Shreveport semi-weekly news. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1865-18??, 1866-05-08

stitution acknowledged in them, the
stood in the Union and under tn
Constitution portion of this glori
Gus and bright galaxy of States. Il
passing through this ordeal, mucl
has been done in them, under the di
rection of my lamented predecesso,
We commenced the work of reform
we succeeded before l came here il
restoring the relations which had ex
listed between Tennessee and tn,
rest Of the Union, with one excep
ton, the relation of representa- ion
| came to Washington, and upde
extraordinary circumstances, sue
ceeded I" the Presidential chair
The Congress of the United St2te.
had adjourned without prrscrib ~
any plan. then proceeded as ha,
done in my own State, in recon
strnc'ing the government, to resto ,
the other States and how did W.
begin? We found that the peorl,
had no courts. and We said to the
Judges, district attorneys and mar.
shalls, go down and hold your courts
the people need the tribunals of JUS
tice to be opened. Was there any
thing wrong in that? The courts
We're opened; what else? Wrlooked
out and saw that the peopl. down
there had no mails; they had been
cut off by the Operations Of the re-
bellion. We said to the Postmaster
General. let the people have fair
chances for mails. and let them again
begin to understand what W. all 1t,
that We are again one people. We
loo!.cd out aga n and saw that there
was blockade, that the custom
houses We're all closed We said
open the doors Of the custom houses
and remove the blockade; let the
pursuits of peace go on, and i, was
done. We thus trs.ycled on. step by
step, opening the custom houses, APP
pointing collectors, establishing mail
facilities, and restoring all tn. rail
roads that had been Interrupted dr.
ing the rebellion. Was there any
thing undertaken to he done here
that was not authorized by the Con
stitution, that was not justified by
he Sr.a, necessities Of the case, and
tina, has not been clearly consistent
with the Constitution and with the
generous spirit OF our government 7
CHEERS What remained to be
done One other thing remained to
show the civilized world that we had
passed successfully through the third
ordeal of our national existence, and
proved that our government was pop
ular. \ great principle was TO be
restored. which was established in
our revolution. When our fathers
We're con,.nding against the power
OF Great britain, what was one of
til. principal causes OF their com
plaint' 1t was tina; they We're de-
MED representation. They COM
planned OF taxation without represent
tation. (che-r~) One of the great
principles laid down by our fathers,
and which fired their hearts, was
that there should be no taxation
without representation. How then.
does the matter stand Who has
been usurping power Who has
been defeating tn. operation of the
Constitution What now remains to
b. done to complrt. the restoration
of these States 10 all their former rc
lations under The Fedora, Govern
tn-nt, and to finish til. great ordeal
through which ", have b, en- passing
1t is to admit representation When
mt ri .,' IN
DO W., mean. W. simply mean rep
rcsrntation in the cons. itu'ioual and
the law abiding sense which was nm
drrstood ut tn. beginning of the gov
eminent. The Constitution declares
in express terms that the Senate and
House o. Represent ,tives, each act
ing for itself, shall be the Judge OF
the returns OF elections and the quail
| iticatlou> o. its own members. II Is
tor each house to settle that question
under th- Constitution and Il .!dcr TIA"
solemn sanction of an oath. Can We
| brl:rv. that either house would adj
nit any member into its body 10 par,
ticipate in the legislation Of the
country, who has not been qualiti d
They have the power, not the two
houses, but each house for itself
The Constitution further declares
that no State shall be deprived of its
equal suffrage in the Senate OF TIA,
United States without its CONSENT
Where do we stand All that W,
have need of to finish the great work
o. restoration i for the two houses
respectively. to decide the question
Oh. but say some, traitor IN gh
come in. The answo TO that Is tina
each house must be the judge of it
and if traitor presents himself
cannot help it, The house will know
that he is a traitor, (applause) and /
he is a traitor, can they not keep hin
out of doors and send him back, say
ing to the people that sen, him, yo'
must send us loyal man! CHEERS.
Is there any difficulty about that
y ~