Charles Sumner: his complete works, volume 15 (of 20)Sumner, Charles
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Charles Sumner: his complete works, volume 15 (of 20)
Sumner, Charles
Slavery -- United States; Speeches, addresses, etc., American
There is yet another Amendment, recently adopted by three
fourths of the loyal States, which is itself an abundant source
of power. After declaring that all persons born or naturalized
in the United States and subject to the jurisdiction thereof
are “citizens,” this Amendment proceeds to provide that “no
State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the
privileges or immunities of _citizens_ of the United States”; and
Congress is empowered to enforce this provision by appropriate
legislation. Nothing can be plainer than this.
Here, then, are three different sources of power in the
Constitution itself, each sufficient, the three together three
times sufficient,--each exuberant and overflowing, the three
together three times exuberant and overflowing. How, in the face
of these provisions, any person can doubt the power of Congress
I cannot understand. But, alas! there are doubters always.
I have already sent you a copy of my bill to settle this question
by what I call “the short cut.” Give us your vote. Of course, you
will. Believe me, my dear Sir,
Very faithfully yours,
CHARLES SUMNER.
THEODORE TILTON, Esq.
This was followed by an editorial article sustaining and
vindicating Mr. Sumner’s bill. It began:--
“Yes. Mr. Sumner has our vote. He has always had it; he is
always likely to have it. ‘How did Roger Sherman vote?’
asked our forefathers. They believed it was safe to vote
with Roger Sherman. It is just as safe to vote with Charles
Sumner.”
After explanation and argument, the article proceeds:--
“Not only is Mr. Sumner right as to the power of Congress
in the present case, but long ago he was right as to the
power of Congress to govern the unconstitutional States
as conquered provinces. He then stood almost alone in the
Senate in an opinion which he has since seen adopted by his
brother Senators. We trust his compeers will agree to his
present bill. We happen to know that Thaddeus Stevens--who,
even when sick, is more well than most men--is preparing,
on his sick-bed, an argument in support of Mr. Sumner’s
plan. We happen to know, also, that Chief Justice Chase
agrees with Mr. Sumner’s view.”
CELEBRATION AT ARLINGTON, ON ASSUMING ITS NEW NAME.
SPEECH AT A DINNER IN A TENT, JUNE 17, 1867.
West Cambridge, originally part of Cambridge, Massachusetts,
assumed the name of Arlington, with the consent of the
Legislature. The change was celebrated in the town by a public
dinner in a tent.
MR. PRESIDENT AND FELLOW-CITIZENS OF ARLINGTON:--
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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