The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1866-03-07
.ssi'' -sA

;endingthe National Washington Monu-
rent Association. which is directing its eff
orts to compile the monument erected to
MS memory. Twas glad to meetthem, and
70 far as could, to give them my humble
influence. A monument is being erected
10 him within q stones throw of the spot
from which ! address you. Let it be COM
pleted, let the pledges which all these State
associations and corporations have placed
in that monument of their faith and love
Tor the Union be preserved. Let it be COM
pleted, and in this connection let me refer
to the motto upon the stone sent from my
own State. God bless a State which has
for the preservation Of tho union
in the field and in the councils ofthe nation, |
"A motto is inscribed on that stone it |
stands by that sentiment, and she is willing
to stand by it. 1t vas the sentiment enun-
ciated by the immortal jackson: " The
Federal Union, it must and shall be pre-
served" IS s,. d, ase 3s.
Mr.. johnson then referred briefly to the
conduct of Gen. jackson in 1899, denounc-
ed as traitors those attempting to destroy
our country, and reiterated his determine
ton to stand by the country and the con-
stitation. He thought in considering the
question ofreconstruction, we should not
deal with whole people in spirit Of revenge
The South had acknowledged its allegiance
to the Government, and be was ready to
open the doors Of the Union aud. restore
them to their forlne. relations. He said
there is none who has labored harder than
he to have the principal conspicuous and
intelligent traitors brought to justice, to
have the law yindicated and the great fact
vindicated that treason is o crime; yet,
while conscious and intelligent traitors are
to be punished, should whole States, COM
munities and the people be made to submit
to and bear the penalty of the oath; let
them become loyal and willing supporters
and defenders of our glorious stripes let
the leaders, the conscious and intelligent
traitors, suffer the penalty Of the. law /; but
for the great mass, who have been forced
into the rebellion and lnisled BY their lead
ers, I say leniety, kindness, trust and con-
fdence. The rebellion is put down by the
strong arm Of the Government, but We are
scarcely out Of one rebellion before we are
almost in the midst Of another rebellion.
There is an attempt to concentrate the pow
er Of the Government in the hands Of a few
and thereby bling about . consolidation
which is equally dangerous and objections
lble with separation. Sometimes reyolu-
tons most disastrous to the people are ef-
Ifected without shedding blood; the sub.
stance ofour Government may be taken
AWAY, leaving only the formidable shadow
we fnd that IN fact BY an irresponsible cen
trial direction all powers Of the Government
are assumed without even consulting the
Legislative or executive department Of the
Government, by the resolution reported BY
the Committee upon whom all the legiaa
tive power Of the Government has beer
conferred. N
! The principle in the Constitution which
! authorizes and empowers each branch 0
the legislative departments to be the judges
of the election and qualifications gifts owl
members has been virtually taken ava!
4 from these departments and conferred upol
a committee who must report before the,
can act under the Constitution. and ALLOW
/ the members duly elected to take their seats
| By this rule, they assume that there mus
be laws passed, that there must be recOg
milton in respect to States in the Union
with all its prohibitiye relations restores
lhefore the respectiye houses of Congress
!, under the Constitution shall judge OF tn
2 election and qualifications Of its own mem
bers. You have been struggling for fou
}, years to put down therebellion, you denies
lin the beginning that any State had an
t right to 70 out Of the Union. It has bee
K settled that State has neither the RICH
. nor the power to go out Of the Union, an
when you have settled that by the execs
tive and military power of>the Governmer
n and by the public Judgment, yon tuI
laround and assume that they are out an
!. shall not come in. / am free to say to y0
: as your Executive that / am not prepare
} to take any such position. cannot TIN
g around now and give direct lie to all
q profess to have done in the last Ave year
vi Isay that when the States comply wit
the Constitution, when they have give
sufficient evidence Of their loyalty and tn
they can be trusted when they yield obei
ence to the law, ] say, extend to them Il
q right hand Of fellowship and let peace Al
q, the Union be restored. lhave fought ira
- Tors and treason in the South, I opposed q
- Davis and the Toombs' and the Slidell
and long list Of others whose names
ID need not repeat, and now when tn
around at the other end Of the line I fl
men--I cannot by name call them,
voice-call them traitors) who still sta
TO opposed to the restoration Of the Union
these States, and / am free to cay to y
1e that I am still for the prcservati0n Of q