The Iowa transcript. (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1858-1866, 1866-02-28

u'Cu tlldJ HuHhluu uNos loAS"e up
plausc. Let those who have erred repent:
let them acknowledge their allegiance; let
them become loyal, willing supporters and
defenders of our glorious stripes and stars,
and of tho Constitution of our country. Let
the leaders, the conscious, intelligent trail
tors, be punished, and be subjected to the
penalties of the law. [Applause. But to
the great mass who have been forced into
this rebellion, in many instances, and in
others, have been misled, say leniency,
kindness, trust and confidence. TGreat APP
pltuse.
My countrymen, when look. back over
tho history of the rebellion, am not vain
when ask you if | have not given as much
evidence of my devotion to the Union as
some who croak great deal about it !?
When look back over the battle-fi fields Of
the rebellion, / think Of the many brave
men in whose company was, cannot but
recollcct that l was sometimes in places
where the contest was most difficult, and the
result most doubtful. But almost before the
smoke has passed away, almost before the
blood that has been shed has done rocking,
before the bodies of the slain have passed
through the stages of decomposition, what
do we now find? The rebellion has been
put down by the strong arm of the Govern
ment in the field; bnt is that the only way
in which you can have rebcllions Our
struggle was against an attempt to discover
the Union; but almost before the smoke of
the battlefield has passed away, before our
brave men have returned to their homes and
renewed the ties of affection and love to
their wives and their children, we find al
most another rebellion inaugurated. We
put down the former rebellion in order to
prevent the separation Of the States, to pre-
vent them from flying off, and thereby
changing the character OF our Government,
and weakening its power; but when that
struggle on our part has been successful,
and that attempt has been put down, we
find now an effort to concentrate all power
in the hands Of few at the Federal head,
and thereby bring about consolidation of
the Government which is equally objection
able with q separation. Vociferous APP
plausc. We find that powers are assumed
and attempted to be exercised Of most
extraordinary character. 1t seems that gov
ernments may be revolutionized, govern.
ments at least may be changed, without
going through the strife of battle. Ibclievc
it is fact attested in history, that some-
times revolutions most disastrous to the
people are effected without the shedding of
blood. The substance of your Government
may be taken away, while the form and
shadow remain to you. What is now being
proposed? We find that in point Of fact
nearly all the powers of the Government are
assumed by an irresponsible Central Direc-
tory, which does not even consult the legis-
lative or the executive department of the
Government, by resolutions reported from
Committee, in whom it seems that, practic-
ally, the legislative power of the Govern
ment is now vested, that great principle of
the Constitution which authorizes and EN-
powers each branch of the legislative
department of the Senate and House of
Representatives to judge for itself Of the
election returns, and qualifications Of its
own members has been virtually taken away
from the two branches Of the legislative de-
partmcnt OF the Government, and conferred
upon committee who must report before
either House can act under the Constitution
as to accepting the members who are to take
their seats as component parts of the re-
spective bodies. by this rule it is assumed
that there must be laws passed recognizing
State as in the Union, or its practical rela-
tions to the Union as restored, before the
respective Houses under the Constitution can
judge of the election returns, and qualifca-
tlons of their own members. What a
position is that! You struggled for four
years to put down rebellion You denied
in the beginning of the struggle that any
State could 60 out Of the Union. You said
that it had neither the right nor the power
to do So The issue was made, and it has
been settled that the States had neither the
right nor the power to 60 out of the Union.
With what consistency, after it has been set
tied by the military arm of the Government
and by the public judgment that the States
had no right to go out Of the Union, can any
one now turn round and assume that they are
out, that they shall not come in! am free
to say to you, rs your Executive, that | am
not prepared to take any such position.
[Great applause said in the Senate, in
the very inception of this rebellion, that the
States had no right to 60 out. asserted,
too, that they had no power to 60 out. That
question has been settled, and it being set
tied, cannot turn around now and give the
lie direct to all that l have professed, and all
have done for the last five years. APP
plause. Even those who rebelled, comply
with the Constitution when they give suffi-
cient evidence of loyalty. When they show
that they can be trusted, when they yield
obedience to the law that you and acknowl-
edge obedience to, | say extend to them the
right hand of fellowship, and let peace and
Union be restored. Tremendous applause.
fought traitors and treason in the South.
opposed the Davises, the Toombs, the Sill
dells, and long list Of others which you can
readily fill without my repeating the names.
Now when turn round, and at the other
end Of the line find men, care not by what
name you call them, who still stand opposed
to the restoration Of the Union of these
States, am free to say to you that am still
in the field. Great applause. am still
for the preservation Of the Union. | am
still in favor of this great Government of
ours going on and filling out its destiny.
TGreat applause. Voices, "Give three
names at the other end" The President
was called on to name three at the other end
of the line l nm talking to my friends
and fellow citizens who are interested with
me in this Government, and presume am
free to mention to you the names Of those
opposed to the fundamental principles of this
Government, and who are laboring to per-
vert and destroy it.
Voices. Name them. Who are they"
THE PREsIDENr-You ask me who they
are. / say Thaddeus Stevens Of Pennsyl-
vania. is ono, say Mr.. Sumner of the Sem
ate is another, and Wendell Phillips is
another. Long-continucd applause.
Voices" Give it to Forney."
THE PREsIDENT--In reply to that, will
simply say do not waste my ammunition
upon dead ducks. Great laughter and APP
plause | stand for my country, stand
for the Constitution. There have placed
my feet from my advent into public life.
They mnv traduce. they NAV SANDER. or they