The weekly North-Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 186?-1869, 1866-02-28

of assassins; but if it must be, would wish
to be encountered where one brave man
can oppose another. / hold him In dread
only who strikes cowardly But II they
have courage enough to strike Ike men, Il
know they are willing to wound, but they
are afraid to strike D if my blood is to be Z
shed because vindicate the Union and the
preservation of this Government in its orr
oinal n,,rity and character, let it be SO;
Int when it is done, let an altar fthe Union
he erected, and then, if necessary, lay me
mon it. and the blood that now warns and
onimates my frame shall be poured out in
n last libation as a tribute to the Union,
Tgreat cheering;] and let the opponents of
this Government remember that when it is
poured out, the blood of the martyr will be
the seed of the church. The Union will
grow. 1t will continue to increase in
strength and power, though it may be ce-
mented and cleansed with blood.
1 have talked longer, my countrymen, than
l intended With many acknowledg ments
for the honor you have done me, will say
one word in reference to the amendments to
the Constitution of the United States
Shortly after I reached Washington for the
purpose of being inaugurated Vice President,
had a conversation with Mr.. Lincoln. We
were talking about the condition of affairs,
and in reference to matters in my own State.
said we had called a convention and de-
manded a constitution abolishing slavery in
the State, which provision was not contain
ed in the Presidents proclamation. This met
with his appreciation and he gave me encou-
ragement. In talking upon the subject of
amendments to the Constitution, he said
"when the amendment to the Constitution
now proposed is adopted by three-fourths of
the States, / should be pretty nearly or quite
done as regards forming amendments to the
CONSTITUTIONAL there should be one other
adoption" asked what that other amend
ment suggested was, and he replied, /" have
labored to preserve this Union. l have toiled
four years. Ihave been subjected to calumny
and Misrepresentation, and my great and sole
desire has been to preserve these States intact
under the Constitution, as they were before
and there should be an amendment to the
Constitution which would compel the States
to send their Senators and Representatives to
the Congress of the United States He saw
as part of the doctrine of secession that the
States could, if they were prepared, Withdraw
their Senators and Representatives and he
of the amendment suggested. Even that
portion of the Constitution which differs
from other organic law says that no State
| shall be deprived of its representation. We
now find the position taken that States shall
not be recognized; that we will impose taxa
| ton; and where taxes are to be imposed the
\ Representatives elect from thence are met at
the door, and told: mo; you must pay
taxes, but you cannot participate in Gov
eminent which is to affect you for all time"
Is this ust9 Voices" No "No!"l We
see then where we are going. repeat that
am for the Union. am for preserving all
the States They may have erred but let us
admit those into the councils of the nation
who are Enthusiastically loyal. Let the man
who acknowledges allegiance to the Govern
ment, and swears tosupport the Constitution,
Che cannot do this in good faith unless he is
loyal; no application of the oath can make
any difference; it is mere detail, which l care
nothing about } let him be unquestionably
| loyal to the Constitution of the United States
| and its Government, and willing to support
| it in its peril, and l am willing to trust him.
| / know that some do not attach so much
importance to the principle as 1 do. One
! principle that carried us though the Revolu-
ton was, that there should be no taxation
without representation. l hold that that
principle which was laid down by our fathers
for the good of the nation then is important
to its good now If it was worth battling for
then it is worth battling for now. 1t should
be preserved so long as our Government
lasts. 1 know it was said by some
during the rebellion that the Constitution
| had been rolled up as piece of parchment,
and should be put away, and that in time of
rebellion there was no Constitution But it
is now unfolding it must now be read and
adjusted and understood by the American
| people.
l come here to-day to vindicate, in so far
as can in these remarks, the Constitution
to save it, as believe, for it does seem that
enroachment after enroachment is to be
pressed and as l resist enroachments on the
| Government, stand to-day prepared to re-
| sist enroachments on the Constitution, and
thereby preserve the government. 1t is now
| peace, and let us have peace. Let us enforce
the Constitution. Let us live under and by
| its provisions. Let it be published in bla-
zoned characters, as though it were in the
heavens, so that all may read and all may
understand it. Let us consult that instru-
ment, and, understanding its principles, let
US apply them. | tell the opponents or this
government, and / care not from what quar-
ter they come, East or West, North or South,
'you that are engaged in the work of break
ing up this Government are mistaken The
Constitution and the principles of free gov
eminent are deeply rooted in the American
heart" All the powers combined, l care
| not of what character they are, cannot.de-
stroy the image of Freedom. They may
succeed for time, but their attempt will be
futile. They may az well attempt to lock
up the winds or chain the waves. Yes, they
may as we'll attempt to repeal it, Gas it would
seem the Constitution can be,) bya concur
rent resolution ; but when it is submitted to
the popular judgment, they will find it Just
as well to introduce a resolution repeating
the law of gravitation, and the idea of pre-
venting the restoration of the Union is about
as feasible as resistance to the great law of
gravity, which binds all to a great common
centre This great law of gravitation will
bring back those States to harmony and
their relations to the Federal Government,
and all Vaccinations North and South can
not prevent it. fCheers. All that is want
ing is time, until the American people can
understand what's going on, and be ready to
accept the view just as it appears to me. 1
could wish to have an amphitheatre large
enough to contain the whole thirty mil
lions that they could be here and witness
the great struggle to preserve the Constitu-
ton of our fathers. They could at once see