The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1860-12-21
MANITOWOC, WIS. FRIDAY, DECEMBER o. 1860

constitutional law, that a duty impose,
carries with it the means of its faithful
execution. [Great applause
Hence hold that it is the duty of Con
gress instantly to remove all obstruction
which may be thrown in the wav of th
enforcement of the Constitution and th,
Laws. whether those distractions be i'm
posed by State legislation or in any man
ner whatsoever. Cheers Let us, then
rally around the Constitution as our fore
fathers made it, perform all our duties un
der it, protect every right guaranteed by
it, and preserve the Union forever for oul
posterity. [Cheers
Sir, you have alluded to my bearing du
ring the late political contest / can only
say that did no act and uttered no WORD
during the whole Of that canvass that my
Judgment and my conscience do not now
fully approve. +" Good" and immense
applause. The contest is over, and let all
the asperities, illfoeling and strife engen.
dered by it be buried with it. Let the
past be referred to only as furnishing les
sons of wisdom for the future, and let all
i Union men, all Constitution loving men,
unite as band of brothers to save the
country first, and a quarrel afterwards as
to who shall govern it. [Cheersl
1t is true that the election has termina-
ted in manner unsatisfactory to the Union
men of this country. No man regrets the
result more than | do-not from consider
ations personal to myself, but as affecting
the peace and safety of the country
["That's SO" and cheers. But the ques
ion arises whether it is the part of patriots
to destroy the best government the sun of
Heaven ever shone upon, merely because a
mar has been elected and party has been
triumphant, whose principles are obnnyions
to us. | declare that the election of any
man by the American people, according to
the Constitution of our country, furnishes
10 cause, no excuse, for dissolving this
Union. T" Good" and cheers Mr.. Lin
coin having been thus elected, must be in
augurated in obedience to the Constitution.
["Good,'' and cheers. So long as he OBJ
serves his oath of office, bv seeing the laws
faithfully executed, he should be supported
in all constitutional measures by all pa
triotic men, and if he disregards his oath,
violates the Constitution, makes war upon
any section, or upon the rights of sny man,
he should then be held to the strictest ac-
countability provided in the Constitution
What harm can this Republican Presi-
dent do, even if he be SO disposed He
is in a minority in both Houses of Con-
gress; he is in a minority of the people of
the United States r" that's So" and
cheers, and he has no power except
that conferred 5v the Constitution and the
Laws. If he does not strictly perform his
duty we will impeach him. Cheers -
What harm, then, | repeat can he do 3
He can do no act except distribute the pat
ronage of the government, and in the ex-
ercise of that power he is restrained by the
Senate, which can confirm or reject all his
principal appointments. [Cheelsl Then,
/ fellow citizens, beseech yol, without re-
ference to former party divisions, to lav
aside all political asperilies, all personal
prejudices, to indulge in no ordinations or
recriminations, but to unite with me and
all Union loving men in common effort
to save the country from the disasters
which threaten it. !" We WILL" and
cheers.
My friends, the night /. too cold to de
tain you longer. 8 Go on 1again re
new to you my thanks for this compliment
you have paid me. 1t is refreshing and
grateful to my feelings, when return here,
to my winter residence, as Representative
from State, to be received by the citizens
of Washington and strangers thus assem-
! hled. 1t is an encouragement for the
great responsibilities that now await U.S.
| am prepared on Monday morning to re-
sumo my seat in the Senate without a
grievance, without complaint, without
any passion to interfere with the impartial
discharge of my duties 20 the county,
[Cheers. | trust that the solemnity Of
the occasion, the responsibility that rests
upon every public man, the deep anxiety
felt by The American people, will inspire
us all to act solely with reference te
maintaining this Republic as our father:
made it, the home of freemen, and the
hope of the oppressed throughout the
world for all time to come. | thank you
gentlemen. Tremendous applause.