The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1866-02-27

10 yths constitution OF the United States. He
said "When the amendment Of the coustitu
ton nowproposed is adopted by three -fourths
of the States, am pretty near done, or in.
deed quite done, in favor of amending the
constitution, if there was one other adopted ~
sak ed him, ''Whst is that, Mr.. .ePresidentsv
He said, 81 have labored to preserve the
Union. have tried during the four years l
have been subjected to calumny and misrep-
reasnsa.ion to psssesvs these stsses intact
undx&he constitption - at1eY wHra before. .
asked him aeain, .HE President, what
amendmeut is that which you ucah prppose?
why" said be, ut il that there shoeh be
an amendment added TO the constffution
which would compel he States TO send their
senators and Representatives to the Congress
Of the United States." (Great applasse.a
The idea Wa 10 hia mind thas, = psxt OF
the doctrine Of the means to break up this
government, was that the Etstes, If they saw
proper, might withdraw their senators and
representatives, or refuse TO elect them; he
| wanted even to remove that difficulty BY q
constitutional amendment compelling the
States to send senators and representatives to
Congress- But what do We now find? The
constitution of the country, even chat portion
of it which allows amendments to khe organic
law, expressly provides that no StAte without
its consent shall be deprived of IT'D equal suf.
frage in the Senate, and it also provides that
each State shall have n least one Representa-
tive in the House Of Representatives; but vet
the position il taken that certain States have
not been represented. We impose taxes upon
them, we send our tax gatherers into every
region and portion Of the States. Their peo-
pie are fit subjects of government for the col
lection Of taxes; but when they ask to partici-
pate in the legislation OF the country they are
met at the door and told, mo, you must pay
taxes, you must bear the burdens Of govern
ment, but Jon cannot participate in its legis-
lation-that legislation which is to affect yot
through all time TO come.
Is this justice? Is it fair? mo, no. / re-
peat, am for the Union, am fof preserving
all the States. / am for admitting into the
councils of the nation all their representa-
tives who are unniistakably and unquestiona-
bly, loyal A man who acknowledges ale
glance TO the government, and who swears to
support the constitution, must necessarily be
loyal. A man cannot take that ID good faith
unless he is loyal. A mere infietion of the
oath makes no difference, a. the principle.
whatever test is thought proper Is evidence
and proof of loyalty, is q mere matter of de-
tail about which care nothing; but let man
be unmistakably and unguestionably loyal, let
him acknowledge allegiance to the constitu-
ton Of the United States, and Re willing to
support the government in its hour Of peril
and its hour of need, and am willing to trust
him. [Applanse.
know that some do not attach as much
importance to the point as do, but regard
it as fundamental One principle that car
ned us through the revolution wds that there
should be no taxation without REPRESENTATION.
| hold to that principle, which was laid down
fundamental by our fathers: if il was good
then, it is good now; il 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. lam sware that in
the midst of rebellion it was said bv some
that the Constitution had been rolled IN as a
piece of parchment and laid away; that in
time Of war and rebellion there was no Con.
stitution. We know that sometimes in great
necessities, under great emergencies uncon-
stitutonal things must sometimes necessarily
be done an order to preserve the Constitution
itself; but if, while the rebellion was going on
the Constitution was rolled up. and laid
away; If it was violated in some particulars.
in order to save the Government. and ALI NAV
be excused and justified, because in saving
the Government you really saved the Consti.
tuition; now that peace has come, now that
the warts over, we want again the benefit of
a written Constitution, and say the time has
come to take the Constitution down, to unroll.
to reread to understand its provisions thor
oughly; and now, in order to save the Gov
eminent, we must preserve the Constitution.
Our only safety is in strict adherence and
preservation ofthe Constitution of our fathers.
II is now unfolded; it must now be read, it
must be digested and understood by the Amer.
ican people / am here to-day, then. in
making these remarks to vindicate the Con-
stitution, and to save it, as ] believe. Ii does
seem ~ If encroachment after encroachment
is proposed upon it. As far as / can, have
ever resisted encroachments upon the Consti-
tuition, and stnnd prepared to resist them
to-day, and thereby to preserve the Constitu-
ton and Government of the United States
[Great applause. 1t is now time Of peace,
and let US have peace; let us enforce the Con-
stitution, let US live under and according to
its provisions, let il be published aud printed
in blazing characters as though if were in the
heavens, and punetuated by the stars, so that
all can read and all can understand Let us
consult that instrument, and be guided by it's
provisions; let US understand them, and un-
derstanding them, abide by them. / tell the
opposers of this Government, care not from
what quarter they come, East or West, North
or South, you that are engaged in the work Of
H.
The Constitution of the United States and
the principles of free government are deeply
rooted in the American heart, and all the
powers combined can not destroy the great
instrument, that great chart of freedom.
Their attempts, though they seem to succeed
for a time, will be futile. They might as well
undertake TO lock up the winds or chain the
waves Of the ocean, and conine them within
limits. They might as well undertake to re-
peal the Constitution, and indeed il seems
now to be supposed that it can be repealed by
a concurrent resolution. Laughter.1 But
when the question is submitted TO the popu-
lar judgment, and to the mass of the people,
these men will find that they might as we'll
introduce resolution to repeal the law Of
gravitation. The attempt to keep this Union
from being restored is about as feasible as
would be resistance to the great law of gravi.
tation which binds all to common center.
The great law of political gravitation will
bring back these States and restore them to
all their relations to the Federal Government.
Cliques, and cabals, and conspiracies, and
Vaccinations North and South can not pre-
vent this great consummation. Tremendous
wise than through and by the hand of an as.
sassin? am not afraid of m assassin attack
ing me where one brave and gorgeous man
will attack another. only dread him when
in disguise and where his footsteps are noise
less. Ifthey want blood, let them have the
courage 70 strike like men,. know they are
willing MNonnldy but afraid to strike If my
blood is to be shed hscaase I yindicate the
Union and insist on tke. preservation of this
Government in its original purity, let it be
shed, but let an altar to the Union be first
erected, and then If necessary, take me and
lay me upon it, and the blood that now warns
and snimates my existence shall be poured
ant tho 10 AZ liha atinn q trahntQ tn the uulDn