New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1866-04-20
NUMBER 21g

| sn our fathers were contendng against the
u 1feat Britain. What was one of the prfn-
- "4ses @ Vi their complaint? 1t was that the v |
ta... presentation they complained of |
| " ",shoue representation. fCheers.l One
ol .he great principles laid down bv our fa,be,.
and which fired their hearts was tbat ,her. s.,a
! be no taxation without repre- senta,ior u.s-N -
does the matter stand? Who has hea, -,
power9 Who has been defeating the onsra.ia.s f..s
| of the Constitution? What now remain. - !.
done to complete the restoration of the stat.a !.
all their former relations under the Federal ony
| eminent, and to finish the great ordeal throuoh
which we have been passing? 1t is to admit rep
resentation.
When we say admit representation, what do we
meaa? We simply mean representation in the
constitutional and law abiding sense which was un-
dersteod at the beginning Of the government. The
Constitution declares in express terms that the
Senate and House of Representatives, each acting
for ITSELF shall be judge Of the returns of elections
and the qualifications Of its own members. is for
each house to settle that question under the Con-
stitution and the solemn sanction Of an OATH Can
we believe that eisher house would admit any
member intcits body to participate in the legisla
ton of the country who has not been qualified.
They have the power, not the houses alone but
each house fer itself. The Constitution further
dictates that no States shall be deprived of equal
suffrage in the Senate Of the United States without
its consent All that we have need of, to
finish the great work of restoration IS for the
two houses, respectively to decide the question
But some one will say traitor might come in.
The answer to thas is that each house must be the
Judge Of it, and if traitor presents himself can.
not help it. The house VIII know that he is |
trait apl bo ;.
not kick him ont of doors and send him back, say
ing to the people who sent him you must send
us loyai man. (Cheers.) Is there any diff |
Guilty about that? (.No.''" no,' and cheers,) If
"a traitor presents himself to the other 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 loyal representative i" Cheers
Aad when tae States Go send loyal representa-
tves, you have any better pledge of fidelity to
the Constitution and laws
~ There is no one learned in the Constitution and
laws, who will say that if traitor happens to get
into Congress, that body cannot expel him after
he gets in. That makes assurance double sure
and conforms the action OF the government to the
Constitution of our fathers. Hence, | saw let us
stand by that Constitution, and in standing By it,
the government will be preserved. While have
been contendng against traitors and secession and
the dissolution of the Union, have been contend
ing at the same time against the consolidation of
power here; think consolidation Of power here
is equally dangerous with separation. (Cheers)
The one would run into anarchy, while the other
| would concentrate and end in anarchy.
| But there is an idea abroad that one man can be
| a usurper. Mr.. Jefferson tells US and so does
common sense that tyranny and despotism can be
exercised by many more vigorously than by one
What power has your President to attain, what can
he do, what can he originate? Why, he, they say
| can exercise the veto power. (Laughter.) What
| is the veto power. "a voice-to put down the
| nigger) Who is your President? (Several voices
Andy Johnson.) Is he not elected by the people
The President is the tribune of the people. In
olden times when trbunes were first elected in the
Roman republic, the people chose tribune and
placed him at the doors of the Senate so that
when that body ventured an oppressive act he
was clothed with the power to say veto, +
forbid. Your President now is the tribune of the
people. l thank God am, and intend to assert
the power which the people have placed in me.
iOheers.)
Your President standing here day after day dis.
charging his duty is like a horse on treadmill,
and because he does differ in opinion in regard to
public measures, he must be denounced as usur.
per and tyrant. Can he originate anything un-
der the veto power? I think the veto power con.
servatve in its character, and affirm that all
that can be done in the veto power is to say when
Legislation is hasty, unwse and unconstitutional
Stop action; wait till this can be submitted to the
people and let them consider whether it is right
or wrong. (Applause.) That is all there Is in it
hence say that tyranny and power can be exer-
cised somewhere else than by the Executive. He
is powerless. All that he do is to check legis-
lation, to hold it in state of allegiance until the
people can consider and understand what ia being
done. rr'
Then, what has been done? l have done what
conscience believed required me to do. Gap
plause) So believing, intend to stick to my posi-
ton, relying on the Judgment and the intelligence
of the people, the soldiers and sailors especially.
(Cheers) Then for my life cannot see where
there is any tyranny. 1t is very easy to impugn
motives and suspect the purest and best acts of a
| mans life. If you come forward and propose
certain thing your motives are suspected and con-
demned. aud if you withhold your opinion you are
regarded as being opposed to the matter. So that
it is very hard to move one way or the other SO
far as certain persons are concerned. In the
American people is my hope for the salvation of
the country. am with you, soldiers, sailors and
citizens. Who has sacrificed or perilled more !?
Has not my all been put on Tiny life, my pro-
perty-everythng sacred and dear to me has been
staked upon it, and can now be suspected of
fatering at the close of this third ordeal of the
question?
Where is he, in public or private life, who has
sacrifced more and who has devoted more of his
time and energies to the accomplishment of the
great end than 1? And l have done it from the
promptiags of my own heart. believe 1t was
right; aud with your hearts, your countenances
and your encouragement, shall go through in that
line. (Cheers and laughter.) And when you come
to talk about sailors and soldiers about this to be
done and that to be done, all want is for you to
| wait and see. So as far as you are concerned,
wait and see if / don't stand by you although
every other man may falter and fail (Cheers.)
l want to see measures of policy brought forward
that will advance the interests of the people, and
of that portion of the people who constitute the
gallant and brave men, who, in both branches of
the SERVICE have upheld the national flag and sus-
tained the country in the recent struggle.
thank you gentlemen for your encouragement,
thank YOU for your countenance, on this occasion
| it cheers me on and gives me strength to perform
| the work before me.
| If we are true to ourselves, if we are true to