The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-09-22

"
potentate on earth. That was the veto power.
He sought to place obstacles in our way, and
ieelmg this responsibility, we desired so far as
we could to prevent any rupture between any
branches of the Government. The Thrty-ninth
Congress determined to establish the rights Of
the Southern people as they saw fit, but we
found that the President himself had ventured
upon the field We could not sustain him by
any provision that we could tnd in the Consti
tuition OF the United STATES. We found
that he had assumed to himself the right
to decide upon the condition of the
Southern States, the righ. to impose such con-
right to cay to the Congress OF the United
States:-"All these have been disposed of; 1t is
not your duty" In order that you may fully
understand my ideas with reference TO this, |
senteo 10 the country with reference to the
reorganization OF the Government of North
Carolina. | think if you viii turn to that
paper you Will find there clearly stated many
positions that he has since assa!led as coming
from Congress. j allude to the Presidents pro-
clamation with reference TO appointing Mr..
William D.. Holden Provisional Governor OF
North Carolina, and allude to this first because
1t comes first IN the chronological arrangement
OF important events touching these great ques
tions. In that proclamation the President says
the fourth section of the fourth article vi the
Constitution OF the United States declares that
the United States shall guarantee to every State
republican form of government, etc. He
then goes on to allege, and whereas the Rebel
lIOU winch mas DGen WHgpu Dy u portion OF IDe
United States against the proper constituted
authorities OF the land, ETC.; and then he says
in view of the solemn responsibility resting
upon me- and for the purpose of enabling the
loyal people of said States TO organize State
Government, whereby Justice may be established
and domestic tranquility insured. / vii
allow the States protection in all these
rights-life, liberty, and property. Now, the
very first proposition that MIR. johnson asserts
you will find in the fourth section of the fourth
article of the Constitution, and that section is,
THE United States shall guarantee" =" etc. Did,
then. the President OF the United States assume
that he was the United States? If so, he vio-
lated the decisions of the courts. / think the
United States are the people of the United
States, and the people of the United States can
alone be represented by their Congress. Again
he says that the Rebellion was against the pro-
perly constituted authorities Who were the
properly constituted authorities? President
Lincoln to be sure, as the head OF the EXecu-
tive Department. The Thirty-seventh, Thirty
eighth, and Thlrty-nnth Congresses, as well
as the other authorities of the Government.
But you will observe in this proclamation he
speaks of the properly constituted authorities
OF the Government, and IN this document he gives
the lie 10 liberty. He distinctly asserts that
the Rebellion has deprived all these States of
their civil government, and merely asS you to
note that, with a view TO some other matters
that will state at the latter stage of my argu-
ment. Again, lurther down. he says THE
Convention shall be composed OF delegates to
be elected by those who are loyal" ETC.; and
again, he invests IN himself all the powers
necessary to enable such loyal people of the
State OF North Carolina TO restore SAID State to
| its constitutional relations to the Federal Gov
ernment. Now, then, remember the contro-
Versy between Congress and the President is this:
Whether the power to restore these States is
placed by the Constitution in the President of
the United States or the Congress of the United
States. look at that part OF his proclamation
which looks TO the restoration OF the States ana
| TO other parts, and think it is usurpation not
| warranted by the terms of the Constitution.
| (Appause.) He IS the generalissimo the army.
He is the head of the executive department
of the Government. He can execute all laws,
| butnle can't make line of any law He can rule
| by his bayonet and ne can make Union by
his bay0net. He may surprise Rebels and hold
Rebels in subsection by his army and navy, but
is an unwarrantabe exercise Of power
to attnaept by force to make people
fermoy a State government according to
his ; views. and then endeavor to lead
| as Louis XIV, when he cried out, 81 am the
State" Andrew Johnson asserts, 81 am the
| United States" l do not mean to saddle upon
l:nlim the illegal constructions which he has given
ieto the Constitution, when he has left copy
with every one he stopped with. He has inn
posed upon every one OF the Rebel States certain
| terms, which he declares in his official commu
nication with them, to be essential to their re-
| construction. And those terms were that they
| should repudiate their acts OF secession as null
aud void, acknowledge the Constitutional amend
| IL.
been telling the people, during the last
two or three weeks, that those States, HAVING
complied with those requirements, are nov
ready to come in; but a disunlon Congress ii
keeping them out of their proper relations tC
the General Government. The whole thing s
falsehood. Those States have not accepted evel
his terms. A few of them ratified the Consttu
tlonal amendment, but they did 1t condltionally
Some OF them have repudiated the Rebel debt
some have not And so with regard TO mis- othe
conditions. What one of all his conditions ma
been adopted by all the States When the wa
closed the Rebels liked the Union men al
throughout the South. They gladly took them b
the hand, and manifested their friendship IL
divers ways; but Tor what purpose! 10 procur
their pardons, to use their influence North {
obtain the return OF their property. They cam
to Washington in hordes, they stopped up tn
hotels, they nearly closed the broad avenues
the city in their march 10 the White House wit
the view to save their necks; and to-day Wha
do they say and do? No man in the South VIII
has been a Union man dare avow 1T except a
the risk OF his life. No man dare appear upo
their streets and hoist above him the nations
flag, without knowing that the very next momeI
he may receive i'll his body bullet that wi
deprive him of lite. Free speech Is extinct, an
| if a man freely think there he dare not treel
utter his thoughts. He has not made peace
J and his plan never can. He may make tn
( South a graveyard for Union men; out b
! cannot deceive the American people by Callin
, that which is desoatIon and death, peace. w
! will accept no such solution Of his question
| We have an example of the effect OF his polio
in the terrible scenes at Memphis and The sti
S more horrible one Of New Orleans. And to-dd
= | can relate to you scene that occurred III n
Y own State hold that every human being ht
| q right TO worship God in that manner which
4 deems acceptable to Him. In Shapley's wood
/ in the lower part OF Maryland, the Method
G Chmch held-and have tor years-a cam
l. meeting. A portion OF the altar was given u
o TO the colored people lot of returnC
r Rebels organized themselves in a band, al