The New era. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1865-1871, 1866-04-26

stand On the side Of the people, and
when | say the people, include the SOL
diers and sailors. Cheers. Why is it
that they are aFrayed in traducing and
villifying and eliminating me? Where
were they during the rebellion? a
voice" Home in bed,o laughter. In
the Senate ! raised my voice against it,
and when it was believed that il would
be. to the interest Of the nation, and
would assist in putting down the rebel
lion, did | not leave my place in the
Senate-a place of emolument, ease and
distinction and take my position
where the enemy could be reached and
where mems lives were in danger?
Cheers, and cries of ''that's sou
While | was thus exposed, personally
and publicly, and in every way, some OF
my present traducers and calumniators
were far removed from the war, and
were enjoying ease and comfort. TCheers
and laughter. But [ care not for them.
care not tllat SANDER, the foul whelp
of sin, has been turned loose against me.
l care not fer all that; and let me tell
you here to-day, that although pretty
we'll advanced in life, | feel that [ shall
| live long enough to live down the whole
pack of traducers and slanderers. APP
plause. They have turned the whole
j pack loose to lower me in your esti-
nation. Voiees-"They can't do it."
say, Blanch and sweetheart, little dogs
and all, come along swapping and snarl-
ing at my heels, but | heed them not.
| Cheers. The American people-citi-
zens, soldiers and sailors-knew that
from my advent into public life to the
present moment, I have always stood,
unyielding and unwavering, by the adj
vocates and defenders Of their rights
and interests. Cheers.
We are now in the Nations third Or
deal; we are not yet through it. We
said that States could not go out of the
Union. We denied the doctrine of Sc
cession, and we have demonstrated that
we We're right. We demonstrated by
the strong ARRIVES, the soldiers and
the sailors, God bless them =
triotic hearts and strong arms that
States have not the power to leave the
Union. Applause. What followed !?
The Confederate armies were over
powered and disbanded, and there was
willingness on the part of the people
of these States to come back, be obedient
to the laws, and acknowledge the SUI
premacy of the Constitution Of our faith
ers. For what have we passed through
this ordeal? 1t was to establish the
principle that no State had the power to
break up this Government. 1t was to
put down the rebellion. The rebellion
has been put down, and for what? Was
it to destroy the States? Voices,
''never." For what have all these lives
been sacrificed, and all this treasure ex-
pended: Was it for the purpose of de-
stroying the States? No, it was tor the
purpose of preserving the States in the
Union of our fathers. Cheers. twas
for that you fought. 1t was for that I
toiled-not to break up the Government,
serve the Union of the States. That is
to establish the fact that the Nation can
lift itself above and beyond intestine
foes, and treason and traitors at home.
When the rebellion in Massachusetts
was put down, did that put Nassacl,u-
sets out of the Uniou and destroy The
State: And, when the rebellion in
Pennsylvania was put down, did that
destroy the State and put it out Of the
Union? So when the recent great re-
bellion was put down and the COnsti-
tuition and laws of the country restored,
the States engaged in it stood as part of
the Union. The rebellion being crushed,
the law being restored, the Constitution
being acknowledged, those States stand
in the Union, constituting a part of the
glorious and bright galaxy of States
Loud cheers.
In passing through this ordeal what
has been done? In Tennessee, under
the direction of my lamented prede-
cessor, we commenced the work of resto-
ration. We had succeeded, before I
came here in restoring the relations
which had existed between Tennessee
and the rest of the Union, with one ex-
ception, and that was the relation of
representation. l came to Washington
and under extraordinary circumstances
succeeded to the Presidential chair.
What then? The Congress Of the United
States had adjourned without prescribing
any plan. 1 then proceeded, as l had
done in my own State, under the direc-
ton of the Government, to restore the
other States, and how did we begin :?
We found that the people had no courts,
and we said to the Judges, the District
Attorneys and the Marshals, "Go down
and hold your courts; the people need
the tribunals of justice to be opened"
Was there anything wrong in that?
| Tho COURTS xyara opnnoI What nlco 9