Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1866-03-02

question is settled" Well, their armies have
been disbanded they come forward, now, ii
q spirit of magnanimity, and say, ''We were
mistaken: we made an effort to carry out The
doctrine of secession and dissolve this Union
in that we have failed. and having traced this
thing to its logical and physical consequences
and results, we now again come forward an6
acknowledge the flag of our country, obedi
cnce to the Constitution, and the supremacy
of the law" Cheers I say, then, wher
you have complied with the Constitution, wher
you have yielded to the law, when you ac.
knowledge your allegiance to the Govern.
ment, am ready to open the doors of the
Union and restore you to your old relations
to the Government of our fathers Pro.
longed applause.
Who, ask, has suffered more for the
Union than have? shall not now repeat
the wrongs Or sufferings inflicted upon Inc
butt is not the way to deal with whole
people in the spirit of revenge. [ know
there has been great deal said about the
exercises Of the pardoning power so far as
the Executive is concerned. There is no one
who has labored harder to have the prince pal,
intelligent, conscious traitors brought to
Justice, to have the law vindicated, and the
great fact vindicated that treason is crime,
than I who stand before you to-day. Yet
while conscious, intelligent traitors are to be
punished, should whole States, communities
and people, be made TO submit to and bear
the penalty of death I have, perhaps, as
much hostility and as much resentment as
man ought to have, but we should conform
tour action and our conduct to the example Of
him who founded our holy reigion-not
that would liken this to it, or bring any
comparison, for | am not going to detain you
long. But, gentlemen, came into power
under the. Constitution of the country, and
by the appreciation of the people. And
what did find found eight millions of
people who were, in fact, condemned under
the law, and the penalty was death Under
the idea Of revenge and resentment they were
to be annihilated asd destroyed. 0, how
different this from the example set by the ho-
ly founder of our religion, whose Divine arm
touches the horizon and embraces the whole
earth Yes, he who founded this great
scheme came into the world and found our
race condemned under the law, and the SEN
tence was death. What was his example ?
Instead Of putting the world or a nation to
death, He went forth with grace and attested
by His blood and His wounds that He would
die and let the nation live. Let them repent,
and let them acknowledge their allegiance !;
let them become loyal and willing supporters
and defenders of oar glorious "stripes and
stars and the Constitution Of our country /;
let their leaders, the conscious, intelligent
traitors, suffer the penalty of the law, but
for the great mass, who have been forced in
to this rebellion and misled by their leaders,
| say, lcnency, kindness, trust and conf
dence. Enthusiastic cheers.
But, my eoaitrymer, after having passed
through the rebellion, and given such evil
dencc as I haye-though men croak great
deal about it now laughter when I look
back through the battle-felds and see many
Of these brave men, i'll whose company I was,
in parts Of the rebellion where it was most
difficult and doubtful to be found, before the
smoke of battle has scarcely past away, be-
fore the blood shed has scarcely CONCEALED,
what do we find The rebellion is put down
by the strong arm Of the Government in the
field, bat is that the only way in which we
can have rebellion They struggled for the
breaking up.of your Government, but before
they are scarcely out of the battlefield, and
before Our brave men had scarcely returned
to their hemes, to reaew the ties of affection
and love, we find ourselves almost in the
midst of another rebellion. Applause The
war to suppress one rebellion was to prevent
the separation of the States, to prevent them
from flying off, and thereby changing the
character Of the Government, and weakening
its power. Now what is the struggled
There is an attempt to concentrate the power
Of the Government, in the hands Of the few,
| and thereby bring about consolidation
| which is equally dangerous and Objectionable
with separation. Enthusiastic applause. -
We find that powers are assumed and at
tempted to be exercised of most extraordi-
nary character What are they?
We find that governments can be revolu-
tionized, can be changed without going into
the battlefield. Sometimes revolutions, the
most disastrous to the people, are effected
without the shedding of blood. The sub
stance Of government may be ia ken away,
while the form and shadow is still adhered 20.
Now, what are the attempts? What is being
proposed? We find that in fact, by an ire
sponsible, central directory, nearly all the
powers of Government are assumed, with
out even consulting the legislative or execu-
tive departments Of Government Yes and
by resolution reported by committee, upon
~hom all the legislative power Of the Gov
eminent has been conferred, that great prin-
ciple in the Constitution, which authorizes
and empowers each branch of the Legislative
department, the Senate and House Of Rep
resentatives. to be the judges Of the election
and qualification Of its own members, has
been virtually taken away from those depart
ments of Government, and conferred upon a
committee, who must report before they can
act under the Constitution, and allow mem
bers duly elected to take their seats.
BY this rule they assume that there must
be laws passed that there must be recognition
in respect to State in the Union. with all
its practical relations restored, before THERE
speetiyo houses Of Congress, under the Con
stitution, shall Judge of the election and quail
l6cation of its own members What position
!