-ler
him from \lissome! (renewed applause)
who carried our flag amid the emote of
bi•tile in aim very country of toe youth,
when they chop to these men upon the woe
that iteconvirtio.ion in unconetitut/iinal
and evil and infamous, aril we to be told
that ft a not to go down, that aim to un
dergo no change or amendment whatever,
that it tit,to . be maintained in Pr iv( the '•
will of the pantie, iti defiance Of their
Judgment iliac the doctrine to be
taught tan r What to that but the very
principle of the ri•hellion yvined and
embodied in a radical cry for election
purposes tit 1868? The men whit went
into the rebellion refused to accept the
design of the people in the eieClion Ofs.
Mr Lincoln in 181,0 They dirtied the
judgement of the .linericatt people; but
they did it in an open and bold manner,
net by words merely, but by ,deeds, end
they put their defiance to the Judgment of
Rattle They went dIiONII
of the Anittpduit people in 18641 that Mr.
Lincoln shim l 4 be Prearifint of the
Uul
led sill tPll,' was made goo - cf. - ant Thone
who restated the will of thepeop le were
overthrown sconifit ed and beaten,
they were forced to cure? and (rust rite
themselves LeCire lqiivrti power, to sue
f..r lergtvrnreH and for anturaty. Are
nor rviienl otiponeute now to adopt their
principle mil announce before band that
they will not submit 1.. ch., jutlewohl of
, •
too ‘roprl4ll.ltl people anon itobj
It C• 41 ,, lut t„,1) of It 0 ors•oo.ta
!ton of govertinfatnia in Iltiv country?
l'os people litove hod no opportunity ts
upon I btw s i pot "n beton. int, I ime.
['hey bad no such opport witty in 141:6,
when member 1 fit Congress watt.° last
chutes, vor is IS6 1, when the lust Plea :
:dentist election way held Tho metal
-Intent") laws of Gtnitre44 were nano of
them pattsed till 1(017. Those bout are
tha sort of Nl4t II 21111, I‘l Lech 2:Irol xttd
July 41111 01 mnroto Milt, and
.111Ile 221111 and 25.11, of the prcaennyear,
—all within the compass of spier and a
holt The people 11:1•A neyert bad any
opportunity to piss upon I ht:n before
uuw Inns Recollect torus .w .a never
• ultionted to the jiadonont of the people
(ott y Stole or ihe :1011111 It WAY to
fact boat Ile to the' Judgment mod senti
ment of the peal le ti tbo,e States Nor
,11 3 4 tt over submit ird to thejuJguuht of'
tile people to ILO . * Site North or West.
It Ilan tte•er been painted upou I y the
7ieople an) where. II IC IL now utoetti lOU,
MN tar no Iliey are concerned. It 1. the
work of a pottfical inaproy ih Ctt greets
now for the first time sewn 'Cod to pop
ular judgment, robin ittedliefore the on
ly tribunal that can now Dave aeon it
aince the mitiority in Congress hoot , de
prived the Supreme Court of ail ions
-41011011 over the tinniest and of the (op
portunity of pa•aing It in re•iew., Shall
rroottetrom lOU 1414114 then if it ho con
detrned by the people? No; tt will go
down nue di.oppettr, and be resaambot ed
1., to wartittlA In all future lint.", to ease
C••r freemen Nu.lb and West on regalar
11/41111tr abslt condemn IL In the elec
tions of 18(18. (Great appliitase.).
Gentlemen, it its iinpoiquitle to Aeve
toy great iniquity set up in the eert►
without having certain oonsequeweee of
an uncomfortable. nature follow from It.
Among uther.unoomforin►le results of
reconstruction. we have before ue s ee
rious•bill of expenae. It, ie a eery ex
peueive nyettem.,adtl the fell cool of it is
oven yet. unknown. Let nee give some
Items from the latest vulutnee •f laws.
• The 7th settion or the supplementery
reeoontruct Leo net of Marsh 21Ird, 1767,
made I nen4rnl and iudofirilo •pproprl
Minn in 144Froe words:
"That 01 expenree lammed by the aey•
er I oomMandioir gorier'''s or by virtue of
any orders Issued of tippontanehb made by
them under or by virtue of thin aet,.nhal) be.
tie treasury Doh
other 111.46 apppro priated."
Bowles ibis general appeoprlation.
there buse been several Specific appro
priations. By joint resolution of March
80, Vata, Congress appropriated $500,-
1.000 to curry into &leek the reuenstrua-
LCUNTIMUSD on ICIGUTU Pl,"*l