Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1866-03-21

| Congress, Is described by the Amerlcal
as one of the most enthusiastic ever hell
in the city.
SPEECH OF SENATOR CREssWELL.
Senator Cresswell, of. Maryland was tn
first speaker. He said:
The question in the present issue was
whether the loyal men of the Uniol
should rule, or whether the Government
should be in the hands of the rebels
President johnson had hurled his denu
Citations upon the members of Congress
who failed to acquiesce with him on Ger
tain questions, and had appealed to the
people. Before the people those mem
bers of Congress who differed with the
President, were willing to meet him. Mr.
C. then went on to define his position on
the Freedmen's Bureau bill, and said the
vote he had given to pass it over the
Presidents veto, he was willing to stand
by here and everywhere. If it cost him
his seat in the Senate he would abide the
consequence.
Gentlemen who WELD the high powers
of the Executive against Congress forget
that in their attacks on that body they
directly attack the people. He approved
that rebels should never again occupy
seats in the halls of Congress, and none
from the rebel States until they had Civ
en- the fullest evidence of their loyalty.
He spoke in terms of disparagement OF
the Committee of the Maryland Insti-
tute meeting, which presented the reso-
lutions to the President, and remarked
that he started out as a defender of the
the old flag, and he maintained the same
position still, and was willing to join all
men in that fight, whether white or
black.
SPEECH OF SENATOR TRUMBULL.
Senator Trumbull, of Illinois, was in
troduced to the meeting. He remarked
that he was present tonight to make at
tacks on no one, but he would endeaVor
to show what had caused the rebel shouts
to go up in every portion of the land dur
ing the past ten days. He was not in
the habit of making personal assaults on
any one, preferring to deal with meas
ures, not men. Congress has been ar
raigned in this city; it had heen charged
with usurpation by the Secretary
State, in a speech delivered in New York,
and also with the design of keeping out
of the Union eleven States.
He then read from Mr. Stewards speech
dAO InGICOu. III lDAo very
city, at public meeting held few eV-
enings since, a speaker had declared that
Congress had usurped power. This he
denied. The war ended during the re-
cess of Congress, and the President dele
gated certain parties in the rebellious
States to organize State Governments,
and he would like to know where the
President derived that power?
Did the Constitution of the United
States invest the President of the United
States with legislative authority to make
laws for anybody? No mo- and cries
''you have got him." Where are these
parties charging usurpation, and claiming
to be especial defenders of the Constitu- |
ton ? Ask them to put their finger on /
the clause that authorizes the President /
of the United States to organize govern (
ments anywhere. l do not complain of
his action. l should be willing that the .
people in any of these Iebellious States,
without any assistance from the Presi-
dent of the United States, or anybody
else-yea, l should be rejoiced if the pee
pie in any of the rebelhous States would
manifest their loyalty and devotion to
.he Union, set up State Government in
harmony with the Constitution of the
United States, and send us loyal men to
Congress. Applause. l would gladly
Welcome to seats the loyal men they sent.
Renewed applause. Therefore l have
10 complaint to make, because the Pres
dent of the United States, as loyal cit
zen, encouraged them to do this. 1t was
III right and proper, but when you talk
bout constitutional authority, l have to
ay he had no more than one of you, ex-
,epting he was in a position to exercise
rfater influence. That's so. He is the
| presume every one of you
would have lent your aid and assistance
o any loyal organization anywhere. Be-
ore Congress assembled, in several of
hese States organizations had been inaug-
lrated. On the first Monday of Decem-
,er Congress assembled, and the question
hen arose as to whether we should rec !
'gnize these State organizations and re-
.eive members from the hitherto disloyal ;
states. Was it proper for your represen-
atiVes to inquire into the charter of these
which have been set up or
lot? Cries of ''Yes, yes," and applause
We're we to receive new members to leg
slate for you and this country without
nquiring who sent them? No. no. II
suppose that the Common Council in the {
jity of Charleston had got together,
,alled itself Legislature, and selected
wo persons to represent the State of '
south Carolina in the Senate of the Uni. {
ed States, when they came where they
we're to be received. if they could take !
he oath, without inquiring who sent
hem? Why Must we not know that
here was State organization, and a Leg
stature with authority to elect them p
senators can only be elected under the |
Constitution by the Legislature, and {
nnsI we not adopt some means to ascer-
ain whether there be a Legislature p I
Yes Yes Congress did that. 1t has t
,een blamed because it acted so precipi-
ately; but the very first day of the ses- /
ion, think, or within a day or two af- q
er. resolution was offered in the House G
f Representatives to raise joint COM '
nittee for the purpose of inquiring into I
he condition of those rebellious States '
hat resolution came to the Senate. Af- I
er some days it was concurred in. A S
committee was appointed but it took :
ONE time to do this. The committee /
id not organize so as to 90 to work be- G
0re about Christmas-perhaps not until @
fter the holidays. l am not a member
that committee, but understand that t
. has been taking testimony-examining e
illnesses as to the State organizations in I
ennessee, in Arkansas, in Louisiana, {
lississippi, Georgia, Alabama, South C
arolina, North Carolina, Virginia, Flori- n
a-eleven States. They have had Gen. P
homas, Gen. Grant, and even the rebel "
en-. Lee loud hissesl before them, to n
scertain the facts in regard to the organ )
.ations. They have examined witnesses 5
ON all sources. sought information y
herever they could get it. We intro t
uced in the Senate of the United States, b
r some member of that body did, early Il
/ the session, resolution calling upon o
le President to furnish Congress with n
i the evidence in his possession in re, Il
ard to these State organizations, asking II
IT copy of all the orders and instruc- G
ons he had given in regard to organi- n
ng governments in thereoellious States, :
nd the resolution has not been answered u
} this day. A voice" He was afraid II
lie facts would prevent him from carry
ig out his treacherous purposes
Now, this committee is at work, labori II