The day book. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 1857-1867, 1866-10-26


this ? The very proposition proves that you
are untrustworthy aud that your promises
nd professions are wholly unreliable. When
your army was routed at Bull Run you fell
upon your knees in Congress, as it were, as
Senator Doolttle said in his speech, and SOL
emily proclaimed before the world as the OBJ
ject of the war-that it was not your inten-
ton to interfere with the established institu-
tons of those States, but to defend and main
tain the supremacy of the Constitution and to
preserve the Union with the rights of the sew
cral States uninpaired"
How does this tally, in your hour Of advcr-
sity, with your unconstitutional exactions in
the hour Of triumph and prosperity Is it
evidence of your trustworthiness Or, does
not the attitude which you have assumed
prove that you are false to the professions yon
made Of what you regarded as the objects of
the war, on your part a? Is it not interfering
with the established institutions of those
States" to require them to adopt the Constitu-
tional Amendment
Your present attitude deprives those
States" of all confidence in your professions
and leads her to believe that in your career Of
oppression, you will disregard all constitution
al safe guards, to preserve which, you profess
sed in the day of Bull Run,you were prosecut-
ing the war Now you say, "let the Rebels
stay out Of Congress till they are willing to
give the loyal Southerners fair chance. ;"
Yen said, fthis war was not prosecuted for
the purpose Of overthrowing Or interfering
with the rights or establi3hed institutions of
those States.
How do YOU expect to be believed while
you thus falsify your own solemn declarations,
and disregard pledges Voluntarily made in
the most authoritative mode they could be
promulgated-by Congressional resolution
"a resolution of both Houses of Congress in
186l'--a declaration as Senator Doolittle says
-"made by Congress at a time when it was
humbied by deieat-when it was On its knees
as before Almighty God, in agony, fearing our
cause would he lost-givng to the country
its pledges and assurances that the war was
not to deprive the States of their representa-
ton 2"
The writer of the radical views from which
We have extracted should have been at the
death bed of the late John Van Buren,. when
be is represented as contemplating tue dis
tracted condition Of the country.
"While half reclining, half sitting up sup
ported by the arm of his daughter and niece
on either side, Mr. Van Burens eyelighted up
with the pride and port of the orator of other
days
'sAt the first he rapidly ana pcrspicuously
photographed the progress, the purposes, and
the problems of the late war, and emphasized
the pledged faith of the Government that it
coGd and should ultimate only i'll secured
Union Of free and equal States. He then ad-
verted to the efforts Of Mr.. johnson to carry
out the pledsein letter aud spirit and to have
for his inspiration and guide the unmistakabe
commands of the Constitution and the gener-
Gus magnanimity of the people. This part
of this most remarkable idress was followed
by a scaritieation Of Congress in terms of
satire, eloquence and reproach, of which none
were 50 capable as he
Gas a piece Of compost ton, whether viewed
al production, this dying address was in all
respects no less credit TO the National repu-
tation of the speaker, than it was a vndica
ton aud tribute to the cause and motives that
evoked its utterance.