Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1866-03-09

intention was to lncite to assassination,
so that the obstacle which the people
had placed here could be got out of
the way. Are the opponents of this
Government not yet satisfied? Are
those who want to destroy our consti-
tutions, and to change the character
Of the Government not satisfied with
the quantity of blood that has been
shed? Are they not satisfied witt
one martyr in this place? Does not
the blood of Lincoln appease their
vengeance and their wrath? Is the
thirst still unslacked? F.? Do they still
want more blood? Have they not
honor, and courage, enough to seek
to attain the EN- d otherwise than
through andby the hand ofan assassin :?
| am not afraid of ON assassin attack
ing me where one brave and courage
Gus man will attack another. | only
dread him when in disguise, and where
his footstep is noiseless. If they
want blood let them have courage to
strike like men. | know they are
willing to wound, but afraid to strike.
If my blood is to be shed because |
vindicate the Union, and insist upon
the preservation Of this Government
in its original purity, let it be shed !;
but let an altar to the Union be first
erected, and then, if necessary, take
me and lay me upon it, and the blood
that now warns and 2nimates my eX-
istence shall be poured out as the
last libatiOn-as a tribute to the Union
Of these Staes. (Great applause. y
But let the opponents of this Govern
ment remember, when it is poured
out, that "the blood Of the martyrs is
the seed of the church" This Union
will grow. and it will continue to in
crease in strength and power, though
it may be cemented and cleansed III
blood. have already spoken to you
longer than | intended when | came
out. ("Go onT)
Imerely Intended to make my ac-
acknowledgements for the honor you
have done me; but before | close al
low me to say word in regard to the
Constitution of the United States
Shortly after | reached Washington
for the purpose of being inaugurated
as Vice President of tn e United
States, | had a conversation with Mr..
Lincoln in regard to the condition OF
affairs. We talked particularly in
reference to matters in my own State.
| told him we had called convention
that we had amended the Constitu-
tion-that we had abolished slavery
in that State, which was not included
in his emancipation proclamation-all
these things met his appreciation, and
he gave me words of encouragement.
We talked then about affairs generally,
and upon the subject Of the amend
mentS to the Constitution OF the United
States. He said to me, 'When the
amendment of the Constitution now
proposed is adopted by three-fourths
Of the States, | am pretty near done
or indeed quite done, in favor OF
amending the Constitution if there
was one other adopted" | asked
him, What t that ~ Mr.. Vice
4. President" he said Il have labored tc
preserve the Union. | have toiled
curing four years. | have been sub
ject to calumny and misrepresentation
Ny great and sole desire has been tC
preserve these States intact under the
Constitution, as they were before. =
| asked him again, "Mr. President
what amendment is that which you
would propose ?" why said he
lit is that there should be an amend
ment added to the Constitution whicl
would compel the States to send thei
Senators and Representatives to tn,
Congress of the United States. =
, Great applause.) The idea was il
! his mind, that as a part of the doc
: trine of secession. one of the means t,
! break up this Government was tina
, the States, if they saw proper, mi gh
withdraw their Senators and Repre-
sentatives, OF refuse to elect them
, He wanted even to remove that diff
Guilty by a Constitutional amendment
compelling the States to send SenG
tors and Representatives to Congress
But what do we now find? Th
Constitution of the cOuntry-even tha
! portion of it which allows amendment
Q to the organic law-expres5ly pre-
7 vides that no State, without its c0nsen
t shall be deprived of its equal suffrag
! in the Senate, and also provides tha
each State have at least one RepreseI
: tative in the House of Representative
s But yet the position is taken that ce
g tain States shall not be represented
r We imposed taxes upon them; "
@ send our tax-gathererinto everyregio
I and portion of the States their pc
:? pie are fit subjects of Government f
, the collection Of taxes but when the
e ask to participate in the legislation
n the country, are met at the door, al
l. told "Now; you must pay taxes, yt
O must bear the burdens of Governmer
| but you cannot participate in the lie
d islation-that legislation which is
N affect you through all time to come
ID Is this just2 Is it fair -? No! MOI
70 repeat I am for the Union. | am f
lie preserving all the States. | am f
W admitting into the councils ofthe matte
ne all their representatives who are l
le mistakably loyal. A man who q
e /! knowledges allegience to the Cover
10 ment, and who swears to support t
er Constitution, must necessarily be lC
- al. A man cannot take that oath
. good faith unless he is loyal. A me
I'd amplifcation of the oath makes
,e- difference as to the principle. VIII;
to ever is thought proper as evider
in. and as proof of loyalty is a mere m