The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1866-02-27

equal suffrage in the Senate, and i
also provides that each State shall hay,
at least one representative in the Hous,
of Representatives; but yet the position il
taken that certain States have not beer
represented. We impose taxes upOI
them, we send our tax gatherers int
every region and portion of the States
Their people are fit subjects of govern
ment for the collection of taxes, hu
when they ask to participate in thu
legislation of the country, they are met
at the door and told: mo; you must
paw Sour taxes You must bear the burdens
of the government, but you can not
participate in ITS legislation, that legisla
ton which is TO affect you through al
time so come" Is this iustice2 Is il
fair! [No; no ! l repeat, / am toI
the Union am for preserving all the
States | am for admitting into the
Councils of the Nation all their rep
resentatives who are unmistakably and
unequivocally loyal. A man who ac-
knowledges allegiance TO the gov
ernment and swears to support the con-
stitution, must necessarily be loyal A
man cannot take that oath in good faith
unless he is loyal The mere infliction of
the oath makes no difference in the
priRciple, whatever test is thought
proper as evidence and as proof of loyal
ty, isa mere matter Of detail, about
which / care nothing; but let man be
unmistakably and unquestionably loyal,
let him acknowledge allegiance TO the
constitution of the United States and be
willing to support the government in its
hour of peril and in its honr OF need,
and am willing to trust him. Ap'
plause
know that some do not attach as
much Importance to the point as | do,
but regard it as fundamental. One
principle that carried us through the
revolution was that there should be no
taxation without representation | hold
to that principle, which was laid down
as fundamental by our fathers if il was
good then, it is good now; If IT was
worth standing by then, IT is worth
standing by now II is fundamental
and should be observed as long as free
government lasts | am aware that in
the midst of rebellion il was SAID by
some that the Constitution had been
rolled up as a piece Of parchment and
laid away that in time of war and re-
bellion there was no Constitution. We
know that sometimes in great necessi-
ties, under great emergencies, unconsti-
tutional things must sometimes necessa-
rily he done in order to preserve the Con
stitution itself. but IL, while the rebel
lion was going on the Constitution was
rolled mp and laid away; Il II was Nio.
lated in some particulars. IN order TO
save the Government, and all may he
excused and justified, bee ause IN saving
the Government You really saved the
Constitution now that peace has come,
now that the war is over, wa want
again the benefit of a written Constitu-
ton, and say the time has come TO take
the Constitution down, 70 unroll, TO re.
read to understand its provisions thor
oughlyi and now in order u save the
Government we must preserve the Con-
stitutiOn Oar only safety is in a strict
adherence aud preservation OF the Con.
stituti0n Of our fathers IL il now un'
folded 1t must now bs read. IL must
be digested and understood By tho Amer.
lean people am here to-day, thea IN
making these remarks 90 vindicate the
Constitution, and To save ~, as
believe Ii does leem a. II Cn
CraaChmCul at,,I eucroachment ~ pI0-
posed upon IT A. far - can, have
ever resisted encruaChment5 upon the
Constitution, aud stand prepared 10
resist them today, and thereby 10 pre-
serve the Constitution and government
of the United States Great applause
1t Is now time OF peace and let us have
peace let Us enforce the Constitution,
let us live under and according to its
provisions, let It be published and print.
ed ia blazing characters as though IL
were in the heavens and punctuated by
the stars, SO that all can read and all can
understand Let a. consult that iustru-
ment. and be guided by its provisions;
letus understand them, aud understand.
ing them. abide by them ! tell the op-
poseTs Of this government | care not
from what quarter they come. East OF
West North OF South, you that are en-
gagged ia the work OF breaking up the
government are mistaken The Censti
tuition Of the United states aud the
principles Of free government are deeply
rooted III the American heart, and all
great instrument, that great chart Of
freedom Their attempts, though they
seem TO succeed for time, will be fu-
tile They might a. well undertake 10
lock up the winds or chain the waves OF
the ocean, aud conline them within linn
its They might As well attempt ~ re
peal the Constitution, and indeed it
seems now to be supposed that it can be
repealed by concurrent resolution 80
Laughter.) Bat when the question is
submitted 10 the popular judgment, and
to the mass of people, these men will
find that they might as well introduce
resolution TO repeal the law Of grayl'
tation The attempt 10 keep this
Union from being restored is just about
as feasible as would be resistance to the
great law Of grayitatIon which binds all
TO a common centre. The great law Of po-
litiCal grayitation will bring back these
States and restore them TO all their rela-
tions to the Federal Government Cliqes,
and cabals, aud conspiracies, and ma
chinations, North and South, cannot pre-
vent this great COnsummatlon. (Tre.
mendous applause All that is wanted
is time Let the American people get
to understand what is going on. and
they will soon manifest their determin
alton Here, by way Of explanation, let
me say that would to God the whole
American people could be assembled here
to-day as you are. | wish there was q
vast amphitheatre here large enough to
contain tho whole thirty millions, and
they could witness the great struggle
thnt is nnino ON 10 preserve the Consti-