The New era. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1865-1871, 1866-08-16


oind their members upon questions of
Legislation. And yet these men have
suffered themselves to be led and bound
hand and foot; and many of them.-I will
say the majority of them-=in the House
OF Representatives, against their iudg-
ment, have been led by Thaddeus Ste
Vens, and the men associated with him.
to make this unwarrantabIe, unjustifiable,
TINS most devitish warfare upon Andrew
johnson. Cheers. There is no species
OF remuneration in which these men have
not INDUCED, and with which they did
not I'LL their newspapers from one end
OF the country to the other. There is
not day, or there was not a day some
time since, when the newspapers did not
TEEN with the declarations, that Andrew
johnson was "too inebrated, too intoxi-
cated;" that he was continually under
the influence of Intoxicating drinks, and
unable to perform the duties of his
office" They charged upon him other
things, which l would blush in this
presence to mention; but they are lust
such llliberal connections and Internal,
infamous falsehoo(!s as ever were con-
eoeted by any tiend from the internal re-
gions. Cheers.
Fellow-eitizens, I am afraid am de-
tanning you. Cries of /" Go en-" There
was one more point that | wished to H.
lustrate. 1t is this: You remember the
terrible battle of Bull Run, July, 1861.
You remember when our forces went on
in the morning flushed with victory.
or the hope Of victory, and came back
III disaster and mans members OF Con-
gresS who went out to see the battle
With the words son to Richmond -
on their lips came fleeing back them
selves from the field Of disaster, and one
of them, even, was captured and taken
prisoner himself.
Now, fellow-citizens, in view Of this
terrible defeat when we wereaIl humbied
and bowed down before Almighty God,
what took place. Congress, by an almost
entirely unanimous Voice, declared the
purposes OF the war, and the conditions
upon which the war should cease. They
declared it in these words: That this
war is not prosecuted upon our part iii
any spirit of oppression, nor for any
purpose of conquest or subjugation, nor
purpose OF overthroWing or interfering
with the rights Or established insti
tutions OF those States, out to defend
and maintain the supremacy OF the
Constitution, and ali laws made in pur-
suance thereof, and to preserve the
Union with all the dignity, equality,
and rights of the several States unim
paired that as soon as these objects are
accomplished the war ought to cease"
Where did Congress say, in that reso-
luton, we will impose upon them negro
suffrage before the war ceases? Where
did Congress say, in that resolution, that
they would impose upon them this, that,
or the other condition! But they de-
clared in most positive terms, and APP
pealed to the God Of Battles, and APP
pealed to Him in the midst of disaster
at a time when from their humbled
hearts they had right to appeal-at
the time, too, when their appeal should
have been made in all sincerity and
honesty-and they declared that they
prosecuted the war for the supremacy of
the Union; for the salvation OF the
States; not to destroy them, but for
their equal rights and dignity. And
when that was accomplished the war
should cease. ~
And further, fellow-citizens, and this
is point which shall make, and 1t is
the last one to which will call your at
tentiOn, and. therefore, it Is one when L
hope YOU will not forget: In the con-
Ve0IlOIl VI loOf, WHCu3 III viz A1AS.5s -
the war, we placed Mr.. Lincoln and Mr..
Johnson in nomination, the one for
President and the other for Vice Presl-
dent, we stated in our platform precisely
the terms upon which we insisted for
the settlement of the war so far as the
Constitution is concerned. We declared,
| in that, inasmuch rs the emancipation
proclamation had already been issued
and the slaves were set free in many OF
the States, we declared that we were IN
favor of the constitutional amendment
which would set free all the slaves IN ail
the States. That we declared for in 1864,
and it was all that we declared IN reier,
ence to the Constitution OF the unlted
States and we have no right to insist
upon other terms against their consent.
| 1t they consent to other terms. they
may. 1t is true, fellow-citizens, tiat II
we choose, with the consent OF all the
states or ofthree- fourths of all the States,
to change the basis of representation
from population to voters, 1t would oe
right. There is principle in that which
can be defended. But when this Govern
ment of the United states says TO the
eleven States: If you don't adopt negro
i l-E <,.t rpf ~ I.