Democrat and sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1853-1866, 1866-03-15

as the last libation, as a tribute to the
Union OF these States. Great applause.
But LEI the opponents of this Government
remember, when IT is poured out, that
:. the blood of the martyrs is the seed of
the church" The Union will grow, and
it will increase in strength and power,
though it may be cemented and cleansed
in blood l have already spoken to you
longer than / intended when l came out.
(Go en-
CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS.
/ merely intended to make my acknowl-
cdgments for the honor you have done me;
but before | close, allow me to say word
| IN regard 10 the question of amendments
to the Constitution of the United States.
Shortly after | reached Washington for
the purpose of being inaugurated as Vice
President of the United States, | had
conversation with Mr.. Lincoln IN regard
to the condition of affairs. We talked
particularly in reference to matters in nay
own State. told him that we had cal
led 4 Convention, that we had amended
the Constitution, and that we had abolish
ed slavery in that Stale, which was not
included in his Emancipation Proclama-
ten
All these things met his appreciation,
and he gave me words of encouragement.
We talked then about affairs generally,
and upon the subject of amendments 10
the Constitution Of the United States; he
said 10 me, " When the amendment of the
Constitution DOW proposed, is adopted by
thrce-fourths of the States, ] am pretty
near done, or indeed quite done in favor
of amending the Constitution if there was
one other adopted"
asked him, What is that, Mr.. Presi-
dent? He said, . l have labored to save
this Union. | have toiled during four
years nave been subjected to calumny
and misrepr, sentation. My great and
sole desire has been to preserve these
States intact under the Constitution as
they were before" [ asked him again
what amendment was that he proposed
. WHY" said he, - il is that there should
be an amendment added to the Constitu-
ton which would compel the States 10
send their Senators and Representatives
to the Congress of The United States =
/ TGreat applause. The idea was in his
mind that as part Of the doctrine OF Sc
cession, one of the means TO break up
this Government was that the States, if
they saw proper, might withdraw their
| Senators and Representatives, or refuse 10
elect them He wanted even 10 remove
that difficulty by a constitutional amend
ment, compelling the States TO send SeEa-
tors aud Representatives TO Congress.
But what do we now find The Con
stitution Of the country, even that portion
of it which allows amendments 10 the or
ganic law, expressly provides that 30
State, without IFS consent, shall be dcpri-
we'd of It's equal suffrage in the Senate, and
it also provides that each State shall have
at least one Representative in the House
of Representatives but yet the position
is taken that certain States shall not be
represented. We impose taxes upon them;
we send our tax gatherers into every re-
gion and portion OF the States.
These people are fit subjects of the
Government for the collection Of taxes,
but when they ask to participate in the
legislation of the country, they are met at
the door and told no, you must pay taxes,
you must bear burdens of Government,
but you cannot participate in its legisIa-
ton which is TO affect you through all
time TO come Is this justice, is it fair!
Ne, no.
| repeat | am for the Union. | am for
the preservation of all the States. l am
for admitting into the Councils OF the ma
ton all the representatives who are unmis-
takably and unquestionably loyal A
man who acknowledges allegiance 10 the
Government, and who swears to support
the Constitution, must necessarily be 10y
al. A man cannot take an oath in good
faith unless he is loyal
know that some do not attach as much
Importance to this point as | do, bat | re-
gard il as fundamental one The princi-
pie that carried US through the revolution
was that there should be no taxation with
out representation. l hold 10 that princi-
pie, which was laid down rs fundamental
by our fathers If it was good then it is
good now If it was worth standing by
then, it is worth standing by now. 1t is
fundamental and should be observed as
long as free government lasts.
THE CONSTITUTION.
| am aware that in the midst of The
Rebellion it was said by some that the
Constitution had been rolled up as piece
of parchment and laid away ; that in time
of war and rebellion there was no Consti-
tuition. We know that sometimes, in
great necessity, under great emergencies.