The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-09-18
y1NG TE1RGRAPH-pHnAD TUESDAY sEPTRMB 1a 1866


Washington himself has declared 70 be the result
OF spirit Of amity, and of mutual Difference and
g. That the faith of the Republic Is pledged TO
the payment of the national debt, and that Con-
gress snould pass all laws necessary to ehect that
4: That this Government was made by white men,
ana should be administered in all its departments by
tne race tnat made II; that negroes nave no rght
either IN the jury.box or at the box but tnat
freedom Of person, protection Of life and limb, and
equally to both races
8. That the nation owes to the brave men of our
army and navy debt of lasting gratitude tor their
heroic services in defense of the Constitution ADD
the Union, and that while we cherish with tender
affection the memories of the fallen we pledge to
their widows and orphans the nations care and pro-
lection.
Speech OF Judge Porter.
Hon. William A. Porter was the first speaker
He spoke as follows:-
1 wish to say few things, first OF the past and
then OF the present. l confess 1 look with much
satisfaction on the past OF the great mass Of
ferson to Jackson were ardent friends OF the Union
GeneIal jackson probably exercised more influence
man before or ~ ,ncs TSs SoctIins of bs
ton OF 1882, declaring that, come what might, the
Union never should be dissolved, and that force
must and should be used sufficient to put down any
attempt 70 dissolve It, made deep and lasting inn
preston on the hearts OF our fathers We learned
In 1861 this doctrine bore abundant fruit II was
beautiful sight to witness the response given, with
out any distinction of party to Mr. Lincolns call to
arms. HIS warmest opponents entered into a gene
rous contest with his firmest friends to see who
could do most in the defense of the Union of the
States. suppose the truth OF the fact never be
known, but have always thought that the Dem o.
crats of Pennsylvania furnished more soldiers in
that war than the Republicans of Pennsylvania did.
No man, think, viii pretend to say that we fur
nished lever: Indeed, the enthusiasm was so great
in favor of the flag and the Constitution and the
country that all party distinctions dropped by
common consent
would not now occupy theproud emnence of having
sent to this war more men than any other State If
it had not been for the blood split and the treasures
poured out during TINS war by men who had been
all their lives opposed to the Republican organza-
ton, could have achieved our great triumph
over the arms OF the South say, therefore, my
Democratic fellowcitizens very plainly, that look
back with satisfaction on the part which we took in
During this eYentful period the great mass of the
Democratic party undertook the performance of
another duty lust as important and that was the
defense OF the Constitution from attacks by North.
ern hands. The ohense OF the South had consisted
simply violating the Constitution by throwing off
allegiance to It, We maintained that the North mad
Just little right to violate it and tnat if the South
were TO be brought back 1t must be to a whole Con-
stitution, ana not to broken one. Every officer OF
the Federal Government had taken an oath co sup
port that great instrument in all its parts, and
held that ne had just as little right to violate it tor
any purpose whatever as juror OF witness has to
violate his oath for the accomplishment OF any per-
sonal benefit. This was difficult position to NAM
tain during time OF so much popular excitement.
Coarse and vulgar minds could not appreciate it,
and bad men would not. The keys of Fort Lafayette
turned smoothly TO those on the outside
Military commissions were found more eficacious
in taking human life than courts and juries, and
the aDtiquated and troublesome principles of iuris-
prudence. Those " no had their arms IN the puOc
treasury up to The shouder-olnts found it conve-
nent to divert public attention from themselves by
exciting suspicious against others. 1t easy
thing to excite the spirit OF mob violence against
those who denounced these irauds-tae grossest,
perhaps, which were ever practIsed among civilized
men. 1t was an easy thing for the pastor of
church, whose flock were re joc ng in the pastures
OF large contracts to forget those benign doctrines
of charity forbearance, and goodwin TO men set
forth IN his commission, and to urge the duty of
social proscrpuon against pure, honorable, and
patriotic men, whose only Ofense it to differ
with him in respect to the mode OF putting down
the Rebellion
gion disse mnatIng Tor years doctrines which would
have prevented the Rebellion altogether and when
the catastrophe came praying as fervently and la.
boring as faithfully tor the of army If
their lives depended upon the issue ;zand yet we
have heard such men denounced as dsafected, sim
ply because they could not believe the destruction
OF our own Constitution the best way OF restoring
the Union. In many Instances the Bench afforded
examples of Roman fImness in the discharge OF Its
high duties. Judges who had spent their lives
in the study of constitutional law-ardenty at
tached to the Union, and firmly determined on its
Iestoration-did not hesitate, in defiance OF all
popular clamor, to say that no power but Congress
power existed, IN that body, to make anything
but coin legal tender for debt; and that the power
raj 1oyernment acting through the agency of the
States. think the time is coming when our children
| will look back on achievements like these as the
tions, echpsed, certainly, in splendor but not out
done in merit, by the exploits OF Grant and Sher-
| man. for both were essential to the permanent es-
| tablishment of our national unity.
The war being over, new duties have arisen, and
OF these wish to say word. Here again the De-
mocl attic party has announced policy just as de-
finite IN its purpose. We say to the Southern people
| this With cause or without-no matter which, on
have injured US, and injured us deeply; You have
aimed fatal blow at the very life OF our Constltu
| ton, but aimed it unsuccessuy; you have spilled
| much of our best blood; you have placed on your
selves ana us the burden OF debt which will be
felt by millions yet unborn and for all these acts
| the revenge propose to take Is to pardon them.
The doctrine OF the forgiveness OF injuries Is the
sublimest idea the human intellect ever caught, and
it is very improbable that the human intellect,
aided, would have caught it. The highest power
a man ever exercises himself is the forgiveness
of premeditated personal wr0ng; and thus 1t be-
ruleth his spirit is grea er than he who aketh city
To this thought the ancient philosophers were stran
gers for though they appreciated ana sometimes e
| insist on 1t as law Of human life. Into Mr.. Sum-
ners collection of quotations II seems never to have
found its way and consequently in the narrow intel
lect OF that person 1t seems to have maze no lodg-
menJ
When MIR Stevens said on the floor of Congress
I that he would shut up the Southern people IN the
penentiary of hell, and surround IL with baYones,
he displayed his utter incapacty even to understand
the great and generous thought with which the heart
| OF the American people is throDDlng. Indeed the
| idea which this nation though writhing under It's
| wounds and covering its lace with sorrow, Is now
endeavorng to express to the South is so large that
standing to it do we cannot take in It's
| full dimensions When read IN history, " VIII, 1
think be regarded as one OF the grandest thoughts
| to be found in all the records of human progress
| The radical Republican members OF the present
| Congress have said the southern people nave TOT.
feed their political rights they are practically Out
Of the Union and they shall have no ~
| has said they never were never can, ana never
shall be out OF the Union, and, being In, they shall
y fne F6 If eSsy S5eT T There
some smaller matters in issue, but this Is the