Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1866-04-25

J |
Is there any difficulty about that !? ("No, no."
and cheers.) If traitor presents himself to
either House, cannot that House say to him,
''No, you cannot be admitted into this body.
Go back. We will not deny your people the
right of representation, but they must send
loyal representative" (Cheers.) And when
the States do send loyal representatives.. can
you have any better evidence of their fidelity
to the Constitution and the laws? There is
no learned in the Constitution and the laws
who will say that if a trai.cr happens to
get into Congress, that body cannot expel him
| after he gets in That makes assurance doubly /
sure, and conforms the action OF the govern
ment to the Constitution of our fathers. Hence,
| ! say, let US stand by that Constitution and, |
in Standing by it, the covenant will be pre-
| served. While have been contending against |
| traitors ana treason and secession and the dis
| solution of the Union, have been contendug |
| at the time against the consolidation OF
power here. (Cries of s'GoOd,") think the |
consolidation of power here Is equally danger |
Gus with the separation OF the ates. (Cheers.) |
The one would shater US and might ran into |
| anarchy, while the other would concentrate and |
eventuate in monarchy. (Cheers, and cries OF
Can, do it.o Oh, but there is an idea abroad |
that one man can be despot, that one man !
can be usurper but tina; a hundred or two
, hundred men cannot. M. Jefferson, the |
| apostle of liberty, tells us, and so does COM
mon sense, that tyranny and de-PotIsm can De
exercised by many more vigorously and tyran-
nicallg than by one. What power has your
| President to be tyrant What can he dc
What can he originate Why, they say he
exercises the veto power. (Lzushter )-l
What is the veto power "a voice, 10 put
down the niger" Laugnter)- Who is your
Presdeet ? Several voices, ANDY Johns on.'
Is be not elected by the people throughout the
electoral colleges The President is noihing
more than the tribune OF the people HIS
| office is tribunal in its character. In olden
times, when tribunes were first elected IN the
Roman Republic, they stood at the door Of
| the Roman Senate, which was then Overreach-
ing the popular rights and putting the nee
of power the necks of the people. n.
people chose Tribune aud placed him at tn
door of the Senate, that when that body
ventured an oppressive act he was ready with
power to say "veto, | forbid. cur Pres
dent now is the Tribune of the E,eople.
thank God | am, and | intend to assert the
power which the people have placed 10 me-
(rheers.) Your President, standing here
day after day and dischsrging MS duty, IS ike
horse on q tread wheel. and because he dares
differ in opinion in regard 10 puDhc measures,
| he must be denounced as a usurper and ty-
rant. Can he originate any !hing under the We
TO power p l think the veto power is conser
vative in it's character and affirmative. All
ludl can Dt UOUe UN lue NtlO po"cI 10 " say
when legislation is improper, hasty, unwise un-
constitutional, "Stop actlOn-Ealt uil this can
be submitted u the people, and lei them con-
sider whether it is right wrong. lAppause.)
That is all there Is in 1t, hence say that tyran-
ny aud power can be exercised somewhere
else than by the executive. He is powtrless.
Al that he do is to check legislation, to
hold it in state of abeyance till the people
can consider and understand what is being done
han hat has hoo III have dOrs.
what believed the Constitution required me
10 Go. (Appause.) | nave done what | be-
heved duty sn conscience required me TO do.
(Cheers.) So believing, L intend to stick to
my position, relying on the Judgment, the in
tegrlty, and the intelligence OF the masses "f
the American people, the soldiers aud sailors
expressly. (Cheers.) Then, Tor my life, |
cannot where there is any tyranny. IL Is
very easy TO impugn motives, and suspect the
purest and best acts of mau's life. If you
come forward anu propose certain thing,
your motives are suspected and Condemned.
And if you withhold your opinion you e
garded as beng opposed to the matter;
, that 1t is very hard TO move one way or the
other, SO far certain persons are concerned,
. on ali questions pertaining to the interests of
the great masses of the American people, for
10 them is my hope for the salvation OF the
country | am with you, citizens, soldiers and
sailors. Who has sacrificed or periied more
Khan the humble individual who addresses you
Has not my all been put on Tiny life, my
property thing sacred and dear TO men
has been staked upon 1t and L be
suspected of faltering at the close of this third
ordeal of the nation Where is he, in public
or private life, who has sacrificed more, or who
has devoted more of MS time and energies to
the accomplishment of this great end than
. And l have done it from the promptngs of
, my own heart and conscience. | believe Ii
D night. And with your hearts and your coun-
, tenances aud your encouragement, | shall go
through on that line, (Cneers and aughter.)
and when come TO talk about soldiers and
sailors, abOl this 10 be done, and t at TO De
: done, ali / want Is for You to walt and see
80 as far as the future is concerned, wait and
see if do not Stand by you, although every
! other may fAlter and fall (Cheers) | want
10 see measures OF policy brought forward that
will adyaace the interests of the people, and of
that portion of the people who constitute the
gallant and brave men who, in both branches
, Of the service, have upheld the national flag,
and sustained the country in her recen, strug-
gle. L thank you, gentlemen, for the encour-
agement. thank you for your countenance
on this occasion. 1t cheers me aad gives
, me strength to perform the work before me.
If We true TO ourselves, if true 10
the Constitution, the day is not far distant
when this government: will be restored Let
|
. trade and let US not only inspire confidence
? at home, but respect abroad, by letting the ma
D ton resume its career of prosperity and great
1 ness. | know that will find fault with
men, and say am too lenient, too kind, and
r all that. If We sil to be put TO d-,th or
punished, or banshed for ofense, or for
/ the second otfense, and we're to be los, and ex-
cluded from society and communion with our
fellow mel, hpw many of would be left !?
have felt when | have done wrong and re-
pented of it that | was sincere and honest
, as he who had done no wrong at all. linen We
must reason with each other, and understand
our nature and what is necessary restore
g peace and harmony and concord to distracted
!. and divided people. In time of war, 1t Is
IS right to burn villages, sack cites, and devastate
: fields to lay waste country and cripple and
d duce the enemy. But in time of peace, the
IS reverse of that course Is precisely the right
# one, and the true policy OF nation Is to Re
build its Cities its villages, and let all
re the avocations of peace and prosperity be re-
, stored. know there are some who have been
n home calculating during the war, an6 VINO bring
e the consideration of questions of peace, hsr-
p mony, and the avocat.ons of civil life, all the
= feelings of resentment which animated Us when
ID the excitement was running high. But take
y the brave men who sustained the flag on the
c. field and on the wave, and you will md o-tter
9. feelings and better judgment on these ques-
IN tions, than YOU will find with those who have
m been sitting in the closet, and never smelleo
at gunpowder (Cheers.) Yes, from the private
20 up to the commanding general, they know pet
of ter how to treat the present circumstances than