The Ebensburg Alleghanian. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1865-1871, 1866-03-08
President JOllnson's 22d OF
February Speech. ao

As matter of curiosity, We print here
with the material portion of the .speech''
delivered by President johnson, on the
22d February, Washington's Birthday
The rebellion has been put down by the
strong arm of the Government in the
field, but is that the only way in which
you can have rebellion Our struggle
was against an attempt to dissever the
Union, but, almost before the smoke of
the battlefield has passed away, before
our brave men have all returned to their
homes and renewed the ties of affection
and love to their wives and their children,
we find almost another rebellion inaugu-
rated. We put down the other Rebellion
in order to prevent the separation of the
States, to prevent them from flying of,
and thereby changing the character of
our Government and weakeningits power,
but when that struggle on our part has
been successful, and that tattempt has been
put down, we find now an effort to concen-
uate all power In the hands of few at
the Federal head, and thereby bring about
a consolidation of the Government, which
is equally Objectionable with separation.
(Voeiferous applause0 We find that
powers are assumed, and attempted to De
exercised, of most extraordinary charac-
ter. 1t seems that Governments may be
revolutionized. Governments, at least, may
be changed without going through the
strife Of battle. l believe it is fact
attested in history that sometimes reyolu-
tions most disastrous to a people are
effected without the shedding of blood
The substance of your Government may
be taken away, while the form and the
shadow remain to you. What is now being
proposed? s7H41e5 ai,
We find in point Of fact nearly all the
powers of the Government are assumed by
an irresponsible central directory, which
does not even consult the legislative or
the Executive Department of the Govern
ment; by resolutions reported from a
committee, in whom it seems that prac.
tically the legislative power of the Gov
ernment is now vested; that great priuci-
pie of the Constitution which authorizes
and empowers each branch of the Legis-
lative Department of the Senate and the
House of Representatives to judge for
itself of the election returns and qualif-
cations of its own members has been
virtually taken away from the two branches
of the Legislative Department of the
Government and conferred upon a COM
mittee who must report before either
House can act under the Constitution as
to accepting the members who are to take
their seats as component parts of the
respective bodies.
BY this rule it is assumed that there
must be laws passed recognizing State
as in the Union, or its practical relations
to the Union as restored, before the re-
spective houses under the Constitution,
can judge of the election returns and
qualifications of their own members
What position is that? You struggled
for four years to put down rebellion ;
you denied in the beginning of the sirug-
gle that any State could 60 out of the
Union; you said that it had neither the
right nor the power to do so. The issue
was made, and it has been settled that the
State had neither the right nor the power
to go out of the Union; with what con-
sisteGcy, after it has been settled by the
military arm of the Government. and by
the public Judgment, that the States bad
no right to go out Of the Union, can any
one now turn round and assume that they
are out, that they shall not come in? l
am free to say to you, as your Executive,
that [ am not prepared to take any such
position. (Great applause) l said IN
the Serate, in the very inception of this
Rebellion, that the States had no right to
90 out; l asserted too that they had nc
power to go out that question has been
settled, aod i. being settled, l cannot turn
around now and give the lie direct to all
that I have professed, and all have done
for the last five years. (Applause.) When
those who rebelled comply with the Con
stitutiou VIXEN they give sufficient evi-
dence of loyalty; when they show that
they can be trusted when they yield
obedience to the law that you and
acknowledge obedience to, 1 say extend
them the right hand of fellowship, and
let peace and union be restored. (Tre
mendous applause.)
[ caure into this place under the consti
tuition of the country and by the appro
baton OF the people, and what did l find
l found eight millions of people who were
in fact condemned under the law, and tht
penaisy was death Was toyield to tht
spirit of revenge and resentment, anc
declare that they should all be annihilateG
and destroyed? How different would thi
| have been from the example set by th'