Columbia democrat and star of the north. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1867, 1866-03-07

conscious anu lutolHgS udHOie o'o "
punished. should whole States, communi-
ties and people be made TO submit to and
bear the penalty Of death
have, perhaps, as much hostility and as
much resentment as a man ought TO have,
but we should conform our action and our
CO nduci to the example OF Him who found
ed our holy religion not that would lIken
Him TO it, or bring any comparison, Tor
am not going TO deiain you long. But, gen.
i!emen, came into power under the Con-
stituton OF the country and by the aPProba-
tion of The people, and what did | find |
iound eight millions of people, who were,
in fact, condemned under The law, and the
penalty was death; under the idea of re-
venge and resentment, they were 10 be an
nihialed and destroyed.
o, how diferen. this from the example
sci by the holy founder of our religion, whose
divine arm touches the horizon and embra-
ces The whole earth-yes, He who founded
this great scheme came into the world and
found our race condemned under law, and
the sentence was death. What was His
example insRad OF pulling the world or
nation 10 death, he went forth with grace,
and altesled by his blood and his wounds
that he would die and let the nation live -
Let them repent and acknowledge their al
iegiance. Let them become loyal and will
ling supporters and defenders Of our glofi-
Gus stripes and stars and The Constitution OF
our country. Let their leaders. the con
scious, intelligent traitors suffer the penalty
OF the law, but for The great mass who have
been forced into The rebellion and mIsled by
their leaders, say leniency, kindness, trust
and confidence.
But, my country afer having passed
through the rebellion and given such evil
dence as have, though men croak great
deal about il now; when look through the
batlle fields aud see so many OF these brave
men in whose company | wac III parts Of
the rebellion, where ii was most difficult
and doubtful 10 be found, before the smoke
of battle has scarcely passed away, before
the blood shed has scarcely congealed,
what do we ind
The rebellion is put down by the strong
arm of The government in the field; but Is
that The only way in which we can have
rebellion They struggled Tor the break
ing up OF your government, but before they
are rcarcely oul cf The battlefield and be-
fore our brave man have scarcely returned
TO their homes to renew the lies of affection
and love we find ourselves almost III The
midst OF another rebellion. (AppIause.)
The war to suppress the rebellion was to
prevent the separation o! The States, and
thereby change the character of the gov
eminent and the weakening Of its powers.
Now, what is the struggle There is an
attempt TO concentrate the power OF the
government in The hands of the few, and
thereby bring about consolidation, which
is equally dangerous and Objectionable with
separation We find that powers are as
sumed and aitem pied 10 be exercised OF a
most extraordinary character. Whai are
they We find The government can be
revolutionized I; can be changed without
going into The battlefield. Sometimes rev.
oluIions most dangerous 10 the people are
effected without shedding blood. The sub
stance of our government may be taken
away, leaving only the form and shadow,
Now, what are these aienptsl Wha. is
being proposedl We find that, in fact, by
an irresponsible central directory nearly
all the powers OF the government are as
sumed, without even consulting the leglsa-
tive or executive departments OF the gov
ernmeuI. Yes, and By resoloion reported
by acommittee upon whom all the egisla-
tive powers Of The government has been
conferred, that principle in The Constitution
which authorizes and empowers each
branch OF The legislative depaument-the
Senate AID House of RepresenaIives-to
be the Judge of The election and qualifca-
tions of its own members; has been vlru-
ally taken away from those departments of
the government and conferred upon COM
milieee who must report before they can
act under The Constitution and allow MEM
bers duly elected 10 take their seats.
By tnis rule they assume that there must
be recognition in respect 10 State In The
Union, with all its practica! relations res;or-
ed, before the respective Houses OF Con-
gress, under the Constitution, shall Judge OF
The election and qualification Of It's own
members What a position is rhaie You
have been struggling for four years 10 put
down the rebellion. You denied in the be-
ginning of the struggle that any State had
the right 10 60 out. You said that they had
neither right nor power. The issoe has
been made, and il has been settled that a
Stale has neither The right nor the power TO
90 oul OF The Union; and when You have
settled that by the executive and military
power of the government, and by The pub
lie iudgmen., you turn round aud assume
hat tLey are out and shall not come in