The New era. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1865-1871, 1866-03-01

ne Union ana the preservation of ~
government, In its original purify %
character, let it be she'd, but when i y
shed let an altar to the Union be eroa l. Is
and then il ii is necessary take mo eO e
lay me on it, and the blood that lT," ana
and animates my existence shall ms !,
poureduNut as Il fit Iibation t. p9e
Onioh,of these States. Great a,}pla, ne
But let the opponents Of this Gr,, use.
ment remember that when it is n yHeIn,
out " the blood Of the martyrs Vii rHiuqiG ca
the seed of the CHURCH, [Asplavlsaa ! pc
v; Gentlemen, this Union VA grow II
VIII continue to increase III strength amy
power power, though it may b'- temented .'',G
G Id.aa with blood / have taI i''d
t tbnSIi now thah | intended. Let mo
n ,iae''iN soq 4 Tor inc honor you have don ,e
l lar. 20 ~ IA as this Government is con-
er1nea, - lel he say another word in ref
t,,t;o,e " ehe amendment to the Const;.
' ro.1Jn OF the United States. When
Nv .ied Washington for the purpose Of
ing inaugurated as Vice President Of
the United States, | had a conVersation
with Mr.. Lincoln. We were talLinm
about the condition Of affairs, and IL
reference to matters in my own State,
said that we had called a Convention
amended the Constitution by abolishius
slavery in the State-a statement ems
braced in his proclamation. An t thi.
met his appreciation and gave him en-.
couragement, and talking upon ON t tll,
amendment to the Constitution. hesaid.
When the amendment to the Consti.
tuition is adopted by three -fourths Of
the States, we shall have all, or pretty
near all, am in favor of in amendins
the Constitution, if there was one Other
adopted Said l." What is that. Mr.
President 90 Said he" have labored;
to preserve this Union; | have toilpd
four years | have been subjected to cal.
jimmy and Misrepresentation yet my
great desire has been to preserve the
Union Of these States intact under the
Constitution, as they were before.n-
But" said /, Mr.. President, what
amendment do you refer to?" He said
he !" thought there should be an amend.
ment added to the Constitution which
should compel all the States to send
their Senator's and Representative to
the Congress Of the United States. y
Yes, compel them. The iaea was in his
mind thatit was a part of the doctrine
OF secession to break up the Government
by States withdrawing their Senators
and Representatives from Congress, and
therefore he desired a constitutional
amendment to compel them to be sent.
How now does the matter .stando In
the Constitution Of the counAy-e even
that portion o1 It which provides for the
amendments OF the organic laW-savs
that 10 State, without its consent, shall
be deprived Of its representation in the
Senate. And now what do we find =
We 9nd the position taken that States
shall not be represented; that we may
impose ta4es-tllat We may send cur
tax gatherers 70 every region and por-
ten OF State-that the people are TO
be oppressed with taxes, but When they
come here to participate in the legisla-
ton Of the country they are met at the
door and told, Ne. Xou must pay your
taxes. Nou must bear the burdens of
the Government, bat you must not par
tieipate in the legislation Of the coun-
try, which is to affect you through all
time.
Is this .justo Cries Of" No;'' " No"
Then say let Us admit into the coun-
ellis OF the nation those who are unmis
men who acknowledge their allegiance
and swear to support the Constitution
Il is ali embraced in that The qualit
cation of an oath makes 10 difference if
a man is not loyal; but you may adopt
whatever test oath you choose to prove
their loyalty. That is q matter OF de-
tail Tor which | care nothing. Let him
be unquestionably loyal, owning his al
legianee to the Government and willing
to support it in its hour of peril, and, if
need be, am willing TO trust him.
l know some do not attach so much
importance to this principle as l do, but
one principle we carried through the
Revolution was, that there should be no
taxation without representation. | hold
to that principle as laid down in funda.
mental law by ouI Fathers. If it was
good then it is now. If it was a rule to
stand by then it is a rule to stand by
now. 1t is a fundamental principle that
should be adhered to as long as free gov
eminent lasts. | know that it was said
by some during the rebellion that our
Constitution had been rolled up as .
piece parchment and laid away. That
in the time of war and rebellion there
was no Constitution. Well, we know
that sometimes, from the very great ne
:essity Of the ease, from a great emer.
gency, that we must do unconstitutional
things in order 10 preserve the Constitu-
ton itself But If, while the rebellion
was going on, the Constitution was roll.
ed up as Il parchment; if it was violated
L.