The Union. [volume] (Georgetown, Del.) 1863-1866, 1863-12-25
The Course of the Administration
COnRfifu fiOnnI

COnstitu tiOnaI.
From the capital speech of Judge Kelley,
delivered before the Women's Loyal National
League of New York, on Saturday evening,
we make the following extracts:
If we looked at the course of the Admins
tration, we should find that it had acted
strictly within constitutional limits. There
were two attitudes which the rebel might be
considered as maintaining in relation to the
Government. First they were insurgents /;
and secondly, they were alien enemies. All
that Administration had done had been sane
toned by the courts. He alluded to various
opinions, among them that of Judge Grier
whodelivered the great opinion of the supreme
Court, and had decided that the rebels were
alien enemies five secured freedom to every
one who wore the human form, we should be
doubly faithful to all the provisions of the
Constitution. Applause See to it, when the
war is over, that the citizen of Massachusetts,
whether his hair be read and struggling, or
black and twisted, may walk freely in the
streets of Charleston, South Corolina. Ap-
plause. 1t was our duty to maintain the
Constitution of the United States, but not to
restore the Union as it was. Applause
He would be a mad man who would undertake
to restore Bomba to the throne of Naples, or
to recall Marie Antoinette to be Queen of
France but not more of madman would
he be than that most obtuse Of Bourbons,
the Postmaster General, when he strives to
bring the power of the Government to the
work of restoring the Union as it was. Ap-
plause. Who should induce the people of
Maryland to reverse their recant decisions
and submit the Government of that State to
sixteen thousand Shareholders fully eight
thousand of whom have proclaimed them
selves in favor of emancipation ? Who
would ask the people of West Virginia to
destroy the Constitution they elaborated wit h
so much labor devote themselvs to regaining
the slaves they have enfranchised, and permit
the oligarchs of Old Virginia to rule them
as for years they have ruled them-in the
fashion in which Russia ruled Poland or
England ruled Ireland in the earlier days ?
Applause. Who would ask the people of
Missouri, who have Just elected to the Senate
Lloyd Garrison of the Southwest, B. Gratz
Brown, Applause toi reinstall slavery
to- its power in that State? Who would
induce the Free State men Of Louisiana, now
numbering over sixty-fve affiliated associa-
tions, bound not only by written pledge, but
by open oath, to oppose slavery in every form
and in every part of the State-who would in
duce thOm to strive to subject themselves and
the future people of Louisiana to the Cousti-
tuition of 1872, which puts that State, as the
Government of Maryland was, in the hands
of sixteen thousand shareholders? Let there
be a Union of sister States, owing allegiance
to the Government of the United States, and |
that alone as supreme and rightly sovereign. |
Applause. Then should we have maintain
ed the Constitution; then should we have
maintained the Union-a Union bound tc-
gether by the Constitution which bound to
gether the original thirteen States. Ap-
plau Sc. The Shareholders of Maryland-he
could speak from personal expericnce-gave
as cordial a reception to-day to anti-slavery
sentiment as the old Anti-Slavery Society has
done at any time within the last thirty years.
Applause. They were eager to hear the
subject discussed. They had made up their,
minds that they would dam up the magnifi-
cent water-pOwer they have permitted to run
to waste, and let their negroes run instead
[Applause; The President of the United
States, speaking to him in regard to the revo-
cation of the emancipation proclamation, had
said, 'Suppose had given a deed of my
plrce in Springfield, having received equiva-
lent therefore, could recall that deed, and
retake it into my own possession? just as
impossible would it be for me to revoke this
deed of emancipation" Applause. And
he had heard him say substantially the same
thing in several instances. Hence it seemed
to the speaker, that the emancipation of
slavery was not the great duty of the hour.