North Branch democrat. [volume] (Tunkhannock, Pa.) 1854-1867, 1865-06-14

battles upon the theory that State could
not secede-that the States were in the
Union and could not go out of the Union.
lcries of "Good" and applause.l Hence we
SAID, when JET Davis assumed to be Presi-
dent OF portion of this country, that he
had no right to 90 act, because they were
then States-as they ever had been-of the
Union of these States. [Cheersl We have
maintained that proposition. Secession has
defeated, and the question forever settled
here in the Union. [Applause.l Now, I do
not want to admit that JEFF Davis ever had
government-and do not want to admit
that jeff Davis and the leaders of this REBEL
ION may not be convicted of treason aud pun
ished as traitors. Hence, If we desire to
punish traitors, we have got to keep our
own record straight and as we want to
MAINTAIN the law the Constitution, we have
got to have the law and the Constitution up
on our side to do IL.
Upon the negro-suffrage question he de-
clared himself also on the State Rights John,
SOD platform, and in opposition to that of the
Chase Sumner conspirators. He remarked:
The next proposition that | understand is
decided before the people is this: The State
having been reduced to terri toriaf condition,
then it was the duty of the President of the
United States to declare that certain men
should be permitted 10 organize this terrific
rial government, and others should be exclu-
ded that is, that be should declare that Ger.
tain men have a right to vote who never had
by law right to vote. | maintain this as
being the correct distinction. President
SohnsOn has a right to exercise such power
as is necessary to assist in putting the ma.
chinery of these States in motion. He has a
right, for the time being, to appoint a man as
Governor. They are under military authori-
ty now. ii ehas right to appoint persons to
governthat they may have head for the pur-
pose of recognizing their civil department
lApplause.l When he has done that and
they organize, the State is then in existence
not only as it has been before, but it can ex.
er else the same functions that il had before
in the Government of the United States
The Constitution declares that each State
shall regulate the qualifications of ito own
voters. If President Johnson has q right,
by proclamation, to declare that oil the no .
grQes in the South are voters, he has o reh l..
upon the same principle, to declare that the
white men are not. If the States that have
been subdued, or the people of them, are not
in territorial condition. but States, as we
maintain they were, in rebellion, then Presl-
dent johnson has no right to make any such
declaration. Ii he does it, he does it in the
teeth Of the Constitution Of the country that
We have attempted to support and maintain
here. So far as the discussion in reference to
the question of suffrage is concerned it is of
no concern to me. ! have nothing to do with
it. do not care whether the people Of Yir-
ginia, or North Carolina, or KENTUCKY, or of
any other State allow negroes TO vote. 1t 10
not my business, but theirs. lCheersl In
Illinois, where live, whenever they decide
that the negroes shall vote, il is their decis-
ion. The Constitution says they have right
to decide, and when they do so, say amen
to 1t. Three cheers for IlIinois.] But until
they do make such decision, in their sover-
eigu capacity as State, no President has
right to dec;d dc for them.
There are unmistakeable evidences that in
the great struggle which must take place in
the country upon the recon. truction question
"A struggle Of tho people against those who
would enslaye them by the use of centralized
po~er-we can look for the support OF the
tuc Lu0y VIII uOI
aid the conspiracy which has been gotten up
to continue the sectional agitation for person
oil aad political party purposes, nor will they
agree to aid in creating a pseudo public senti-
ment in the States as means OF embarrass.
ing the efforts of President johnson to restore
peace. order, tranquility and law to the ma
tion. They are With the Democratic conser-
vative men of the country, and will stand by
the President so long as he continues to fol-
low the path marked out by tho Constitu-
ton, as he has donc in the North Carolina
proclamation. These Chase Sumner conspir.
ators need not expect to sail over the sum-
mer seas to the heaven they desire to reach,
nor to debauch public sentiment by means of
the brave soldiers who have just returned to
the ranks of the people.-Phh Age
r.