Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1866-12-19
The Question of the Hour.
Speech of Hon. w. B. Stokes, at Nash.
Vile, Thursday Evening, Nov. 22.

l The Question OF the Hour.
Speech of Hon. w. B. Stokes, at Nash.
Vile, Thursday Evening, Nov. 22.
Hon. W. B. Stokes, NJ. c., addressed
the Tennessee Legislature and the peo-
pie of Nashville, on Thursday evening,
22d inst, in the Hall of the House OF
Representatives, upon the political
questions of the day. The hall was
well filed and the speakerwas listened
to with wrapt attention mingled with
enthusiasm.
Col. Stokes said: He was on his
way to resume his place as a member
of Congress at Washington, and had
consented to address the people this
evening, in compliance with a general
/! request to do so. We are all here in
common, and our interests are identi-
cal, as Tennesseeans. But recently
our State Government has been recog-
nized by the General Government, and
it is to be hoped that it will have the
cooperation of all good citizens. The
great and only question to-day is wheth-
er the loyal people shall control the
Government, or whether it shall pass
into the hands of those who tried their
utmost to destroy it. Since 1 last spoke
here 1 haye been over the State con-
siderably, and pretty well over the
North. The elections have come of,
and the Northern States have unequivo-
cally declared for the Union. Shall
we not do the same in Tennessee? ?
There are now only two parties in
the country. In the Republican Union
party are the men who have either
fought for the Government in the field
or gwen it all their influence in what
ever position they may have been
placed. On the other hand, the Copper
head johnson party is composed of
the anti-war men in the North, the
rebels in the South and the bushwhack-
ers, who are now hurrahing for John
ston and the Conservative party. In
Tennessee, we declare that those men
may not vote.
In 1902, Congress passed an act that
no tory, who was disfranchised by any
State, should hold any Office. The
Tennessee Legislature, then, have this
precedent for their action as to the
franchise. After the war was over and
Mr.. Lincoln was assassinated we rallied
around Andrew johnson, and from his
numerous pledges supposed that we
could trust him. There were no Gov
ernments in the rebel States, and john
son recognized this as the case, for he
appointed Provisional Governors to
organize them. He undertook the work
of reconstruction, and prescribed things
to be done by these State organizs-
tions. When Congress met, they also
as they had the right todo, commenced
the WORK of reconstruction.
The President pretended to work
with the party which elected him until
the 22d of February last, VIXEN he
went to work to organize a new party.
When Congress brought forward the
member who was elected as a Union
man voted for them, when johnson
saw that he had no party in Congress
but the thirty-six Copperheads. He
went about making a point with them,
and the thing was consummated at
Philadelphia. They there adopted a
platform that made Andrew weep when
it was read to him, and he declared it
second only to the Declaration of Inde-
pendence.
The elections, however, have set the
seal of condemnation upon "my poll
cy." Many have an erroneous idea of
the power of the President, thinking
that he has the full power of the Gov
ernment. The Constitution points out
his powers, and he is only coordinate
branch of the Government. Much is
said about his being commander-in-I |
chief of the army, but he can only have
an army to command when Congress
chooses to give him one. Congress is
the peoples branch of the Govern |
ment. The President and all the other |
officers of the Government have no
power to touch so much as the hem of
the garment of the humblest member |
of Congress, but humblest member has
the right to put forth articles of i'm
peachment of the President or any of
the Judges of the Supreme Court
The President had no power under the
to appoint Provisional
Governors in these rebel States. Mr..
Lincoln did not attempt any such |
thing. His appointees were commits
stoned as officers in the army, and exer-
cised their powers by military authori-
ty, but johnson pardoned rebels to
make them Governors.
Congress is the only power to recog-
nize the State Governments. That was
settled by the Supreme Court in the
Dorr case, in Rhode Island.
The war has settled some important
questions and il has raised some ques-
lions of great importance also. 1t has
the question that no State
can go out of the Union it has explo-
led the extravsgant doctrine of State
Rights as held by many politicians,
and it has emphatically said that sla-
very shall no longer exist in this coun-
Try.
When swinging around the circle An
drew johnson asked the foolish ques-
ton "will you have twenty-six or thir-
Ly-six stars on your banner" The boys
IN blue settled this question on six
hundred battle-felds. No party pro-
poses to keep these States out of the
Union. They destroyed their State
and can not restore them
without the consent of Congress.
We hear much said about what these
men in the South will do if they are
not Immediately restored but threats :
and attempts at intimidation do not
have much effect on the Republican 6
party. They have already seen the
best that these men could do.
We must meet the great question of
he day like men, and discharge our 6
whole duty. The Conservatives say s
they are for the Constitution, but that
lefnes what treason is, and declares it g
70 be the highest crime known to the {
aw. The great questions before the {
country are, what shall be done with '
he three million rebels; and what 7
hall be done with the freedmen. Ac- I
,ording to the records of the War De- 8
161, 300 colored men went
nto the army and fought for the Gov /
,rnment. Congress said, In the Civil {
Rights bill, that all citizens white or '
black shall be protected.
We hear the Southern people saying I
hat they will not accept the amend {
nents to the Constitution. Congress c
avs to them if they will not do so they t
an remain in their present position
ret awhile. They need not be SO anx- }
GUS to assume the reins of the Govern I