American citizen. [volume] (Butler, Butler County, Pa.) 1863-1872, 1866-09-05


constitutional amendment, it is because he
knows the loyal people o: this country
are more than the traitors, and they must
count the rebels three times as much as
they are, or else their cause is decided
against them, and they go out of court
| Cheega] Now, what are their reasons
for opposing this amendment How do
they oppose it? Well, the President of
the United States opposed ii by saying,
"Well, | don't think it is goo6 time to
amend the Constitution just now" Well,
just before Presidential election perhaps
it would not be, if he expected to be a
candidate. 1t perhaps is SO. Cheers
The rebels say, "Well, the constitution is
good enough as it is"
Well, | suppose that is fact. One of
the Cabinet said that the men who want
cd to amend the Constitution were "Con-
stitution thinkers" and all such talk as
that. Well, now, that is the argument
they make against these Constitutional
amendments. They don't come up and
face the matter and discuss it fairly, but
they say it is no time to amend the Con.
stitution of the United States-that we
had better get through with our little
troubles first, and then amend the Consti-
tuition of the United States. Why, my
fellow countrymen, the way to get thro'
this trouble is to amend the Constitution
of the United States, apa to amend the
Constitution so that we shall never again
have any troubles as we have had during
the past four years. (Cheers.) lwant
to know if there is soldier in this house
to night [Cries, "Plenty Of. .hem p who
served four years tor his country [Cries,
i" Plenty of them Plenty of them !'
who is willing to admit for one moment
that he shall not count as much as a
traitor. [Cries, "Not one, no. one."] l
want to know who he is. If there was
soldier of that kind who served under
me | want to see what kind of looking
man he is. (Chcers.) know that no
soldier served under me and in this war
| commanded over sixty odd thousand
when it ended. as good men as ever shoul-
dered muskets-I know there is not one.
don't care who he is or what his name
may be-who has not forgotten hin; SELF,
who has not LOST his manhood entirely,
but what to-day can stand out boldly and
defantly before the country and before
his God, and say performed my duty to
my country, aud lie who attempts to make
a traitor to the land my equal in the Gov
ernmcnt, that man does me an injury that
| en- never forgive prolonged ap,
plause.) .....i.
The next proposition or Amendments to
the Constitution that is proposed, is in
reference to the leading rebels of the
South holding office, either State or Fed
eral, hereafter. 1t proves that no person
who had taken the oath to support the
Constitution of the United States, and
afterward, believe, voluntarily entered
into this rebellion, or gave it aid, comfort
or assistance, shall ever hold office under
the State or Federal authority Now, |
want any man to tell Il c why he is OPP
posed to this part of the constitutional
amendment. Has man by serving in
the rebel amy four years qualified him
self to bc an officer of the U. 5 Govern
ment? 1t seems to me that that is a
poor school to so to for the purpose of
becoming qualified to be member of
Congress / think so. Why then is it
that our opponents defend him and say
he is entitled to hold office-that he has
right to participate in the affairs of this
Government What has he done since
this rebellion s over in order to give him
claim upon the people of the United
States foE this great trust that they are
to impose upon him? Why, it does seem
to me that the man who has been loyal
throughout all this struggle is a better
qualified man to hold the Offices of the
country than the man that has been
traitor throughout the struggle. GChecrs1
1t seems o'me SO. We then propose to
act according to the plan Of Andrew
johnson when he said to the people of
Tennessee that None but loyal menshall
vote, none but loyalmeu shallhold Office.
That is what he said. He said SO to Gov.
Holden, of South Carolina, when he gave
him his insiructions--that none but men
who had been loyal to the United States
of America must be members of their
State Convention. sfca 9el a.
He gave this kind of instructions, and
we are willing to take that part of An
drew Johnson's platform to stand on
We propose to do it. We say none but
the Loyal in this land shall place their
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