Accordingly, in this spirit the Constitution was framed.

This offensive idea was not admitted.

The text at least was kept blameless.
And now, after generations have passed, surrounded by the light of Christian truth and in the very blaze of human freedom, it is proposed to admit into the Constitution the twin idea of inequality in rights, and thus openly set at naught the first principles of the Declaration of Independence and the guarantee of republican government itself, while you blot out a whole race politically.

For some time we have been carefully expunging from the statute-books the word 'white,' and now it is proposed to insert into the Constitution itself a distinction of color." Upon this foundation Mr.Sumner spoke at great length, his speech filling forty-one columns of the _Congressional Globe_.

It would hardly be proper indeed to call it a speech.