Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1866-04-20

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and snarling. at my heels. but ] hee
them not [ Cheers, The America
people-citizens, soldiers and sailor
know that from my advent into publ
life to the present moment, Ihave Away
stood, unwaveringly, the advocate an
defender of their rights and interest
IICheers. We are now in the nation
| third ordeal-we are not yet through
We denied that States could 60 out of tn
Union; we denied the doctrine of sece:
sion, and we have demonstrated that W
were right; we demonstrated it by tn
strong arm. Yes, the soldiers and tn
sailors-God bless them-have demon
strated by their patriotism and stron
arms, that States have not the power t
leave the Union. Applause. The Con
federate armies werei overpowered an,
disbanded, and there was willingness
on the part of the people of those State
to come back in obedience to the law
and acknowledge the supremacy OF thu
Constitution of our fathers. For wha
have we passed through this ordeal? l
was to prove the principle that no State
had the power to break up the Govern
ment. 1t was to put down rebellion;
The rebe elton has been put down, and
for what? Was it to destroy the Statesi
Verify, never. For what has all these
lives been sacrificed, and all this treasure
expended? Was il for the purpose OF
destroying the States2 No. 1t was for
the purpose of preserving the union OF
the States. That is what we have been
contending for, and TO establish the fact
that the nation can lift its own head above
and beyond internal wars, and treason
and traitors at home.
When the rebellion in Massachusetts,
was put down, did that put Massachu-
sets out of the Union and destroy the
State? When the rebellion in Pennsyl-
yania was put down, did that destroy the
State and put it out of the Union So
when the great rebellion was put down,
and the Constitution and laws of the
country restored, the States engaged in
rebellion being crushed, the law restored
and the Constitution acknowledged in
them, they stood in the Union under the
Constitution a portion of these glorious
bright galaxy of States In passing
through this ordeal, which was begun
in them under the direction of my la
mented predecessor, we commenced the
work Of reform. We succeeded, before i
came here, in restoring the relations
which had existed between Tennessee
and the rest of the Union, with one ex-
ception--the restoration of representa-
ton | came to Washington, and, under
extraordinary circumstances, succeeded
TO the Presidential chair The Congress
of the United States had adjourned
without prescribing any plan. | then
proceeded, as | had done in my own
State, in reconstructing the Govern
ment, to, restore the other States-and
how did we begin? We found that the
people had no courts, and we said to the
Judges, District Attorneys and Mar
shals, 60 down and hold your courts, the
people need the tribunals of justice TO be
opened Was there anything wrong in
that The courts were opened, and
what else2 We looked out and saw that
the people down there had no mails, they
had been interrupted and cut off by the
operations of the rebellion We said to
the Postmaster General, let the people
have facilities for mails, and let them
begin to understand that we all feel
that we are one people We looked out
again and saw that there was blockade
We said open the doors Of the custom
houses and remove the blockade, aud let
the pursuits of peace go on. 1t was
done We thus travelled on, step by step,
opening the custom-houses, appointing
collectors, establishing mail facilities,
and restoring all the railroads that had
been interrupted by the rebel lion. Was
there anything undertaken 10 be done
here that was not authorized by the
and that was not justified |
BY the great necessity of the case, that |
has not been clearly consistent with the |
and with the general spirit |
If our Government Cheers.
What remained to be done? One other
hing remained to show the civilized |
world that we had passed successfully |
through the tried ordeal of our national
existence, and proved that our Govern
nent was popular A great principle
vas to be restored, which was established |
n our revolution, when our fathers were
against the power of Great
Britain. What was one Of the principal
,auses of their complaint? 1t was that
hey we're denied representation. They
complained of taxation without repre-
[Cheers. One of the great
principles laid down by our fathers, and
which fred their hearts, was that there
hould be no taxation without represen-
alton. How, then, does the matter
tand? Who has been defending the OPP
ration of the Constitution What now
emains 70 be done to complete the resto-
alton of these States to all their former
Citations under the Federal Government,
nd TO finish the great ordeal through
Thich we have been passing? II is. To
Omit representation. [Cheers When
re say admit representation, what do we
mean? We simply mean representation
n the constitutional, and law and order
esse, which was united at the beginning
( the Government. The Constitution
eclares, in express terms, that the Sem
tie and House Of Representatives, each
citing for itself, shall be the Judge Of the
eturns Of elections and the qualifications
f its own members. tits for each House
settie that questlou huueT tue NOn5i-
ution, and under the solemn sanction of
n oath. Can we believe that either House
7ould admit any member into its body
o participate 10 the legislation of the
country who has not been qualified
they have the power, not the two
Ieuses, but each House for itself The
Constitution further declares that no
,tate shall be deprived OF its eoual suf |
rage in the Senate Of the United States
Tithout its consent Where do we stand2
III that we have need Of is to finish the
reat work of restoration-for the two
Houses respectively TO decide the ques-
ion Oh, but some one will say, trail
or might come in The answer to that
5, that each House must be the Judge
G I. nnI &c a trnitnr r,rnanntr L;rnrolr 1