Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1866-04-26
OF the veto or one man power, he

on out there Is an iuta auroau tnht
one man can be despot that one man
can be a usurper, but that one hundred
or two hundred men cannot. Mr., Jefier-
son, the apostle of liberty, tells us, and
so does common sense, that tyranny and
despotlsm can be exercised by many
more vigorously and more tyrannically
than by one. What power has your
President TO be tyrant What can he
do7 What can he originate Why,
they say he exercises the veto power,
(Laughter.) What Is the veto power 2
Who is your President Several voices
ANDY Johnson,") Is he not elected
by the people through the electoral col.
lege? The President is nothing more
than tie tribune OF the people, His Of
flee is tribunal in its character. In old
en- times, when the tribunes were first
elected in the Roman Republic, they
stood at the door of the Roman Senate,
which was then enCTOaChing on the
peoples rights and putting the heel of
power on the peoples necks. The peo-
Pile chose tribune and placed him at
the door of the Senate, so that when
that body ventured an oppressive act,
he was clothed with power to say-"Ne-
to-" al forbid" NOuc President now is
the tribune Of the people; | thank God
am and | intend to assert the power
which the people have placed in me.
(Cheers.) Your President, standing here
day after day and disCharging his duty,
is like a horse on O tread wheel, and be-
cause he dares to differ in opinion in re-
gard TO public measures, he must be de
nounced as a usurper and q tyrant Can
he originate anything under the veto
power? ! think the veto power is con-
servatiye in its character. All that can
be done by the veto power is to say,
when legislation is improper, unwise,
hasty, uncOnstitutional-s action;
wait till it can be submitted to the peo-
pie, and let them consider whether il is
right or wrong. (Applause.) That is
all there is in it.
In conclusion he said
If we are true TO ourselves, if we are
true to the constitution, the day Is not
far distant when this government Will
be restored. Let US 20 on ana restore
the government. Let us enlarge the
area of our commerce aud trade, and let
US not only inspire confidence at home,
but respect abroad, by letting the nation
resume its career of prosperity and great
ness. know that some will find fault
with me, and say that | am too leuient,
too kind, and all that. know there are
some who have been at home Calculat-
ing during the war, and who bring to
the consideration Of questions Of peace,
harmony and the associations Of civil
life, all the feelings Of resentment which
animated them when excitement was
running high. But take the brave men
who sustained the flag in the field and
on the wave, and you will find better
feelings and better judgment on these
| questions than you will find with those
who have been sitting in the closet and
never smelt gunpowder (Cheers.) Yes
| from the private up to the commanding
general, they know better how to treat
| the present circumstances than any Of
! these closet patriots and humanitarians.
| THE PRESIDENT TO HIS CoLORED FRIENDS.
The Presidents address to the coloTed
men before him on the next day was in
similar vein. We give what, in our
Judgment, is the best passage in this adj
dress
repeat, my c0lored friends here to-
| day, the time will come and that not far
| distant, when it will be proved who is
! practically your best friend. My friend
ship has as far as it has gone not been
| for place or power, for | had these al
ready, 1t has been principal with me,
and thank God the great principle has
| been established that wherever any indi-
vidual, in the language of distinguished
orator treads American soil his soul
swells within him in appreciation Of the
great truth that he stands forth re-
deemed, regenerated and disenthralled
by the genius of universal emancipation
| (Applause). Then let me minglc with
you in celebration of the day which
commenced your freedom. l do it IN
sincerity and in truth, and trust in GOO
the blessings which have been conferred
may be enjoyed and appreciated by you
and that you may give them q proper
direction. There is something for all tC
do. You have high and solemn duties
to perform and you ought to remember
that freedom is not q mere idea. L
must be reduced to practical reality
Men in being free have to deny them
selves many things which seem to b.
embraced in the idea Of universal free
dom. 1t is with you to give evidence t
the world and the people of the United
States whether you are going to appre
clate this great boon as it should be, anC
that you are not unworthy of beingfree
men. Then let me thank you with sin
. certify for the.compliment you have paiC
me by passing through here to-day ant
paying your respects to me. | repea
: again the time will come when you viii
know who have been you best friends
and who have not been your friend
from mercenary considerations. Accep
my thanks"
f PRoGREss.-As one of the signs @
progress "down South, the Charlottes
t vile (Ya.) correspondent Of the Ney
? York Herald states that on Sunda
= he witnessed, in large school-roor
I under the Baptist church, about thre
5 hundred colored children, Of all shade