The West Virginia journal. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1864-1877, 1866-07-18


But no sooner had these pardons been
tatained than these gentlemen, who were
suppliants for favor, crawling to tho foot
stool of power, asking pardon for. wha'
they had done, taking the oath Of am
nesty and Of allegiance to the Govern
mcnt Of the United States, instantly
became moro bold, moro insolcnt and
moro defiant than they had ever been
before. And whom | found that, and
found that no stops were to be taken to
put the States into tho hands Of loyu,
men, and'to crush disIoynlty out Of tho
country, / ceased to gire any FURTHER snp
port to tic policy ot Mr.. Johason. And
yet, gentlemen, | am this day as good a
johnson man as lives in the United
States. We arc all johnson men to {
certain extent. The only difference be-
tween US is ths-that one party Of the
country goes for what he says, aud the
other party goes for what he docs.
1t is simply like tho, Englishmau $
grog, nlr.and.alf." Now, if there i:
any portion Of that disloyal element in
this asscmblagc, that processes to be
better johnson man than I am, / would
ask him in what particular? Does he
20 for Johnson whole policy, for max
Ing treason odious, for pronouncing it
crime, and putting tho States in the
hands Of the loyal men Of tho country
Or, docs he so solely md exclusively
for that portion ofhis policy which allows
the rebels to run tho machine all the
timc2 Now, | could tell Mr.. Johnson
| could whisper in his car secret by
which, if he could get all this disloya
element, the rebel element and the cop.
pcrhead element to sign pledge to stand
by him, he could get the whol c country
on his side. lie has but to whip about
a little and carry out what he says. We
would, be with him, and then let tho
others stick to him, and We would all 60
for him. But as soon as he did TINT, the
others would leave him. They won
stick. am not speaking about the mex
Presidential election now. won't prom
i<a anything about that. There is time
enough in the future to discuss that.-
Onc otthc mast remarkable things IL thu
Mrpcopie are 50 lang IN .fn"|i"g mt ~ha'
nrc their true interests Gn't mho haze dcc'
ihcir opprcSsors.
From tho commencement oil this re
bcllion, | pronounced it tho rich man
war and the poor mans fight. Puppies
that arc born blind come to their sigh
in nine days, and yet grown.up, bearde'
old men can I come to their sight in six
years, to sec who were their real opprcss
ors, who it is that is responsible for th'
destruction that has taken place in th(
last five years. think the President
made a great mistake in granting these
indiscriminate pardons and in grantin!
them too hastily. At the same time,
think Congress made great mistake
These States Of the South have neyc
been out Of the Union, and they coul'
not get out ofrhc Uniop unless secession
was lawful and constitutional. Men ma.
carry themselves out Of the Union, bu
they cant carry the State along wit
them. There was no legitimate powc
to do so, and nothing short Of physica
force would have carried them out Of thi
USion. Thcsamc physicnI force that coul
have carried me out Of the Union, nigh
and would have carried mo ont Of tn
world. The States. therefore, have al
ways been in the Union, and could onI
get out by n recognition of tho right Q
secession. IT secession was in violation
Of the Constitution Of the United States
it Was null and void from the beginning
And those loyal men who resided in th
States had their claims to the protection
Of the Constitution and the Goycrnmen
of the United States.
think, therefore, when the Sout
sent loyal representatives,, that coul
comply with the provisions of the Con
sti,ution and the laws Of the country
and take the oathes prescribed by tn
laws, that Congress ought 10 have ad
mittcd them to their seats. Because not t
do so is not only not to encourage the I'm
ion and loyal men orthc South. but to dl'
courage loyalty. 1t drew no des,inctio
between the loyal man, who had mad
all the sacrifices that every loyal ma
in the country was obliged to make, an
the rebel. 1t placed each on commo
platform. And infinite injury has bee
done the loyal cause of tho South b
loyal men not being received and prop
erly encouraged. ,.r =,
One question is, whether this difficult
betwccu the President and Congress ca
no. be compromised. I'scc some Scna
tors and Representatives around here
Can not this question be compromise
between YOU and the President? Ca
YOU not say to the President, Let n
20 together. You carry out what yo'
say, and VIC will 90 with you
As this country recognizes the right
e1patriation, there was no power to kee
any body of men from going out OF th'
Union If they thought proper to 60, ou
thcT could not carry the States Wit
them. And that by doing this, say thu
whenever thcy took themselves out Q
the Union, and made themselves citizen
Of tho Confederate Government, gov
crnmcnt dc (acto, though not a govern
ment de- jur>, q governmentfor four ycar:
with all tho plans, with q l. tho formah