The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1866-03-02

nlng OF the struggle, that any State had
the right to 60 out; you said that they
had neither the right nor power. The is
sue has been made, and it has been settled
that State bias neither the right nor the
power to 60 cut OF the Union and when
you bave settled that by the executive
aud military power of the Government,
and by the public judgment, you turn
round and assume that they are out, and
shall not come in. 1 am free to tell you,
as your Executive, that am DOT prepared
to take any such position. 1 said to the
Senate, in the very inception of the rebel
lion, that the States had no right to go
out, and that they he'd no power to 70 out.
That question has been settled, and can
not 60 round now and give the direct lie to
all | profess to have done in the last five
years. can do no such thing. Isay,when
they comply with the onstiiutionEwhcn
they have given sufficient evidence Of 10y
atty, and that they can be trusted-whcn
they yield obedience to the law, say,
extend to them the right hand of fellow
ship and let peace and union be restored
x *
| stand for the Constitution, where 1
placed my feet from my entrance into
public life. They may traduce me-
They may Islander me. They may inter-
pera'e, but let me say to you, that it has
no effect upon me.
And let me say in addition, that I do
not intend to be bullied by my enemies
* = X
have occupied all positions under this
Government, beginning with an alderman,
and running through all branches Of the
Legislature. Some gentleman says have
been tailor. Now that did not discom
fort me in the least, for when I used to
be tailor had the reputation of being
good one, and Of making close fits. Al.
ways puuctual with my customers, and al
ways did good work. A voice in o
patch-work."] No, 1 don't want any
Ipatcbwork-I want whole suit. But
we will pass by this little Righteousness.
| My friends may say: You arc Presi.
dent You must not talk about such
things. When principles are involved,
my countrymcn, when the existence of
my couatry even is imperilled, I will act
as l have on former occasions, and speak
what l think. I was saying that ( had
held neatly all positions, from Alderman,
through both branches Of Congress, to that
which | now occupy, and who is there
that will say that Andrew johnson ever
made pledge that he did not redeem, or
made promise he did not ful6l2 Wac
will say that be has ever acted otherwise
than in fidelity to the grea: mass of the
people?
*.
In the Constitution of the country
even that portion of it which provides for
the amendments of tho organic law-says
that no State, without its consent, shall
be deprived of its representation in the
Senate. And now what do we end p
We find the position taken that States
Shall not he represented; that We may i'm.
pose taxes-that we may send our tax
gatherers to every region and portion of
State-that the people are to be oppressed
with taxes, but when they come here to
participate in the Legislation of the coun-
try, they arc met at the door and told,
No. You must pay your taxes. You
must bear the burdens of the Government
but you mnst not participate in the legis-
lation Of the country, which is to affect
you through all time.
Is this just? Then say let US admit
into the councils OF the nation these who
are Enthusiastically and unquestionaby 10y.
ai-tbose men who acknowledge their al
lcgiance and swear TO support the Consti-
tion. II is all embraced in that.
X
know some do not attach SO much
importance to this principle as l do, bu,
one principle we carried through the
Revolution was, that there should be no
taxation without representation. hold
to that principle as laid down in iunda.
mental law by our Fathers. If it was
good then it is now. If it was rule to
stand by then it is the rule to stand by
now. 1t is fundamental principle that
should be adhered too as long as free
government lasts. know that 1t was
said by some during the rebellion that
our Constitution had been rolled up as a
piece of parchment and laid away. That
in the time of war and rebellion there was
no Constitution. Well, we know that
sometimes, from The very great necessity
of the case, from great emergency, that
we must do unconstitutional things in
order to preserve the Constitution itself.
But if, while the rebellion was going on,
the Constitution was rolled up as parch-
ment if it was violated in some particu-
lars to save the Government, there may
have been some excuse to justify it. But
now that peace has COM, now that the
war is over, and say that the time has
come to take the Constitution down, I'M
roll it, re-read it and understand It's pro-
visions. Now, if you have saved the
Government by violating the Cons'tu-
ton in time of war, you can only save it
in peace by preserving the Constitution
and the only way to perserve it is by
strict adherence to the Constitution of