The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1866-06-01

now really under discussion. Let the traitors
take back seat, said the President Sir, that
sentiment was echoed from every hilltop and
through every valley of this nation. So said
Congress then, and so says Congress now.
ATraitors to the rear" according to the order
of,he Commnnder.in.C Chief. The Command
or in Chief of the Army and Navy orders .yon
to the rear; and why docs the Senator from
Wisconsin beckon them forward ?-@Traitors
to the rear back seats !" is the order OF the
COMMANDMENT. Chief Of this great nation.
III there be but Eve thousand men In Tennessee
loyal to the Constitution, loyal to freedom, loyal
to Justice these true and faithful men should con-
troll the work Of reorganization and reformation
absolutely" .., 81
Will the distinguished Senator from either
of the States ! am now addressing tell me
why these men should be allowed to partake
in the great work Of reconstructing all these
Statcs when Mr.. Johnson ut that day sad they
should not be allowed to aid in the work OF
reconstruction in u single State? This was
carrying out the spirit of the baltimore plat
form. IIc went upon the doctrine that "wlile
the letter killelh, the spirit makcth alive" tie
had drank what the distinguished Senator from
Wisconsin, from his remarks made upon II,
seems never to have tasted, the spirit of the
Baltimore platform and speaking in that spir.
il he declared "Traitofs to the rear; back
seats YOU shall not be allowed even to aid in
rcconstr,lcting Tennessee, though there be not
five thousand loyal men in the State" Exact
" right was the President then. Around that
little nucleus, charged with the spirit aud liv-
ing fire and zeal of the glory of our institll-
tions, would have gathered and clustered an
army of Union men as resistlcss in its march
as the army of the Potomac when led by
Grunt, But, sir, in an evil hour-and propose
to turn the Senator from Wisconsin exactly
to the point-tliat doctrine was departed from,
and shall examine now with eutire fairness
what think led to the departure from that
doctrine.
Sir, / am not through with this oracle. To
wha, l shall now read call tho attention Of
his distinguished champions here:
'I say that the traitor has ceased to be citi.
zen, and In joining the rebellion has become o
public enemy"
So say I so says every fair.minded man.
that the traitor ceased to be citizen and in
addition, 80 says the voice OF the Intelligent
world; so saws the law, before whose majesty
the distinguished Senator from Pennsylvania
bows with such respectful Difference always.
Sir, that enunciation was from the very foun-
tain of truth. II wclled up; ii was the gusl-
ing of an bones,.spoken sentiment, and i re.
ceived an echo everywhere OF this continent.
What, sir, has il come to pass in fact that
man can be red.dyed with treason one day
and washed Us white in the waters of loyalty
as the lamb tho next? Away with reading
your miraculous conversion of Paul Sir,
that miracle would cease to be quoted If this
theory were adopted here-a miracle in view
of Almighty power, a mirncle in view OF the
Just understanding of mankind, u miracle in
the eyes Of justice, and an overthrow oi every
principle of law. What did he mean by this
He said to truitors, "Your garments are red
with the blood of treason," and he gave the
same direction that wns given by Elijah to the
proud prince Of old, "go wash sever times IN
the waters of Jordan, and be healed. So i
say to these traitors, 60 wash seven times in
tho waters of loyalty, nnd he cleansed.
hut, MIR. President, un, not quite done with
this speech:
"I say that the traitor has ceased to be cit
zen, and in joining the rebellion has become
loyal men when he rcnounced his citizenship and
sought to destroy our government"
Sir, human lips never uttered more strik-
ing truth than that. That again awoke an
echo in every heart, alu raised md elevated
the worlds hope. Was it true then? IL so.
it is true now, and will remain true through
oil coming time. But lam not quito tlirougli:
eve say to the most honest and industrious
foreigner who comes from England or Germany
to dwell among us and to add to the wealth VI the
country, Before you can he citizen you must
stay here for Ave years II we are so cautious i
c,~ hn farl
homes TO live with US, what should we say to the
traitor who, although born and reared among us,
has raised q parricidal hand against the Govern.
ment which always protected him
II language is to be understood at all IN It's
usual sigiiticatiOn, that means this, and no
more, and no man who had been engaged in
this treason should have less probation than
the foreigner. So say !, und 50 says Con-
grcss.
MY Judgment Is. that he should be subjected
to severe ordeal before he is restored to citizen
ship"
So said an afflicted continent /; and to what
ordeal has he been subjected lspcuk what is
paient to the world, and what Is recorded in
history to-day, when say that the only ordeal
to which hc has been subjected is to have
been under the SPECIAL charge and kind care
of the most indulgent and inagnanimous Ad
ministration. WHO would have believed from
these utierances that Lewis Il. Parsons would
have been made provisional governor OF Ala
balna-a man who partOok, in the darkest
hour of our trials. in the Legislation of the
Stnte of Alabama, introducing resolutions
which had here the other day in my hand
dcnouncing in the most unncasured terms the
loyal citizens of this country? And yet the
ordeal to which he was subjected was to re-
ceive commission to go down and he doc.
tor in.chief of disease which he Ind diagnos.
ed most thoroughly, rebellion, treason. He
knew every bone, artery, fiber, vein, that per-
vaded Il, for he had treated every one OF them.
Oh, what an ordeal that was to pass And a
scyerer ordeal still was to receive his salary
for il, out of the money that you and ] are
taxed to pay, and that, too, without taking the
prescribed oath by Congress Oh, how Par
sons must have suffered! What change in
"my policy" from before till after- election
have no doubt, however, that the distinguish
ed Senators to whom am addressing the
most of these remarks will be able to explain
it. Laughter)
"a fellow who takes the OATH
beg the Senator's attention to this
IA fellov who takes the oath merely to save
his property, and denies the validity OF the oath'
Is Q perjured man, and not to be trusted.
He knew of what manner Of men he spoke.
So said the President OF the United States
and. remember, oil this time he was accepting
the Baltimore platform as his guide. Now'
there is q change, whether for tho better or
the worse we shall see by and by.
"Befors these repentine rebels can be trusted
let them bring forth the fruits OF repentance.
Amen. That is precisely what Congress
has said all tho time bring forth fruits meet
for repentance; come here in spirit OF re-
pentant submission come here rs the sinner