Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1866-03-08

Mr.. Speaker, l do not intend to dis
cuss this question at any length. The
time of the House has been very profita-
bly, occupied in its discussion for sew
eral DAYS, and have no idea that any
arguments that / may advance, or any
views that / may submit, will alter the
mind or vote of any gentleman upon
the floor. But, sir, great responsibilities
rest upon the members of the present
Congress. We are not writing history,
which is more difficult still. Phe foot
prints Of this Congress will be upon the
rocks OF the mountains. National and
political commissions may ensue; repub
lies may rise and fall saystems Of gov
eminent may be erected and destroyed;
but never SO long as the earth rolls, will
the footprints which this Congress
makes be eradicated from history.
Sir, there has never been day since
the foundation of this government
when all the candor, and calmness, the
elaboration, the foresight, the wisdom
of Congress has been so imperatively
demanded as now. Our fathers launched
forth upon an unknown sea in a ship of
state made without a model, and
doubtless anticipated that during the
voyage tempests might arise which
would test the strength of the ship and
develop it's weakness, If any existed,
and that repairs might become neces-
sary. For many years propitious winds
filed her sails. Breakers and the lee
shore never seriously threatened her ;
the waves never rose high enough to
hos I'D from 10 Nil hn
only false and rotten plank that COW
cred her sides. But In the providence
of God the tempest has come, and the
| rotten plank has been wrenched from it's
place the old ship trembled from her
rudder to her bowsprit, but, thank God,
| she rode out the storm, and now she
needs, in my judgment, some slight re-
pairs. The plank Of slavery is to be re-
| placed by the plank of freedom. We
| are told that now is not the time to
| make repairs; that we are not calm
enough to do it; that we are surround
| ed by influences which have excited our
passions; that the disappointment
which has come upon the majority OF
this House has unsettled the calmness
of their reason and rendered it impossi-
BILE for them to give the deliberation
which the greatness Of this subject de-
mands. Sir, general in time of war
| and danger is calmest and bravest; the
sailor may rest in the calm, but when
the storm comes and breakers are ahead
every man must be at his post. The
ship must be saved, though here and
there sailor loses his life.
To meet the present condition OF
things great number of amendments
have been proposed to the Constitution,
Many of them, in my judgment, are i'm
| proper, and most of them entirely use-
less. And here permit me TO say, that
| when an amendment to the Constitution
| is proposed, it should receive the candid,
| careful, cautious, and thoughtful inves.
tigstion of the House. Free, full and
| fair debate should be allowed. The
lash of the previous question should
rarely be applied. 1t is somewhat dan
gerous ever TO NEEDLE with the great
chart of our liberties. The more we
tamper with ii the less sacred 1t seems
70 be, and no amendment should be en-
tertained unless under the present con-
dition of the country condition
which our fathers never anticipated or
provided against-it is imperatively de-
| manded.
Now, have as much reverence for
the old Constitution as the gentleman
from New York, (Mr. Hale,) l have as
much confidence in it as he can have; !
am as thankful as he is that it has here
tofore withstood all the attacks that
have been made upon 1t, that it has car
ried us through two foreign wars with
safety, and that in all respects it has pro-