The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-09-22


every acre throughout the Southern dominion?
If IL be for any such miserable settlement OF this
great question we have achieved, better q thou
sand-fOld we had not attempted to defend
the unity of this Government; better thousand,
fold il we had Kept our sons and brothers and
fathers at home and at least lived happy in our
domestic circle; better that we had said to the
Rebels in the beginning of the war:-"You have
ruled us tor thirty years, and again at your
behest we will bow our necks, and let you plant
your feet upon them +" II we had accepted such
terms should have felt myself dishonored and
that the American name was identified with
shame, and a great disgrace that any American
abroad would assert this to be his country.
Congress differed from the President. 1t may
have been because we felt that we had
responsibility upon us. Attribute to
us what motives you please, good or
bad high or low. We refused 10 accept
his plan, and we set to work to make one Tor
ourselves. We wanted to find out what the
facts were. We appointed a joint committee,
consisting OF nine members of the House and six
from the Senate, and these fifteen are that ter
rible body which the President has charac-
teliZed as an illegitimate Congress. ] don't
know whether you have read it; but if you want
to ind intelligent elegance, read that 22d OF
February speech of Mr.. Johnson's. daughter
have been asked thousand times whether he
was drunk when he made that speech. / will
illustrate that by little story. One OF the cele
brated Smith family on one occasion went with
some friends who got little more than
half seas over TIE result was thai
door; after fumbling around for some time, he
finally got in, and thought ne would go up
stars slowly and get into bed without disturb
ing hls wife. Well, he got in all right, but he
was facing his wife; discovering his mistake,
he turned about face but his wife was too
quick for him. "Ah ! Mr.. Smith, that wont
do; you are drunk clear through" don't
think it is necessary for any one to ask me II
Andrew johnson was drunk when he made
that speech. I think he was drunk clear
through. (Laughter.) In that speech he de-
nounced the Congress or the United States a 6
usurping the powers of the Government What
were We trying to do? Nothing on earth
but to find out the true state OF the case,
and present to the country the actual
conllIion OF the Southern States. After six or
eight months, the Committee on Reconstruction
having reported, Congress matured plan which
they gave to the country. You know what these
constitutional propositions are. We propose to
settle these questions by an amendment to the
Constitution OF the United States. Why?
Because we want these issues disposed of for
ever. (Applause) We want peace, and, after
this bloody war; we don't want again TO be
called to fight over these old things. Applause.)
We want the judgment OF the war entered IN the
true records OF the Cons titution, so that there
| can be no question raised in reference to any
thing at all Andrew johnson says the Southern
States have accepted his terms upon their State
| Constitutions. These state Constitutions may
| be repealed tomorrow. lApplause.) Not
| one of those States dared to submit it
| to the people, because they know the people
| of those States are hostile to them, with the
| single exception OF North Carolina, and she re-
| jected 1t by two thousand majority. Andrew
| johnson knows that the people OF those States
| are averse to any settlement OF this question
| We are willing and anxious to have the restora-
ton of the Southern States-to have this question
settled. We want the security TO be an undoubted
| guarantee. We want the amendment placed
| in the Constitution by three-fourths vote, SO
that no less than three-fourths OF all the States
| can repeal il. Without that we have no security.
| have no doubt that you have all perused these
inn oil tpnnn In1n q nd
them pretty thoroughly. In Vermont and
Maine they have learned to understand
1T, and alter they closed these discussions,
| Vermont moved the previous question and car
| RED it by twenty-five thousand majority. And,
| as we say in Congress, when they came to take
the vote on the "main question" they didn't
even count thelopposltlon. (APPPlause:) OF the the
secures the public debt, etc. | suppose you
people here have a share OF Fiye.twenties,
Seven thIrties. and other bonds of the Govern
as they see best. If the Rebels get back into
power as they want to, and control the affairs ol
the nation, you will have to assume three OF
four thousand millions of the Rebel debt, and
the result would be that you would not get the
interest on your bonds, and you may have
them rendered worthless; and that tney
mediate just that thing no man can
doubt who reads their papers anu
talks with their people: but, gentlemen, settle
that question Tor yourselves. ! have a farm
down III Maryland, and they cant coniscate
that unless they drive us out. The third pro
position (amendment), is that no person shall be
entitled to hold office, etc. Now that don't
deprive anybody of voting. The greatest Rcbe
in the land may vote when this plan which
we have suggested is applied. All the Rebel;
want to hold office; these very men VINO orga
nized the Rebellion; these very men who have
been fighting for the overthrow Of this Govern
ment for four years, now whine like dogs be-
cause they can't hold the most prominent posi-
tons under the Government Now, as regards
| the question of representation, which is the
second, it merely says if you do no
| allow the people to vote, you sban't anC
| won't vote against the people who are allowed
| to vote. II your white people and your negroes
or anybody else OF your population are no
sufficiently intelligent to cast ballot for them
! selves, a Rebel shall not vote tor that man Of
f | that mans body. (Applause.) Mayor Monroe
and his Thugs Of New Orleans shall not have
t three times the political power of Generals
| Grant and Sheridan Now ] think this is al
| Democrat. Now | come to the first section
! All persons born and naturalized IN the United
t States, etc. That provision was contained II
! the Civil Rights bill. Andrew Johnson yetoe'
/ it because he made civilized people out Chimes
and gipsies. The time will come when ever
, negro viii be citizen of the United States
: Reverdy johnson said that before the passag
, of the Civil Rights bill, slavery having bee
3 abolished, every freeman was under the law an
the Constitution citizen, and that thing wa
' unnecessary We want to relieve that quesho
| nom all doubt and uncertainty; and why do "
y make them citizens? For the express purpOs
> OF giving them a position in the courts of tn
. United States. The judges decided that th
o negro could not have a standing there becaus
!, | he was not citizen. And why do we do that
i For no other purpose than TO give them the pr(
!, | lection of the law.
p 1t does not give them any political right,
Il merely places them under the pgis OF the Law
d and isn't that right? (Appause.) What al