Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1866-04-27

members. It is for each House tC
settle that question under the Consti
tuition and under the solemn sanction
of an oath, and can we believe that
either House would admit any mem
Der into its body to participate in the
legislation of the country who was not
qualified and fit to sit in that body and
participate in its proceedings. They
have the power; not the two Houses
but each House for itself. The Con
stitution further declares that n c
State shall be deprived of its equal
suffrage in the Senate of the United
States without its consent. Their
where do we stand? All that is need
ed to finish the great work of recon
struction is for the two Houses re-
spectively to determine the question
Oh, but some one will say, a traitor
might come in. The answer to that
is, that each House must be the Judge
and if traitor presents himself, can.
not either House know that he is a
traitor? (Applause. and if he is a
traitor can they not kick him out Of
the door and send him back, saying
to the people who sent him, "You must
send US loyal man ?" CHEERS, and
a voice, That's Logically Is there
any difficulty about that? Ono, no, y
and cheers.)
If traitor presents himself to eth
er House cannot that House say to
him, mo, you cannot be admitted in
to this body, 60 back; we will not
deny your people the right of repre-
sentatiOn, but they must send loyal
representative" (Cheers.) And when
the States do send loyal representa-
tiveS, can you have any better evi-
dence of their fidelity to the Constitu-
tion and the laws? There is no one
learned in the Constitution and the
laws who will say that if a traitor
happens to get into Congress that body
cannot expel him after he gets in
That makes assurance doubly sure,
and conforms the action Of the gov
ernmeut to the Constitution of our
fathers. Hence, | say, let US stand
by that Constitution, and in standing
by it the covenant will be preserved.
While have been cOntending agains ST
traitors and treason, and secession
and the dissolution of the Union, |
have been contending at the same time
against the consolidation Of power
here. (Cries of good.
| think the consolidation of power
here is equally dangerous with the
separation Of the States. (Cheers. J
The one fetters rs, and might run US
into anarchy, while the other would
cOncencentrate and eventuate in mon
archy. (CheerS, and cries of Cant
do it.")
Oh, but there is an idea abroad that
one man can be despot, that one
man can be usurper, but that hun
dred or two men cannot. Mr.. Jeffer.
son, the apostle of liberty, tells us
and so does common sense-that tyr
amy and despotiSm can be exercised
by many, more vigorously, more Wig
orously and more tyranically than by
one. What power has your Presi
dent to be a tyrant? What can he
do? What can he originate Why
they say he exercises the veto power
(laughter). What is the veto power;
A voice, ITO put down the niggers.
Who is your President Several
voices, ANDY Johnson,") Is he not
elected by the people through the
electoral college? The President i,
nothing more than the tribune of the
people. His Office is tribunal in its
character. In olden times when the
tribunes were first elected in the Ro
man Republic they stood at the dool
of the Roman Senate, which was ther
encroaching on the peoples rights anC
putting the heel ofpower on the neckS
of the people. The people choose ;
tribune and placed him at the door
Of the Senate, so that when that body
ventured an oppressive act he wa:
clothed with the power to say Veto
i forbid Your President now i;
the tribune of the people. | thanl
God | am, and intend to assert th'
power the people have placed in me
! (Cheers.) Your President, standing
here day after day, and dischargins
his duty, is like a horse on a tread
wheel, and because he dares to diffel
in opinion in regard to public meas
ures he must be denouced as a usurp
er and tyrant. Can he originate
anything under the veto power?
think the veto power is conservativ,
in its character. All that can b.
done by the veto power is to say whel
legislation is improper, hasty, unwise
unconstitutional. Stop action; wal
till it can be submitted to the people
and let them consider whether it i
right or wrong. (Applause.) Tha
is all there is in it. Hence, l sa
that tyranny and power can be exeI
cised somewhere else than by the ES
ecutive. He is powerless. All tina
he can do is to check legislation--t
hold in a state of abeyance till til
people can consider and understan,
what is being done. Then what ha
been done? | have done what | bt
lieved the Constitution required IN
} to do. (Applause.) | have don
what believed duty and conscienc
required m me to do. (Cheers.) 5
believing, l intend to stick to my pos
: ton; relying on the judgment, the il
5 tegrity, and the intelligence of tn
} masses of the American people, I'll
i soldiers and sailors especially
e Cheers.) Then for my life | cannt
t see where there is any tyranny. 1t
n very easy to impugn motives and mi
e represent the purest and best acts
n mans life. If you come forwar
q and prOpOso q certain thing. yOur m