Charles City intelligencer. [volume] (Charles City, Floyd County, Iowa) 1864-1866, 1866-03-29


ton of insanity. So, Mr.. Speaker, if
these slanderers can make the people
believe that the President ever uttered
that speech, then they have made out
their case. Laughter But we all
know he never did utter it. Laugh.
ter. 1t is not possible, sir, and am
glad of this opportunity to relieve hin
from that odium. But they hat
wrought it up in such cunning way
Mr.. Winfield. The gentleman -, -.
allow me. May not we hope that the
injunction of secresy will be removed
from this earnest, generous, and sin
cere defence7
Mr.. Stevens. / hope not Laugh.
ter. hope the gentleman will not
violate the confidence have placed in
him and all others. Renewed laugh.
ter. II is confidential communica-
ton.
Now, Mr.. Speaker, they worked it
up pretty cunningly, enough to impose
upon the people. For instance, they
went into circumstantial account, as in
the moon hoax. They pretended the
counsel of the assassins of the late
President escorted him to the stone
wall on which they say he mounted in
front of the White House, and they
say he was supported by late rebel
Mayor of this city, who was gratui-
tously furnished lodgings in one of our
penal forts for some time. Great
laughter All these circumstances
they threw about it. The people may
have been deceived, but we who knew
the President knew it was lie from
the start Renewed laughter.]
Now, sir, having shown my friends
that all it is built upon is fallacious, l
hope they will permit me to occupy
the same friendly position with the
President | did before. Laughter
Mr.. Price. | am satisfied the House
and the country will agree with me
there was mistake, a very great mis-
take, and although | have not lived as
long as the gentleman from Pennsyl-
vania, have found history cannot al
ways be depended upon, and but for
this accidental occurrence that would
have gone down in history as fact
Probably, sir, the present and succeed
ing generations would not have discov.
cred it had not this fact been oppor-
tunely developed Laughter
Mr.. Stevens. know the gentleman
is satisfied now it is all hoax. Re-
newed laughter
But will proceed, sir. l am glad
to find the President is not in the di.
lemma in which these gentlemen would
put him. What he has done has not
been done to Estates in the Union,
but to conquered provinces and he
has done it, not as President under any
power i'm the Constitution, but as Com
mander-in-Chief of the army, exercis-
ing military authority In the exer-
else of such authority it is not surpris-
ing that he should sometimes mistake
the dividing line between civil and
martial law, and be tempted to over
step the boundaries of authority in pur-
suit of what his ardent patriotism sup
posed 10 be the public good. How un-
fortunate these men in power cannot
realize that no permanent public adj
vantage can arise out of disregard OF
organic law. Remember that am
arguing from the position of the States
which the gentlemen assume for the
President, aud for themselves as the
Presidents friends, not from my own
position. The President goes into the
State of Tennessee State in the I'm.
ion say they, of course coequal with
all other States-he appoints provis
ional governor, which, if he means
thereby military governor, he had 9
right to do as Commander-in-Chief of 9
conquering army, if she was a con
quered territory but, as State, what
right had he to appoint a governor
Whence does he derive his authority
1t is not in the Constitution of the Uni,
ted States nor in the constitution oil
Tennessee. He put it under martial
law, and then directs his governor to
call convention of certain citizens to
form constitution. He fixes the quail
ification of voters. He finally pre-
scribes the constitution which this con
vention shall adopt. Governor Brown
low in an address informs the people
of Tennessee that as they were in re
bellion the President has right to or
der them what constitution to adopt
What free people /! What repub
lican restoration
So of the others. South Caroline
has governor appointed in like man
ner. In rebuilding her government, al
per order, she wanted to lay a founda
ton and send word to the Prcsiden
stating its shape. He orders them t
give it another round They do Sc
and await his appreciation. Still anotl
er, he demands : to adopt the constitl
tional amendment. That body music
courage enough to demur to the secon
section. Mr.. Seward scolds them wit
imperial dignity tells them that al
propriate legislation is restrainin
term tells them that they are quer'
lous, and orders them forthwith
obey. Obedience was instantaneous
| thanks to the virtue of martial law an
fixed bayonets
| Virginia had assembled the free rel
resentatives of fragments Of abor
eleven townships out of one hundre
and forty-two counties, elected IN spol
between the contending armies on di
puted ground-twelve men--who m,
within the Federal lines, called itself
convention, formed constitution, o
dered elections for the whole State, al
Governor Pierpont received about thi
ty-three hundred votes for Governo
(half Yankee soldiers, suspect al
was proclaimed in the market-house
Alexandria Governor Of imperial vi
ginia, the mother of statesmen.
reconstruction the President a
, knowledged him as the Governor, an
, those twelve as the representatives
: million and quarter of people, al
/ counts this Virginia as one Of the tive
ty-seven States that adopted the Co
, stitutional amendment. ! am fond
: genteel comedy, but this low farce