Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1866-02-20

lost all confidence In each other.
The spirit Of the Government can only be pre-
served, we can only become prosperous and
great as a people, by mutual forbearance and
confidence. Upon that faith and that confidence
alone can the Government be successfully car
ried on.
On the cardinal principle Of representation to
which you refer, will make single remark
That principle is inherent; it constitutes one of
the fundamental elements of the Government.
The representatives of the States and of the
people should have the qualifications prescribed
by the Constitution of the United States, and
those qualifications most anquestaonably imply
loyalty. He who comes as representative,
having the qualifications prescribed by the Con-
stltution to tit him to take a seat in either of
the deliberative bodies, which constitute the
National Legislature, must necessarily, accord
ing to the mtendment of the Constitution, be q
loyal man, willing to abide by and be devoted
to, the Union and the Constitution of the States.
He cannot be for the Constitution he cannot
be for the Union, he cannot acknowledge obe-
dlence to all the laws, unless he is loyal. When
the people send such men in good faith, they
are entitled to representation through them.
In going into the recent rebellion, or insur
rection, against the Government of the United
States, we erred; and in returning and resu-
ming our relations with the Federal Govern
ment, | am free to say that all the responsible
positions and places ought to be confined dis
tinctly and clearly to men who are loyal If
there were only five thousand loyal men in
State or less number, but sufficient to take
charge of the political machinery of the State,
those five thousand men, OR the lesser number,
are entitled to it, if all the rest should be other
wise inclined | look upon it as being funda-
mental, that the exercise Of political power
should be confined to loyal men; and [ regard
hot IN tbo loiJ Jox,
these resolutions, and in the eloquent address
by which they have been accompanied. may
say, furthermore, that, after having passed
through the great struggle In which we have
been engaged, we should be placed upon much
more acceptable ground in resuming all our re-
lations to the General Government, if we pre-
sented men unmistakably and unquestionably
loyal to fill the places Of power. This being
done, feel that the day is not Distant speak
confdingy in reference to the great mass Of the
American people-when they will determine
that this Union shall be made whole, and the
great right of representation In the councils Of
the nation be acknowledged
Gentlemen, that is fundamental principle.
No taxation without representation was one
OF the principles which carried US through the
Revolution. This great principle will hold good
yet and if we but perform cur duty if we but
comply with the spirit of the resolutions pre-
sented to me to-day, the American people will
maintain and sustain the great doctrines upon
which the Government was inaugurated. 1t
can be done, and it will be done and [ think
that if the effort be fairly and fully made with
forbearance and with prudence, and with dis
cretion and wisdom the end Is not very far dis
tant.
1t seems to me apparent that from every con-
slderation the best policy which could be adop-
ted at present would be a restoration OF these
States and Of the Government upon correct
principles We have some foreign difficulties,
but the moment it can be announced that the
Union OF the States is again complete, that we
have resumed our career of prosperity and great
ness at that very instant, almost, all our fOr-
eign difficulties will be settled, for there is no
Power upon the earth which will care to have a
controversy Or a rupture with the Government
Of the United States under such circumstances.
If these States be fully restored, the area for
the circulation of the national currency, which
is thought by some to be inflated to a very great
extent, will be enlarged; the number of persons
through whose hands it is to pass will be In
creased, the quantity OF commerce In which it
is to be employed as medium of exchange will
be enlarged; and then it will begin to approx
innate, what we all desire, a specie Standard:
1t all the States were restored, If peace and Or
der reigned throughout the land, and all the in
dustrial pursuits, all the ayocations of peace
were again resumed, the day would not be very
far distant when we could put into the commerce
Of the world two hundred and fifty or three
hundred million dollars worth of cotton and to-
bacco, and the various products of the Southern
States, which would constitute in part basis
of this currency
Then, instead of the cone being inverted, we
should reverse the position and put the base at
the bottom, as it ought to be; and the curren-
cy Of the country will rest on a sound and endu-
ring basis; and surely that is result which is
calculated to promote the interests not only Of
one section, but of the whole country, from one
extremity to the other. Indeed, [ look upon
the restoration of these States as being indis-
pensable to all our greatness.
Gentlemen, [ know nothing further that [
could say in the expression of my feelings on
this occatlon-and they are not affected-more
than to add that [ shall continue in the same
line Of policy which [ have pursued from the
commencement of the rebellion to the present
period. My efforts have been to preserve the
Union Of the States. [ never, for single mo-
ment, entertained the opinion that a State could
withdraw from the Union of its own will. That
attempt was made. 1t has failed. [ continue
to pursue the same line of policy which has been
my constant guide was against dissolution
Dissolution was attempted-it has failed -and
now [ cannot take the position that State
which attempted to secede is out of the Union,
when [ contended all the time that it could not
go out, and that it never has been out. I can
not be forced into that position. Hence, when
the States and their people shall have complied
with the requirements Of the Government,
shall be in favor Of their resuming their former
relations to this Government in all respects
do not intend to say anything personal, but
you know as well as | do that at the beginning,
and Ipdnad hnfora the hnpInnInr nf the recent
gigantic struggle between the different sections
of the country, there were extreme men South,
and there were extreme men North [ might
make use of homely figure (which is some
times as good as any other, even in the illustra-
tions of great and important questions, and say
that it has been hammer at one end of the line
and anvil at the other; and this great Govern
ment, the best the world ever saw, was kept
upon the anvil and hammered before the re-
bell;on, and it has been hammered since the re-
bellion; and there seems to be a disposition to
continun the hammernO until the Government