Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1866-05-31
Secretary stantol's Speech.

rejected.
Secretary ssanton's Speech.
On the occasion Of the serenade given by
the Union National Club to the members of
the Cabinet, the following speech was made
by Hon. E. NJ. Stanton, Secretary of War;
GENTLEMEN On the afternoon of Thurs
day, the 18th Of this month, received a
note from the Secretary Of the National
Union Johnson Club, telling me that it was
the design of the Association to serenade
the President and his Cabinet, and that I
would be called upon at my residence. I'm
mediately on receipt Of the note, reply
was sent to the Secretary expressing my
thanks for the compliment, and declining
the honor of the serenaae. A similar com
pliment by the patriotic Association of the
| Soldiers and Sailors League had previous
| ly been declined. Two reasons induced my
action. The last time public speech was
made from this spot, in answer to sereuade,
was the night of Friday, the 18th of April,
| 1865. At that moment, when we were re-
joicing over the downfall of the rebellion,
one of its instruments was numbering Mr..
Lincoln. You will not think it strange that
|
should not be coveted. Besides, as the head
! of a department., my public duties have
been simply executive.
| s'After four years Of war, the authority
of the Federal Government was established
throughout the whole territory of the United
States, at sacrifice of over 100000 lives Of
! 3,000,000,000. Every household in eighteen
| toto SC ITO e1a
by rebels. A tax which may last for gen
erations is laid upon the food, and raiment,
and necessities Of every family; and, in the
price of their daily bread, the 10000, 900
inhabitants of the loyal States feel aud
will continue to feel, what it costs to uphold
their Government against rebellion.
"The Office of President devolved on Mr.,
Johnson after the death of Mr.. Lincoln. on
the 18th day of April, 1865. Thirteen days
before that time, Richmond, the seat of the
rebel Government, had been captured; and,
six days later, the rebel Commander in
Chief, Robert E. Lee, routed and vanquished;
surrendered his army as prisoners OF war
to General Grant and the forces under his
command. By these rapidly succeeding
events the rebel Government was over
thrown, and the official authorities gave
themselves up as prisoners Of war.
"The Presidents annual message to the
present Congress thus clearly states the con-
dition of the country and the question there
by imposed upon him:
al found the State suffering from the
effects Of civil war. Resistance to the
General Government appeared to have ex-
hausted itself. The United States had re-
covered possession of their forts and arse
nails, and their armies were in occupation of
every State which had attempted to secede.
Whether the territory within the limits of
these States should be held as conquered
territory, under military authority, emanat-
ing from the Presd ent as the head of the
army, was the first question that presented
itself for discussion
| Mr.. Stanton quoted at length some Of the
Presidents messages concerning the reopen
ing Of courts, postof1ces, and ports. and
continued:
"By some it was thought just and expe-
dent that the right Of suffrage in the rebel
States should be secured in some form to
the colored inhabitants of those States,
either as universal rule, or to those quail
| fed by education, or by actual service as
soldiers, who ventured life for their Govern
ment. My own mind inclined to this view:
but, after calm and full discussion, my judg-
ment yielded to adverse arguments, resting
upon the practical difficulties to be encoun-
tered in such measure, and to the Presi-
dents conviction that to prescribe rule of
suffrage was not within the legitimate scope
| of his power. The plan of organization
embodied in the proclamation to the people
OF North Carolina, and the instructions to
! the Provisional Governor of the State, ex.
hibit the system and principles prescribed
by the President for the substitution of
civil authority in the place of universal
military rule IN insurrectionary States In
this plan, two things represented in the
proclamations and the Presidents instruc-
tons are worthy Of special notice:
" F~st-That the organizing power is
specifically and absolutely restricted to the
people who are loyal to the United States.
and no others. This is in accordance with
the views often declared by Mr.. johnson
from the commencement Of the rebellion.
and under most impressive circumstances
"Second-The choice of delegates was
not only limited to loyal people, and no
others, but constitutional guarantees were
required III respect to the emancipation of
slaves and Reputation Of debt.
"a second reason for such guarantees in
respect TO slavery is stated by the President
in his message, namely: The necessity of
evidence of sincerity in the future mainte-
nance Of the Union. These views, ex-
pressed by the President in his message,
received, and continue to receive, my cor
dial acquiesence, and support. Who are
loyal people, is a question that ought not to
be difficult of decision.
g In thus distictly recognizing the consti-
tutional right of each House of Congress to |
judge of the election returns, and qualif- [,
cations of its own members, the President
has conformed to the plain letter of the |
Constitution. 1t being the function of each |
House to judge of the election returns, and
qualifications Of its own members, the obi |
cation is implied of taking testimony,
weighing evidence, and deciding the ques-
ton Of membership. What testimony has
been taken, or what evidence presented, on
the question, to either branch of Congress- |
or what judgment is to be given, is not
known to me, nor have | the right to in
quire.
Besides the steps taken by the Execu-
tive to restore the constitutional relations of |
the States, his annual message called the
attention Of Congress to the necessity Of Sc |
curing the security of the freedmen. re-
mlnding Congress that, while he had no