The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1866-05-04

pie"
We looked out again and saw that
there was a blockade; that the custom
houses werear closed. Wesaid, "open
the doors of the custom houses and re
move the blockade; let trade and COM
merce and the pursuit Of peace be re-
stored" and it was done. We thus
travelled on step by step, opening up
custom houses, appointing collectors,
establishing mail faciitiesand restoring
all the relations that had been inter
rupted by the reDeIIioa. Was there
anything undertaken 10 be done here
that was not authorized by the Consti-
tuition, that was not Justified by the
Constitution, that was not justified by
the great necessities Of the case; that
has not been clearly consonant with the
Constitution and with Tie genius and
theory Of our Government?
IdGmioa.
One Of the great principles laid down
by our fathers, and which fred their
hearts, was that there should be no tax
ation without representation. How,
then, do that matter stand? Who has
been usurping power? Who has been
defeating the operation Of the COnsti-
tuition? What now remains to be done
to complete the restoration Of those
States to all their former relations un-
der the Federal Government, and to
finish the great ordeal through which
we have been passing? II is TO admit
representation, and when we say admit
representation, what dove mean? We
mean representation in the coustitu-
tional and law abiding sense, as was
intended at the beginning OF the Gov
ernment, and where does that power
lie?
What remained to be done? One 9TH
er thing remained to demonstrate to
the civilized and Pagan world that we
had passed through the hOrrid ordeal
of our national existence, and proved
that our Government was perpetual
A great principle was to be restored
which was established in our Revolu
ton. When our fathers were contend
ing against the powerof Great Britain,
what was one of the principal causes
of their complaint? Tt was that they
were denied representation. They COM
planned Of taxation without represen-
tation. Cheers.
The p0rey Of Congress.
The Constitution declares, in express
terms, that each House, the Senate and
House Of Representatives, each acting
for itself, shall be the judges Of the re-
turns, election and qualifications of its
own members. Ii is for each House to
settle that question under the Constitu-
lion, and under the solemn sanction of
an oath, and can we believe that either
House would admit any member into
It's body, to participate in the legisla-
tion Of the country, who was not quail
flied and fit to sit in that body and TO
participate in its proceedings? They
have the power, not the two Houses,
out each House for itself.
The Constitution further declares that
no State shall be deprived Of its equal
suffrage in the Senate of the Emitted
States withoutits consent. Then, where
do we stand? All that is needed to fin
ish this great work Of restoration is for
the two Houses respectively to deternl-
inc the question. ooh" but some will
say, "a traitor might come in" The
answer to that Is, that each House must
be the Judge, and if Il traitor presents
himslf cannot either House know that
he is 4 traitor lappIausel; and if he is
a traitor, can they not kick him out Of
the door and send him back, saying to
the people who sent him, "you must
send Us loyal man" Cheers, and a
voice, that's logic"
Traitors.
Is there any difficulty about that? IF
Il traitor presents himself to either
! House cannot that House say to him,
''No, You cannot be admitted into this
body. Go back; we will not deny your
people the right Of representation,
| but they must send a loyal representa-
tive" And when the States do send
Ioy-aI rpDrpSnD+ati.-pS can Won have any
better evidence of their fidelity to the
/ Constitution and laws? There is no one
learned in the Constitution and the
laws who will say that, ifa traitor hap
pens to get into Congress, the body can
not expel him after he gets in. That
makes assurance doubly sure. and con
fines the action of the Government to
the Constitution of our fathers. Hence
l say, let us stand by that Constitution,
and in standing by it the Government
will be preserved.
While you have been contending ii
gainst traitors, and treason, and seces-
sion, and the dissolution Of the Union,
l have been contending at the same
time against the consolidation of pow
er. (Cries of "Good ~ | think the
consolidation of power here is equally
dangerous with the separation of the
States. The one would weaken us and
might run into anarchy, While the 9th
80 ,.,,|J oman, 47a IN n nd ysI1n ~, 70 ~, on