The Lansing state Republican. [volume] (Lansing, Mich.) 1855-1874, 1866-03-28

The people may have been deceived: but
We who knew the President knew it was a
lie from the start. Renewed laughter
Now, sir, having shown my friends that
all il IS built upon Is iailaciOus, | hope they
will permit me 10 occupy the same friendly
position with the President | dil before.
Laughter.
Mr. Price. am satisfied the House and
the country will agree with me there was
mistake. very great mistake. and al
though have not lived as long IS the gen
tleman from Pennsylvania. | have found
history cannot always be depended upon.
and but for this accidental occurrence that
would have gone down in history "a a fact
Probably. sir. the present and succeeding
generations would not have discovered il
had not this fact been oppOrtunely devel-
oped- daughter
Mr. Stevens know the gentleman is
satisfied now il is all hoax Renewed
laughter
But | will proceed, sip. / am glad 10
llnd the President is not in the dilemma IN
which these gentlemen would put him
What he has done has not been done to
" States in the Union, but TO conquered
provinces, aud he has done it. not as Pres
ident under any power in the Constitution,
but as COmmander-n-Chiel OF the Army.
exercising military authority. In the eX-
erclse OF such authority IL IL not surprising
that he should sometimes mistake the dlVI-
ding line between civil and martial law. and
be tempted To Oyerstep the boundaries OF
authority IN pursuit OF what his ardent pat
rOtlsm supposed 10 be the public good.
How unfortunate these men in power can
not realize that no permanent public ad-
vantage can arise out of disregard of or
ganic law Remember that am arguing
from the position OF the States which the
gentlemen assume for the President, and
for themselves Is the Presidents friends
not from my own position. The President
goes into the State of Tennessee State
In the Union say they, of course cOequal
with all other States he appoints a pro-
visiOnal governor, which. il he means
thereby military governor be had a right
10 DO as COmmander-n Chief of concur
ing army, II sue was conquered territory,
but as a State what right had he to appoint
a governor Whence does he derive his
authority, Is il not ia the Constitution Of
the United States nor in the constitution Of
Tennessee. lie pnt it under martial law.
aud then directs his governor To call CON
ventiOn OF certain citizens 10 form a con
stitutiOn. He fixes the qualification OF vO-
ters. lie finally prescrbes the constitution
which this convention shall adopt. Gov
ernOr BrOwnlOw in an address informs the
people OF Tennessee that as they we're IN
rebellion the President has a right to or
der them what constitution to adopt What
a free people What a republican res
tOratiOni
So of the others. South Carolina has 4
governor appointed in like manner. In re-
building her government, a per order, she
wanted to lay foundation and send word
TO the President stating its shape. He or
ders them 10 give II another round. They
do So and await his appreciation Still an
other he demands adopt the cOnstitu-
tional amendment. That body must mus
ter courage enough TO demur to the sec
Ond section. Mr.. seward scOlds them with
imperial dignity tollS thon that " oppro
p-iata legislation IS = restraining term
tells them that they are querulOus. and or
ders them forthwith to obey. Obedience
was instantaneous; thanks to the virtue of
martial law and fixed bayOnets
Virginia had assembled the free repre-
sentatives OF fragments of about eleven
townships ont OF one hundred and f0rty-twO
counties elected in spots between the con-
tending armies on disputed gr0und-twelve
men-whO met within the Federal lines,
called itself a convention, formed a cOnstItu-
ton, ordered elections for the whole State.
aud Governor PeirpOnt received about
thirty-three hundred votes for Governor
(half Yankee soldiers, | suspect) and was
proclaimed in the market-hOuse of Alexan
dria Governor of imperial Virginia. the
mother of statesmen. In reconstruction
the President acknowledged him as the
- Governor, and those twelve as the repre-
sentatives OF 4 million and a quarter oil
people, and counts this Virginia as one O
the twenty-seven States that adopted the
constitutional amendment. | am fond o.
genteel comedy, bat this low farce il toe
vulgar TO be acted on the stage of nations
Are these free republics, such AZ the Uni
ted States are bound to guaranty 10 all the
the States in the Union Should thes,
swindles. these imposiures, bred in tn,
midst of martial law without authorit,
from Congress, be acknowledged here.
But the gentleman from New York saw.
that these proceedings We're had under lie
crees from the President. When asket
for the Presidents authority, he showed
distressing perplexity. Knowing that th,
Executive had no legislative powers, b,
> derived the authority to him as Command
4 er-in-Chief OF the armies, and these acts a
i flowing from the right OF conquest. Bu
l. tie gentleman fOrgets that these were q,
. conquered people, but We're merely State
= In the Union under the paternal care o
Y their benevolent Father. But taking then
+ as conquered people, (their true cOndi
J. tion, | admit and the President at tn
:. head OF the cOnquering force, what righ
a did that give him TO create civil State gov
Is ernments or interfere with the duties OF th
!, law-making power of the nation Tn
D. gentleman knew that he had none. II
u then justifes the imposition OF these GOV
ernments as the terms OF their surrender
Z Who before ever heard that any such term
d were proposed or accepted. General Shel
man undertook TO incorporate into the SUI
render of JOhnson's army certain terms 70
= the future government OF the rebels; bT
" he was quickly relieved, and the terms lis
! carded. The gentleman says:
:. my impression is that these rsqaisiions are ma
part of the terms of surrender AZ u belongs t. q
% Commander inChief Of the Army and Navy 70 Ok =
r limits 70 wlat they Will embrace.
Ie This will be news TO Grant and Sherman
p Terms of surrender are fixed before tf
{, enemy lays down his arms. not after.
II Does the gentleman mean thatthe Pres
le dent is entering into q treaty and negOti'
le ting terms under the treaty-making power
e, With whom is he negotiating. II he claiu
l. il under the treaty-making power he mu
ii submit il to the Senate. twO-thir1s Of who
q must advise and approve it. do NJ
L hear that he invokes any such aid. tt
le gentleman is evidently at fault in tracir
4 the source Of this power TO intermedd
re with "States in the Union" There can
er no such power The President is made
ry miscOncelve his duties. and 10 treat wit
a too little respect the powers Of Congress.
le The gentleman can see no analogy b
ii tween the commission Of a crime murl'
ce for instance, and the disruption OF Il
IN Union, both being forbidden by law: Il
Sc murder having been accomplished and ii
at disruption only attempted. That is be
b. ging the question. We say that the seve
G. ance was accomplished and until a reuniC
ii was complete Il Jdcf0. We have Il
?, admitted fact the law declared that resul
10 We have cited authority. Contradict rs
ey authority If you can But have done vi
- mere assertions, pray YOU; that IS mere
W the childish bandying Of declarations. B
N the gentlemen say that this is cOncediI
n the right OF secession, aud screening q
rebels from punishment for treason. Ne