Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1866-06-18
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I, laughed at tie suggestion. The debtor has
ceased TO exist; the debt, according to its
. own provisions, can never become due, and
(, each of the Southern States has by consttu-
/ tionai provision repudiated 1t and prohibi-
( ted the paytnent Of any portion thereof. II
atllere ever was a. defiinct and buried debt,
WITHOUT legal or moral force, the recogni-
yfioas alldImVunetiU Ofwhiehis In every way
itnpossible, it. is the debt, the continued ex-
jstence efWhich 10 Is now proposed to re-
cognize by prohibition of payment in the
/ aC6nstitutioh. The least that may be said
( of this section Is that it would be harmless,
! but would regret TO, see the face OF the
Constitution maTred by provision so un-
necessary and tritlng'
Congress shall have power to enforce, by
appropriate Legislation, the provisions of
the article When these words were used
in the amendment abOlisbiDg slavery they
were thought to be harmless, but during
mis- session there has been claimed for them
such force aud scope OF meaning as that
Congress might invade the Jurisdiction of
The States, rob them of their reserved rights
and crown the Federal Government with
absolute and despotic power. As construed
this provision is most dangerous. Without
1T the Constitution possesses the vitality
h1u NlgOf IOF us OWN tHloICtuitLL lulpuSh
The appropriate departments.
Mr.. PresideDf, have now briefly exam
inen the DroVisionsOf this article, and can
not resist the conviction that some of them
ara useless, while Others are vicious and
"a iYerolts. Nor can / resist the con-
viction that this measure spressed, not be-
cause of any exigency in our affairs, but
20 carry out party programme. The
President has.his policy. You oppose him.
You charge him With usurpation, while at
the SAME time you are straining every brace
and timber Ia, the Constitution to secure to
Yourselves absolute control indeed, you
reach out beyond the Constitution, and by
amendment-a proceedmgto be resorted TO
Noniy upon rare and solemn occasions
YOU grasp alter, and with the avidity OF
hunger clutch power. Why this reaching
after power on your part? Isit not enough
that tforfve years you have held all the Offices
.ot the country, and, through the tavorit-
ism OF the departments, your partisans and
followers have grown rich and powerful ?
.Oris IL SO sweet TO govern men that the
possession OF power is Indispensable to your
nappinessP Upon what fact may you
charge the President with usurpatiOn
When he came into Office he found eleven
great States and 3s000,0 900 people under his
absolute sway and government, His au-
that of the Car of Russia over his extend
ed dominions. The persons and property
of the people were under his control. In
his hands there seemed to be the issues OF
life and death. Did he, like you, clutch this
power and seek to extend it? Did he say
II is sweet to govern? ..
. No, Senators, laying down absolute pow
er, he said to the people, "tlace your States
again in practical relations with the United
States, and govern yourselves; will be the
President, exercising those powers with
which the Constitution has clothed me-" /
submit to the candid opinion OF men if this
wasnot an exhibition Of sublime and he
roic devotion to principle and remuneration
of power?- And when you handed him the
Freedmen's Bureau bill, and authorized
him to appoint,an army of Office holders -
fill the whole country with his partisans,
when you offered to give him patronage
such as no man had ever before held, he re-
fu sed it all; but, in accordance with his |
convictions Of duty, vetoed the bill. Twice |
he refused the crown OF power, not, like |
CB ar, pushing it gently from him with the
back of his hand, but firmly, and in the ia G
OF most formidable opposition. The POSI-
tion of the President and those who sup
port his admins tratiOn upon the great
question now agitatiUg the country, is so
well and accurately expressed by an elo-
quent friend that will borrow his words
IL That no State has the legal right1to
sever itS connection with the Federal Gov
ernment. .4,-1,5 -.-... ... ....
-. Failing in such an attempt, they re-
main in their ancient places, fixed, immOv-
able, and shorn of none OF their attributes
as States.
) g. The right to immediate representa-
ton in Congress as living, lawful, aud legit-
innate meuOersof the Government.
Il, That the American Union is restor-
ed, agd stands unbFOken, without flaw or
blemish, aud with domestic tranquility 10
all her borders, in the presence OF the ma
ions ofthe earth."
Mr.. President, upon this great question
ofa restored Union we go to the country.
The army has done all its work, there Is
nothing more tor it to do, and the sons of
the republic have returned to their homes.
All opposition to the authority of the Gov
eminent of the United States has ceased,
and peace reigns throughout our borders.
Shall the Union, in all respects, stand re-
stored, ana we be again united and pow
erful people? Shall trade aud commerce
return again to their ancient channels and
prosperity attend all the pursuits of the
people? You may throw yourselves aero
the pathway of the people, and by shouting
copperhead and sympathizer hope TO
fEighten the timid, but you will not be able
10 check or turn them in their onward pro-
gress, because they now follow banner
upon which is written, in letters of light,
reconciliation and union."