The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1866-07-28

no change IN my prlhclPles, 'hls ii'"'o'
and this country possibly-for the
avowal of them has been attended by
an unexpected notoriety-may infer
what my positionnow is. am an old
line Democrat, and believe in the doc
trine of secession. I believe that the
several States of this Union have the
right to separate from it, each acting
for itself. I believe that abuses and
usurpations had been practiced and
threatened to so great an extent by
their associates and partners in this
governmental compact, that the South
ern States were justified in going out
and, sir, further believe by their ordl-
nances of secession, that they did 60
out, and thereby became to this Union
foreign States. These convictions !
cannot change, and l do not expect
will ever be removed; will most as
suredly proclaim them and stand by
them as long as single citizen OF the
Confederate States is in chains or sub
ject to penalty for asserting them
There is no political or personal con-
sideration which would prompt me to
such a desertion. AS the right OF Sc
ccssion is the only thing that rcscues
them from the charge of treason, my
voice shall ever accord with my own
convictions, and never join in that YER
dict against them. | should consider
myself as assuming y most Infamous
position if it did. What, sir, | that be-
iieve them right, | that would have
Joined them if the sovereign State OF
Maryland had said so, to desert them
now in their hour of utmost need, when
am legitimately giving them such
protection as in my power honestly
to give--never
From what have said, Mr., Speaker,
this House will readily infer that | am
adverse to the reconstruction policy vi
the President ! confess that Andrew
johnson has been, in adopting his
mode of reconstruction, consistent
with the views of the late President,
with those of the Republican party that
elected him, and with his own declara-
ton from the time he abandoned the
Democratic party and joined the Re.
publicans. These facts do notcomcnd
him to me; but surely it is not his
fault that he is now at issue with many
of the people who raised him to his
present station. Among acts of his
administration which receive my stern
est denuncation, he has done and sale
some things which meet with my hear
tv concurrence. The vetoes he has du
RING this session sent to Congress
need not mention; but there is on
: declaration of his which, if enforced b,
him. will cause his name to ring through
out the civilized world, and rank hin
hioh in the list Of patriots. There wa
much in his speech on the 22d of Feb
. ruary which l disapproved of, but ther
was one paragraph which sounded OF
nv ear like "thc voice Of one crying il
= the wilderness, make the paths straight
:, ! will read it, sir:
"The principle that carried us thrc
y the Revolution was, that there shoul
be no taxation without representation
:, hold to that principle. which was lal
down as fundamental by our fathers
If it was good then, it is good now.
it was worth standing by then, it i
worth standing by now. 1t is f'lnda
mental and should be observed as lon;
as free government endures.'
= This is the great blood -baptize
9 principle of this American republica
: Government, consecrated to the nobl
e blood of our heroic revolutionary fail
ers. For one, sir, believe the Pres
e dent has the power to sustain this PR!
g ciple, as it is his most sacred duty to u
l. so if he has. If it is fundamcnta
c and should be observed as free govern
ment cndures," then wherever his pow
er reaches it has he recorded in Hcavt
:, a sacred oath that he will preserve, d'
fend and protect it. Let taxation
suspended where representation IS a.
o MED. Let him thus act and appeal
- =: the American Anglo-SaxOn race fl
10 the support and defense of time homo
le ed Anglo Saxon principles. This W
as bring the almighty dollar in its prop
" position, which opens the eyes olson
i who shut them to everything else. wi
" " them it is potent whether to be recely
III by them or withheld from them. L
es necessity of an early reconstruction
al some sort would then probably so
become apparent;
IL The legal question as to the right
ty Il State to secedc has never been final
of determined. The textbook used in t
C. military academy at West Point, W
lis Rawie on the Constitution, which to
yh the ground that State had right
by secede. If Jefferson Davis imblb
es this doctrine in his education at We
as Point, an institution under the INN
al diate control and management OF
ar Government, is it any wonder that
G. thought the doctrine ofsecession rigll
ht Was Jefferson Davis guilty of treaso
he He would like to see the man
to could explain to State acting in o.
dience to an ordinance of his Sta
n Something had been said about
re, treatment of Federal prisoners at 4
,ls dersonville. l can mention some
It's stances that came under my own
tie servation in Federal prisons far m,
Il disgraceful, t: more revolving to
or manity than any Il have ever heard fr
ast Andersonville. / feel proud OF n
as lucky, that she was the only State Il
by has stood up for her rights, and den
of the authority Of the Federal Cove
ment to interfere in matters pertain
'ou to her domestic policy.
but
the ] have said how think these ST.
ar, can be admitted into this Union.
for should be by act Of Congress and