The tri-weekly news. [volume] (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1865-1876, 1866-09-01

Ter, O1 penalLleS, retallatlOn anu revenge.
This has been the course and the policy
of one portion of your Government.
The humble individual who is now
addressing you stands as the representa-
tive of another department of the Gov.
ernmcnt. The manner inwhich he was
called upon to occupy that position I
shallpot allude to on this occasion !;
suffice it to say that he IS here under
the Constitution ot&the country, and
being here by virtue of its provisions he
takes his ssshdapon that ebArterpfour
liberties as the great rawpafg 81 eivil and
religjousliberty,S Prolonged cheering.l
Having been taught in my early life to.
hold it, sacred, and having ,practieed
nponsit during my whole public career,
Ashall ever continue to reverence the
Constitution ofiny fathers and make it
mSgpide. Hearty applause. # s.
Ne president proceeded, aud denied
the chrge that lie had ever been tyran.
meal on a despot, but said that such
charges we're simply intended to deceive
and delude the epublic mind into the be.
lief that there is come one in power who
is usurping and Ntrampling upon the
rights, of the Constitution. II is done
by those who h,ake such charges for the
purpose OF covering their own acts.
That's So" and applause. I have
felt Tiny duty, in yindication of princi-
plc aud the Consultation OF my country
TO call the attention of my countrymen
to these proceedings. When we come
TO examine who has been playing the
tyrant in whom do we find despotism
exercisea2 AS tolmyself the elements
OF my nature aha the pursuits ofmy life
have NOT made me in either my feelings
S sa "a ny s etesSssss eSss sPPssssIxs Mx ns
inits character, but will say that.
having taken my stand upon the broad
principles of liberty and the Constitu.
ton, there is not power enough on earth
to drive me from it. Loud and pro.
longed applause. Having placed my.
self upon that broad platform, have not
been awed or disnayed or intimidated
by either threats or encroachments, but
have stood there in con JUNCTION with
patriotic spirits sounding the tocsin Of
alarm when deemed the citadel of
liberV in danger. IGreat applause. 1
said on a previous occasion, and repeat
1t now, that all that was necessary in
this great struggle against tyranny and
despotism was that the struggle should
be sufficiently audible for the American
people to hear and properly understand.
They did hear, and looking on and see.
ing what the contestants were, and what
the struggle was about determined that
they would settle this question on the
side of the Constitution and of principle.
proclaim here, to day. as l have no
previous occasions, that my faith is in
great mass of the people. In the dark.
est hour ofthis struggle, when the clouds
seemed to be most lowering, my faith,
instead of giving away, loomed up
through the cloud, beyond which / saw
that all would be well in the end.
My countrymen, we all know tha,
tyranny and despotism, in the language
Of Thomas Jefferson, can be exercised
and exerted more effectually by the
many than the one. We have seen
Congress gradually encroach step by
step, and violate day after day and
month after month, constitutional rights
and the fundamental principles ofthe
Government. We have seen a Con.
gress that seemed to forget that there
was limit to the sphere and scope of
We have seen a Congress
in minority assume to exercise power
which, it allowed to be carried, would
result IN despotism or monarchy itself.
This is truth, and because Others as well
as myself have seen proper TO appeal to
the patriotism and republican feeling OF
the country, we have heen denounced in
the severest terms. Slander upon Sian.
der, vituperation upon yi,uperation, of
the most vilainous character, has made
its way through the press. What, gen.
tlemen, have been your and my sin
What has been the cause of our Offend
ing? ] will tell you: Daring to stand