Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1864-02-05

has within Il germs Of self-dcstuction Il is hedgod
around with provisions Of the Consultation which, As he
construes them must make you receive traitor on TINS
floor, because they will not convict him at home, aud
they sent him here because he one, and you must
keep him here and this Chamber is by they forms
your Constitution great arena in which tne traitors
are 10 perform their Radiatorehip Indeed this Is ue
sanctuary for traitors and that IS the CONDITION. OF your
Constitution Why sir, instead Of being entitled 70
admiration and respect this makes Of 1t the most inIol
cradle abortion can hardly think Of anything IN IAN
guage that would describe unless II be the description
which Richard Ill applied to himself and his own de-
formty
%gsesPa. unenl.h'd, sen. before ny time
1,9 , ts, breathing world ;esrss het made up
~, That dog. bark At me- a. I halt by them" 100.
That is the condition Of our Constitution, according
to this mode Of reasoning.
Mr. President find that I must soon conclude my
remarks because have got through with the material
had on hand in the shape Of notes and the condition OF
my health Is such that shall endeayur TO conclude
soon as possible II what have already said does not
show the absolute nccess, Of the law which Gre ed this
disability, and " This law fir lis execution. hardly
conceive ~ anything could say that could add TO it,
But perhaps, decent respec, for the honorable Sena
tor would demand Of me 10 make few additional re-
marks In reply TO another point 70 which he advefted
tie says this law does not include Senators at all that
Senators are not officers Of this Government, and he
oitcs Blouut's case. do know what conclusion
and other men might come to when talking a.
bout some particular provision Of the Constitution wheth.
81 meant civil officers not. when we compared II
With other parts Of that instrument we might get
eonfouudtd IN the comparison of the parts snd be tfou-
bled with doubts with which We should never be
troubled In reading another INSTRUMENT. We have, as
saidi law from $780, declaring that man was gull.
y o. bribery IN the courts Of the United States he should
DC disqualified from holding any office under the Gov.
eminent. Now wish to know, II man convicted
Of bribery, whether u would rea be insisted that he
Was usquahhsd and perfectly Infamous in relation to all
little offices Of no consequence but he elected to
the Senate his nfsmy his credit, rather qualified
HIM than otherwise, did reach him there az all p
How preposierous is such argument The different
departments VI this Government arc represented BY
bodied b., npefsunated In the fucouares Of those de-
partments. he departments Of this Government are
! the executive. / diptl and IN
sooth the Senator would fain have believe by long
course Of very ingenious Argument that the legislative
department Of this Government utterly destitute Of any
ouces Whatever unless they consist IN It's clerks and
pages He contends that whole division OF the Gov
emmen Is without any body mpef it, represent
Il, because its functonaries not officers Of the Gov
eminent At all II to be idle talk about
such construction NJ the statutes declaring dsqudih
calions from al gDces as punishment for crime,
/ take II Mr. President that when the law declues
that the crime OF bribery In the United States dis
qualities FROM holding any office under the Gov
eminent Of the United States, 1t includes all u them,
and pecially the highest and most responsible, which
are the most important 70 keep clear from puutiOn
Unless they can hud in the statute itself something that
creaes aouot aoouti~ extent as some gentlemen have
found IN the Constitution in regard to civil Offices
tam IS mat n general and sweeping terms in which It
is couched include all Offices, and all Offices include
all men who act in the Offices Of the different depart
menu Of this Government
Nj. President, have now gone all the ground
that think necessary and have but few words 10
say in conclusion. The honorable Senator had num-
Der Of weeks IN which to prepare his Argument aud
to this treason is no disqualification Of office especially
for senator. IL cannot be made such, because by
doing you will alter the qualifications IN the Consu.
tion person Who has committed treason cannot be
excluded uhless he has been convicted hy Jury the
State where guilty and which he belongs aud there he
cannot be convicted; and you must x with your
Constitution with that nfrtnity in it, The honorable
Senator prepared and delivered here eloquent euogu
upon that instrument expressive Of his admiration for
and his great desire 10 Keep and preserve IL aud yet
you believe his Argument the conclusion which
all comes is, that that Constitution Is incapable Of
prcsetvation. The gentleman Stems TO speak OF II II
his loyalty should properly be estimated BY his great love
for the Cons itution, and he says he would be willing 10
suffer on that account Sif, when man, however he
70 con usons 10 its construction that utterly and abso-
hiey destroy IT, | hardly think a martyrdom for the
support OF such principles will enroll his
the same roll with HAmpden and Sidney.
Mr. President am aware it is generally understood
in community that the period Of great has
passed away that the defenders and supporters If the
Constitution those who eXpounded aud explained IL and
those who enforced and sustained IT, like Webster aud
Clay and jackson, has passed. This is often said with
great regret rather to dsparagcment, perhaps in
this body than otherwise. have some little consola
ton even II that be true, in this think the time
come when the community not relying for their
curly upon few great men the whole Of the
community are more elevated Whatever may think
Of tn great briancy and overshadowing power OF such
men As those have mentioned. yet cannot but believe
though may have slight vanity in it, that in the
aggregate Of its intelligence aud information the
ate will suffer by any parison even with those
days and though the defense Of the Consultation and
the continuance Of its life may be committed hands
even weak as mine, after all my security is founded
IN the ability Of its defender but in the dscernment o
this body, who are its expoundef, and, hope its sup