American citizen. [volume] (Butler, Butler County, Pa.) 1863-1872, 1866-03-21

vi u meHUer VI congress many years
age, who when praised by member
who had always been his political OPP
ponent, exclaimed s.in the language
of the Psalmist, what have ! done
that the wicked should praise me. !"
The idea contained in this professed
scripture, is one, it seems to me, that
the Governor of PennsylTania and
the President of the United States
would do we'll to ponder, lest some
thing wrong is contemplated, when
these men become in advance the r
praises. The Senator from Rerks
CMr. Clymer ] informed us, that ifthe
Governor shall 7eto. our resolution
Joint it willbe "'the crowning act Of
his great fame" and pronounces sim
liar laudations of the President in
the assured anticipation, that he will
veto the .tion Of Congress. Sir, /
protest that these Senators have no
right thus to bes obber all over the
Governor of Pennsylvania and the
President of the United States.
These distinguished Executives ofthe
State and National Governments have
not forgotten--I do not speak it here for
their warning, but for the ears of the Sem
ators--they have not forgotten the fate
of the signer of the fugitive slave bill,
nor of Franklin Pierce, nor of James
Buchanan. These men were not able to
stand when they ATTEMPTED to stop the
car of progress. They could not stay the
stone that rolled down the mighty side.
And | say now that Whatsoever ia alleth
upon this stone shall be broken; but upon
whomsoever it shall fall it will grind him
to powder" 1t has been law of the
past, and il is the law of the future l
rest in my predictions, though net a proph-
ct, with more confidence than can the
Senator from Berks, who says, in antici-
patton of the President affixing his veto
to the suffrage bill of Congress, "then the
day Of redemption draws nigh p Ofwhst
redemption? Why the day when their
party shall again come into power That
redemption they expect in the anticipa-
tion that the Republican party will be
wrecked by the discordant action of the
members who compose it. But there is
no such triumph dawing for the party
with record such as theirs during the
five past eventful years. party dead
and only needed to be buried. But there
is day of redemption coming. 1t is
that spoken of by our Divine Master -
"Then shall they see the son of Man COM
ing in cloud with power and great glo,
ry. And when these things shall come
to pass then look up, and lift up your
heads, for the day of your redemption
draweth nigh" This language is that
of Him who brings redemption himself.
1t is a redemption for the enslaved of all
nations, of all colors, of all classes aud
conditions 1t is the language of Him
"in whom there is neither Jew nor Crock,
barbarian or Scythian, bond or free," but
in Him all are one; who remembers the
down trodden in all lands, and says -
snow will arise for the oppression of
the poor and the signing of the needy,
and / will set him in safety from him that
puffeth at him p And when he comes
to announce that redemption, will he cast
his suffrage on that side of the chamber
or this? With those who wear the name,
but have lost the power of democracy, or
with the true democracy who: believe in
government by the people, and favor
the extension of right of suffrage to all
classes of men 7" and who say that what
ever there is man born upon the soil and
free from crime, wearinga human heart
in his bosom and standing in the tender
relations of liis-citizen, husband, faith
er, brother, there is one who is entitled
to share of political power, and has the
inalienable right to defend his interests
by his vote?
Sir, the cause We plcad-the cause of
humanity-will not suffer in that day
Aud, now, if they desire that we shall
meet them on this issue, we will 60 before
the people upon it, in the villages, iu the
school houses, and wherever they shall
choose. Our people whose institutions
have borne the burthen of a vas; foreign
emigration aoated by thousands to our
shores over the wave OF the Atlantic,
whose principles have endured the strain
of the Celt and his participation of cti-
zeuship-can we'll afford this act of JUS
tice to the one-eight of our native popu-
lation. The foreigner is made voter
after Eve years of residence but these
men were borne upon the soil. Their in
stincts are true to our Government. They
have shared with us the fiery ordeal, the
suffering and sacrifices of these four years
of carnage. And l shall entertain the
confidence that when it is plead before