American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1866-04-26


idea abroad that one man can be an
usurper. Mr.. Jefferson. the apostle a
liberty, IL tells Us. and SO Goes common
sense; that tyranny and despoiism can be
exercised by many more vigorously and
more tyrannically than by one-what
power has your President to attain
what can be do-what can he originate ?
Why they say he exercises the veto pow.
er. [Laughter.] What is the veto
power? IA volce--to put down the
niger. Laughter.] Who your Pres.
ident ? Is he not elected By the people =?
The President is the tribune Of the peo-
pie. In olden times when tribunes were
first elected 10 the Roman Republic. the
people chose tribune and placed him at
the doors Of the Senate so that when
that body ventured an oppressive act, he
was clothed with the power to say "veto."
and forbid--your President now is the
tribune Of the people. thank God |
am. and / intend 10 assert the power
which the people have placed in me
TCheera Your President is like horse
on tread mill, standing here day after
day, discharging his duty, and because
he dares to differ ip opinion in regard TO
public measures, he must be denounced
as a usurper and tyrant. Can he orig.
nate anything under the veto power =?
think the veto power conservative in its
character and affirmation. All that can
bs done by the veto power is to say
when legislation is improper, hasty, I'M
wise and unconstitutional. stop action and
wait until it can be submitted to the peo-
pie, aud let them consider whether it is
right or wrong; that is all there is in il.
Hence, l say that tyranny and power
can be exercised some here else than BY
the Executive he is powerless /; all that
he can do is to check legislation.
to hold it in allegiance until the peo
pie can consider what is being done.
Then what has been done !?
have done what conscience | believed re.
quired me to do. So believing, intend to
stick 70 my position, relying on the Judg.
ment and the intelligence of the people tho
soldiers aud sailors expressly. Cheers
nv. Z Al,
any tyranny. 1t is very easy to impugn mo-
tives, and suspect the purest and best acts of
mans life. If you come forward and pro-
pose certain thing, your motives gre sas-
pected and condemned; aud if You withhold
your opinion, you are regarded us opposed to
the matter, so that it is very hard 10 move
one way or the other, 80 far rs certain po-
si:ons are concerned In the American PEG
pie is my hope for the salvation Of the coun.
try. am with you, soldiers, sailors aud
citizens. Who has sacrificed or periled
more Has not my all been put on ar Ny
life, my property, everything sacred aud
dear to man has been Stuked upon it, and
can / now be suspected Of fllteripg a. the
close of the third ordeal of the nation.
Where is he in public or private life, who has
sacrificed more or who has deToted more
of his time aud energies to the accomplish
ment of the great end than |? | have
done it from the promptings of my own
heart. | believe it was right, and with
your hearts and your countenances, and
your encouragement, l shall go through
on that line. [Cheers and laughter. And
when / come to talk about sailors aud
soldiers, about this to he done and that to
be done, all ! want is for you to wait and
see. So far as you are concerned, wai,
and see if l don't stand by you, although
every other man may falser and fail.
wait to see measures of policy brought
forward that will advance the interest of the
people and of that portion of the people who
constitute the gallant aud brave men who in
both branches of the service have upheld the
national flag and sustained the country in the
recent struggle. thank you, gentlemen for
the encouragement thank you for your
countenance on this occasion-it cheers me
on, and gives me strength to perform the
work before me. If VIC are true to ourselves,
If we are true to the Constitution the day is
not far distant when this government will be !
restored. Let US enlarge the area Of our
commerce and trade, and let us not only in
sure confidence at home but respect abroad,
by letting the nation resume its career OF
gratness. know that some will find fault
with me, and say am too lenient, too kind
and all that. If we were all to be put to
death, or punished, or thrown away |
for one offense, or for the second offense, and
were to be lost and excluded from. society |
and communion with our fellow men, how
many of us would be left7 We must reason
with ach ether and understand our nature
and what is necessary to restore peace and
harmony and concord to a distracted and d. |
vided people. In time of war it is right TO
burn villages sack cities and devastste fields;
to lay waste a country and cripple and re-
duce the enemy, but 10 time Of peace the re-
verse Of that course Is precisely the right
one, aud the true policy of a nation is to re-
build its cities, restore its villages and re.
new its fields of Agriculture. ] know there
are some who have been at home cultivatiug
during the war. and who bring to the con-
sideration of the questions of peace, harmony
and the avocation of civil life all the feelings