Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1866-03-02

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government of the Union, and who
evoked despotism to aid him in doing
it. Is that the way you make treason
odious among mankind? Is that the
policy about which we have heard so
much? Nobody has been able to tell
US heretofore exactly what that policy
was, but we all say that it was kind
of policy that suits every rebel, every
copperhead, and every enemy of the
Government Of the United States,
both foreign and domestic. Well, sir,
as the policy has become developed,
we all now see precisely what it is.
and why it was so grateful to the ears
and hearts of every enemy of his
country. 1t was no less than this =
that those States should suffer moth
ing, or forfeit nothing, by rebellion
but that they should be admitted, un-
washed and red with the blood of their
countrymen, into full communion with
the honest, loyal men Of this Govern
ment, and into the councils of the ma
ton. What has brought about this
change, sir? 1t all points to this
fact--that it will not do to corrupt
men in this way. Why, sir, this poll
cy of bringing these States into the
Union with all their rebellion and
treason in their hearts, is no better
than treason itself | lay down the
the rule here, sir, and defy contradic-
ton, that if there is any man, be he
high or low, who is an advocate for
bringing traitors into the counsels of
the nation, that man is traitor in his
heart. He is an enemy of the Govern
ment and of the nation, and nothing
can make it appear differently. He
who invOkes the aid of unrepentant
rebels to come into the counsels of the
nation to participate in its delibera-
tlon Is no better than a rebel, and is
a rebel at heart. How does the poll
cy that is now devolved upon us differ
from the policy that would be an
nounced from the same place by Jeffer-
son Davis were he tomorrow placed
in the same position. Would he ask
any more-would he ask any less
than that his co-conspirators should be
restored to the same position they had
when they left these halls ? Why, we
all know the history of the Govern
ment of the time when these men first
rebelled. How was it? When they
went of they had the Government all
in their own hands; and to the infamy
of the Democratic party be it said,
that with all their treason and their
crimes here in the Senate chamber,
there was but one man from their side
ready to protest against their treason.
With this exception, sir, you will not
find single Democratic vote against
the will and action enforced by South
ern rebels, and just before they went
out of Congress they had it all their
own way, and you and |, Mr.. Presi-
dent, felt relieved when we saw them
voluntarily leave these halls. The
greatest blunder treason ever COM
mitted-more fatal than the blunders
of the battle fields-was the blunder
of Withdrawing from power in Con-
gress when they had it all in their
own hands. Now, sir, suppose they
had kept on here, just as they are in
vited to come here now, and suppose
they had kept in and had predomina-
ted in Congress so as to prevent any
provision being made for arresting the
progress of treason, you could not
have raised a dollar to carry on the
war; you could not have enlisted a
soldier had they not committed the
blunder of Withdrawing, for the Demo-
cratic party would have stood by them
and voted down every measure as they
undertook to vote them down after
their masters had gone out There
fore | shall move at very early peri
cd to take this resolution up and |
shall press the action of Congress to
a vote upon it. 1t is no new thing
1t is the result of the experience of the
great est statesmen who have occupied
the Presidential chair. | have no
doubt that of all the amendments pro-
posed this is the most conservative,
though do not like to give it that bare
name. 1t is the best one to react a
great evil. Some gentlemen are as
tonished at the number of amendments
offered from time to time, and do not
wonder at it at all. The government
has been floundering through crisis
such as never government encounter
ed before. 1t is tried in all its points.
If there be any weakness in it, it is
revealed by the very difficulties that
we have to overcome. Just like a
great ship overtaken by hurricane,
it may show you the weak points.
show you where the carpenter ought
to commence his work. So with the
great government. This amendment
that | now propose is to remedy the
greatest deficiency left by the fathers
who made the government. 1t is no
disparagement that we find this work
|, not adapted to our time. 1t would
5 be more than miracle if it were 9th.
: erwise than it is. 1t is absurd to sup.
: pose that that Constitution which was
: made for people and nation scat
!, tered over small part of the country,
5 should be in all its parts of the perfect
: when the nation had grown up to con
t tain thirty millions of people, separa
t ted over an entire continent. Just as
!. well expect that cloth cut for an infant
y would be the correct pattern for him
e when he had arrived at manhood
Il There are defects in it, and all mer
S have seen them. 1t is very seldom In
e the history of country that an oppor
It tunity like this arises. | hope this
It body will join me and the Presiden
s with the rest of them. If there be {
r : L :