Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1866-03-26
NUMBER 229

ing. We don't come here to 90 back into
the records of the past, or delye ont mustyp
papers which have laid on shelves or In I,
boxes for the last ten years; we come TO
speak on the issues Of the day, and espe4
cially the one, great, paramount, tTanscen-h
dant question: Which is right, the Presi-.
dentor Congress? 1t Is tn this practical
result, which is to be decided at your ap-d
preaching election, to which ask your at
tention. The sum and substance ofyOur
re oluti0ns Is therein recorded. You can
read our platform clearly, johnson and
English" And English, why? Because
he rer resents the policy of Andrew john
son; because he does that without any war
vering or doubt; because the principle upTf
on which he stands is unreservedly.,
and unqualifedly in favor OF the
policy of the President. Now, as tliisd
issue thus presents itself to the people,
can there be any who are willing to
take the doubtful side; who are willing In
this cr.sis of the country to take any side
which shall leave the minds of men In doubt
whether they are sustaining by their votes,
the President or CoDgressY When the rebel
States laid down their arms, It seemed TO
the President as it seems to me that they
did so in good faith. and that there wasnOJ
sneakng hostility against the Union SOL
diers. They came back in manful and
manly spirit, saying. I'VE desire TO come
back and have our relations to the FL deral
Union restored; we desire now to have
peace, that we may recuperate our fallenl
fortunes; we desire again to he represented
in Congress" The President with open
arms welcomed these returning prodigals,,,
aud said he was glad to rtceive them back
at the family table. But Congress was not
ready. Congress said, Stay but awhile;
you must wait until We examine into your
condition we must see il you are ready TO
give us sufficient guarantees for the future:
we must send our spies and informers down
South and see what testimony they will
bring back" 1t is clear to every man with
judgment 81 at the policy Of the PresideI t
would Immediately have restored harmony
throughout the Union, have re-es tablished
business in the South and business relations
between the South and the North, and that
it would very speedily have cured the
wounds Of war; But what viii be the con-
ditOn of the country, If the other policy
should be continued? Why, the very Gem
tral Directory published tO the world the
testimony of some of their spies to the
effect that the Southern men are not so loyal
to-day as they were at the close of the war.
Applause Is there anything wonderful
IN that? When will they be more loyal
than they are to-day under the system Of
despotism which Congress Is imposing up
on them? In the words of that old Meth
odist hymn,
IF they wait till they are better, ..
They will never come at ALL"
But we will not now talk of the eXpedi-
ency, but the legality. the cOnstitutioDality,
of the plan suggested by Congress. Are
those States in the Union or out of the
Union? The President and the people say
they are in the Union, that they have all
the rights of States-Of any States in the
ITt,in fInfN Nl..Nv lnef fIa.N NoF.ly
OF States. Then, since the Cons tuition says
that each State shall have Representative
in Congress, and be entitled to send two
members to the Senate, and that no State,
| without its own consent, shall be deprived
OF its equal suffrage in the Senate, how can 3
admission be denied them legally? Con-
gress might properly examine the creden-
| tials of the members demanding admission,
but If those credentials were correct they
| could not refuse to accept them. This,
however, is just what they have done
| They have trampled under foot the instru-
ment from which they derive all their au-
thOrity. 1t now becomes fair question to
| be put, whether that Congress can pass
single valid act. In my judgment, 10 act
that they pass is of any binding force what
ever, for they themselves derive their
power from a Constitution which they have
trampled in the dust. [Applause.l Besides
| lne question OF Jle representation OF JDe
| Southern States in Congress, there is another
issue between the President and the present
COngress-the Freedmens Bureau bill. Let
no man say that this difference is trifling.
Never between any political parties has
| there been chance even Of such differ
ence as this. Congress on one hand has
| passed bill which entirely subverts all the
| principles of free government. The Presi-
dent OF the United States has had the sa-
gacity and also the magnanimity to put his
veto upon that measure, and thereby he
has become, more than any other man in
my Judgment the savior of his county,
[Applause ] Mr.. Thayer here entered into
Il detailed explanation OF the nature and
probable effects of this obnoxious bill. He
concluded by saying the question before
you is simply this: shall this despotic ac-
tion of Congress be sustained, or shall our
heroic President, who has been found al
ways faithful to the people and faithful to 9
the country, shall he learn from the men of
Connecticut that the new grand political
era has already begun which shall secure
to every American citizen, and to every
State Of the American republic, the privi-
leges guaranteed by the Constitution OF our
fathers? [Applausel ...... ....
The meeting then closed with three
loud, unanimous cheers for the President
and his faithful adherent, James E. En-
glish. fa-e