The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1866-02-26

h.t oovarnments NAV be rsvolutionized, gos- u
roments a, least NAV be changed, without b
,o,np through the strife of battle. believe
{ ia fact attested in history, that sometimes =
revolutions most disastrous to the people are
Effected without the shedding OF blood The
substance of your governments may DC taken
away, while the form and the shadow remain {
20 YOU. What is now being proposed We
ind that in point of fact nearly all the pow
srs of the government are assumed by an ir-
responsible central directory, which does not
even consult the legislative or the executive
4 department of the government; by resolutions
from q committee. In whom IL seems
that, practically, the legislative power OF the
is now vested; that great prinel-
ple of the constitution which authorizes and
empowers each branch OF the Legislative de-
partment of the senate and house OF repre-
sentatives to judge for itself OF the election.
returns, and qualifications OF It's own menu
bers has been virtually taken away from the
two branches of the legislative department OF
the government, and conferred upon com
mittee who must report before either house |
Gan act under the constitution as to accepting |
members who are to take their seats as com
ponent parts of the representative oodles.-l
Rv this rule it is assumed that there must be
laws passed recognizing state as In the Un-
ion or its practical relations tor the Union as
restored, before the representative houses IN
der the constitution can Judge OF the election
returns, and qualifications OF lts own members,
What position is that? You struggled Tor
four years to put down rebellion. You de-
MED in the beginning of the struggle shat
any state could go out OF the Union. You
said that it had neither the right nor the pow
er to do 40. The issue was made, and 1t has
been settled that the states had neither the
right nor the power 10 60 out OF the Union
With what consistency. after 1t has been set
tied bv the military arm of the government
and by the public judgement that the states
had no right to 90 out of the Union, can any
one now turn around and assume that they
are out, that they shall not come lnY l am
| tree to say to you, as your executive, that
am not prepared to take any such position
| [Great applause l said in the senate In the
very inception of this rebellion, that the
states had no right to go out. asserted that
| they had no power to go out. That question
| has been settled, and il being settled, can
not turn around now and give the lie direct
| to ell that have professed, and all 1 have
| done for the last five years. Applause. i
| Even those who rebelled comply with the
| constitution when they give sutnclent eVl-
| dencs of atty. When they show that they
can be trusted, when they yield obedlence 60
the Law, that You and acknowledge obedI-
6QC6 10, Il htN o4SSuu 10 bHChA bHO AAfN
| of fellowship. and let peace and union 30 re-
stored. Tremendous applause. l fought
traitors and treason in the south. / oppose ID
the D4vises the Toombses, the Siideils, 6nd a
long list of others, which you can readily I'll
| without my repeating the names. Now when
| turn around, and at the other end of the
line find men, l care not by what name you
call them, who still stand opposed TO the re
-toration of the Union OF these states, an
free TO say to you that | am still in the field
IGreat applause. l am still for the prsserva
ton of the Union, | am still IN favor of thii
great government of ours going on and fill
ing out it's destiny. Great applause. Vol
ces, give three names at the other end."-
The president was called on to name three a
the other end of the line.l l au talking c,
nv friends and fellow citizens who are 10 ter
eseed with me in this government, snd / pre-
sumo | am free to mention to you the name
| of those whom look upon as boing opposed
to the fundamental principles of this govern
ment, and who are iaboripg to pervert ant
destroy II.
Voices Name them. Who are they?"
The President-You ask me W no they are
, [ say Thaddeus Stevens of Pennsylvania i
, one | say Mr. Sumner of the senate is an
other, and Wendell Phillips is another. Lon,
aud continued applause.
Voices-"Give it to Forney."
The Presidential reply to that, vii
. simply say don't vast ny ammunition upo,
dead ducks. IGreat laughter and applause.
| There | have placed my feet from my adven
to public life. They may traduce, they MAJ
Islander, Oh they may vituperate me, but lie
, me say to you all, this has no influence upol
f me. IGreat applause. Let me say furthe
; that | do not intend to be overawed by rea
or prctended friends nor do | mean to be bul
; lied by nv enemies. Tremendous applause.
: Honest conviction is my courage. the consti
tuition is my guide.
> know, my couutrymen, that it has beer
inslnuated-no. not insinuated, it has beer
said directly, in high circles, that il such
+. usurpation of power as l have been chars eC
With had been exercised some two hundreC
, wears ago, in a particular reign, 1t woul'
have cost sn individual his head. Grea
: laughterl OF what usurpation has Andrew
= johnson been guilty? None, none. Is j
. a usurpation that l stand between the peopl
|. and the entertainments of power? Becau-e
in a conversation with fellow citizen, VIII
A.. happened to be a senator, L said that
thou o ht am ndments to the constitution Ough
not to be so frequent that if it was eternaIl
tinkered with it would have lost all lite pres
tige and dignity that the old instrumen
would be lost sight of altogether In a shor
, time? Because in the came conversation
happened to say if it were amended at al
l such an amendment ought not to be adopted
, | it was charged that / was guilty of usuI
patton of power that would cost King bi
). head in a certain period of English history
[Great laughter From the same source tn
exclamation has gone forth that they were i
the midst OF earthquakes; that they wer
: trembling and could not yield Yes, fellow
. citizens, there is an earthquake coming
7 there Is a grand swelling of popular judg
ment and indignation. Great applause /
!. The American people will speak, and by thei
instinct, if not otherwise, they will kno,
!. who are their enemies. ! have endeavoret
Y i l.k - - L. IL