Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1866-07-07
,P O l. I II T O a. T. !.
Remarkable Speech IN the House Of Repre-
SentatlVeS.

.S0utdIlScb't F..
an. Harris, Of M,rylant2, defends Nc riqA,
ct Secession aad .jasti&es Me South. liz
thinks ne Sce!hs',i .Ste,!es get oat Of. tse
Union and are still out 1ndy johnson
not Il iouJak President DC, &C.
WAsln&GroN, Thursday, June 14-The
mo'nipg hour haveng expired,
The Speaker announced that the special or.
der for to-day was the consideration of the
bill heretofore reported from the Joint Com.
mittcc, on Reconstruction, entitled "A bill
to restore to the States lately in insurrection
their full political rights"
Mr.. Harris, of Maryland Mr.. Speaker hay-
ing been up to this period Of the session silent
'melnbcr from choice, deem it my duty now
to declare my views upon sonie of the politi.
on questions which arc presented for the con-
ederation of this Honsc and the country. |
should consider ita most ignoble act to win
the support or endorsement of any man by
the least conccalmcnt or deception
then, slr, declare that in principle now
stand as stood before tho war; us stood af-
ter the War was declared as | stood in the
last Congress-, when received it's crown of
ccnsure; as stood in prison and before that
internal instrument of tyranny court mar
tiai. And as stand in principle, SO will
stand IN practise whenever occasion may re-
quiro.
When 1 indicate that there has been no
change IN my principles, this House and this
country, possibly-for the avowal of them has
been attended by. an unexpected notoricty-
od-line Democrat, and bpli,s- in the doctrine
of secession. bcicveaisss .e several States
of this Union have the <Ssis to separate from
it, each acting for itself l believe that the
abuses and usurpation had been practiccd and
threatened to SO great an extent by their asso
ciatcs and partners in this governmental com
pact, that the Southern States were justified in
going out; and sir, further believe by their
ordinanccof secession that they did go out, and
thereby became to this Union foreign States
These convictions I cannot change and do
not expect will ever be removed | will most
assuredy, proclaim them and stand by them
as long as single citizen of the Confederate
States is in chains or subject to penalty for
asserting them. There is no political or per
sonai consideration which would prompt me
to such dcscrtion. AS the right of scccs
sion is the only thing that secures them from
the charge OF treason, my voice shall ever ac-
cord with my convictions and never ioin in
that verdict against them. | should consid
or myself as assuming most infamous posi-.
ton II did. What, sir, that believe them
right, that would have joined them if the
sovereign Stntc of Maryland had said so, to de-
rtthem now in their utmost need, when can
legitmatcly give them such protection as in
my power honestly to givc-nevcr.
From what have said, Mr. Speaker, this
House will readily infer thas I am adverse to
the reconstruction policy of the President. |
confess that Andy johnson has been, in adop
ting his mode of reconstruction, consistent
with the views of the late President, with
those of the Republican party that elected
him, and with his own declaration from the
time he abandoned the Democratic party end
joined the Republicans. These facts do not
commend him to me; but surely it Is not his
fault that lie is now at issue with many of the
people who raised him to hs.prcscnt station.
In my view the Southern seeded States
have no right to representatives on this floor
or in the Senate, and by my vote have here
totorc invariably rejected every application
WHICH has been made by any person clamin..
such right; and, sir, not only do believe that
they have no such right in their present M.
sitlon to send Senators and Representatives
here, but do not think they have thcripht
to furnish us with President or Vice Pres
ident. Being citizen of seeded and un.
reconstructed Tennessee, Andrew johnson
IS, in my opinion, only President tic focto
forced upon the country by their votes, attend.
cd by that very effective implement, their bay'
onots. Whom cannot avoid it. I, like eve
ry one else, acquiesce in tie tacto governments
and 1e iocto Presidents; but if it could be
expected by any one that can cast nv vote
at the next Presidential election for Andrew
johnson of Tennessee for that high office
then Mt least the status Of Tennessee herself
must be completely changed
Mr.. Harris proceeded to define his own
views IN regard to reconstruction, expressing
his confident belief that the Southern States
are wiling tocnter again into the compact
ond be subject to the old Constitution of the
united States, 1t was not the Constitution
thew. fell out yr;th h,,t q