Speech #430007410

Rl%-Sxixx.] Unreasonable. apparently. as his course secemed. yet his actions accorded with his enunciations . for both expressed opposition to the rights of the colored race. and were to that extent much more consistent than the course of some of the opposition members. who. with protestations of love and friendship for the colored race. never lose the opportunity of giving him a blow in his struggle for his rights. This position is most forcibly illustrated by the cotrse of the democratic Legislature of Virginia. which on yesterday adopted resolutions professing to cherish no "captious hostility to the present adininistration of the Federal Government." while it is a wellknown fact that the very members of the Legislature who adopted this resolition were elected to their seats. just two months ago. because of their bitter hostility to the republican party and the "present administration of the Federal Government." The second resolution saysThat this General Assembly recognize the fourteenth snmemniocnt to the Constitution of the United States ds a pait of that inotraent. and desire in good faith to abide by its provisions as expounded by the Supreme Court of the United States. And the fourth resolution very inconsistently saysThat the bill now before Congress known as the civilrights bill is in violation of this amendment as interpreted by the Sapreme Court of the United States. is an infringement on the constitutional and legislative powers of the State. is sectional inits operation. and injurious alike to the white and colored population of the Southern States. and that its enforced application in these States will prove de. struectivo of their systems of education. aTest the etiliglttetiuint. of he eclored population. in who.4e improvement tho peoplo of Virginia feel a lil interest. pro itco continual irritation between the races. count rract the pacification aind development now happily progressing. repel immigration. greatly augment emigration. reopen wounds now almost healed. engender new politiclte osrities. and paralyze lie power and influence of the State government for duly controlling and liotctlog domestic interests and preserving snteral hariiony. In regard to these resolutions I have only to say that it looks very much as if the democratic Legislatur of Virginia was willing to reeognize the fourteenth amendment to the Constitution of the United States if Conarcss would only prevent it from being carried into execution . and they desire the whole question of the rights of the citizens of the United States to be left to the control and exclusive jurisdiction of the several State Legislatures. so that those Legislatures might practically defeat the benefits to be derived from it. by adverse legislation or by nonlegislation. Their recognition of the fotuteenth amendment is not friendly.