American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1866-04-26
States being engaged in the rebellion be

States being engaged in the rebellion be-
ing crushed. the laws restored and the
Constitution acknowledged in them. they
stood in the Union and under the Consti
tuition portion Of this glorious and bright
galaxy Of States. In passing through
this ordeal, much has been done in them,
under the direction Of my lamented pre-
decessor. We commenced the work of
reform-we succeeded before Icame here
in restoring the relations which had ex-
listed between Tennessee and the rest Of
the Union with one exception, the relation
of repr esenlation. I came to Washing.
ton. and under extraordinary circumsfau
ces, succe eded to the Presidential chair.
The Congress Of the United States had
adjourned without prescribing any plan.
l then proceeded as had done in my
own State, in reconstructing the govern
ment, to restore the other States; and
how did we begin? We found that the
people had no courts, and we said to the
judges. district attorneys and marshals,
go down and fold your courts, the peo-
pie need the tribunals of justice to be
opened. Was there anything wrong in
that? The courts were opened; what
else We looked out and saw that the
people down there had no mails they
had been cut off by the operations Of the
rebellion. We said to the Postmaster
General. let the people have fair chances
for mails, and let them again begin to
understand what we all feel. that we are
again one people. We looked out again
and saw that there was blockade, that
the custom houses were all closed. We
said open the doors of the onsl ON houses
and remove the blockade let the pursuits
of peace 60 on. and it was done. We
thus travelled on. step by step. opening
the custom houses. appointing collectors.
establishing mail facilities and restoring
all the railroads that had been interrupt.
ed during the rebellion. Was there any
thing undertaken to be done here that
was not authorized by the Constitution,
that was not justified by the great neces.
sites of the ease, and that has not been
clearly consistent with The Constitution
and with the generous spirit Of our gov~
eminent (Cheers)? What remainkd to
be done? One other thing remained
to show the civilized world that we
had passed successfully through the
third ordeal of our national existence
and proved that our government was
popular. A great principle was to
be restored, which was established
in our revolution. When our fathers
were contending against the power
of Great Britain, what was one Of
the principle causes of their com
plant! 1t was that they were de-
MED representation. They complain
ed of taxation without representa-
ton. (Cheers) One of the great
principles laid down by our fathers,
and which fired their hearts, was
that there should be no taxation
without representation. How then,
does the matter stand? Who has
been usurping power! Who has
been defeating the operation OF the
Constitution What now remains
to be done to complete the restora-
ton of these States to all their form
er relations and the Federal Govern
ment, and to finish the great ordeal
through which we have been passing.
1t is to admit representation! (checrs.)
When we say admit representation,
what do we mean? We simply mean
representation in the constitutional
and the law abiding sense which was
understood at the beginning of the
government. The Constitution de-
clares in express terms that the Sen
ate and House of Represen a'ives,
each aching for itself, shall be the
judge of The returns of elections and
he qualifications of lis own members.
1t is for each House TO settle that
question under The Constitution and
under the solemn sanction of an oath.
Can we believe that ether house
would admit any member INFO its
body 10 participate in the legislation
of the country, who has not been
qualified. They have the power, not
the TWO houses, but each house for
itself.
The Constitution further declares that
no State shall be deprived Of its equal
suffrage 10 the Senate OF the United
States without lis consent. Where do
VIC stand =? All that we have need Of to
finish the great work Of restoration is for
the two Houses. respectively. to decide
the question. Oh. but say some. trai-
tor might come in. The answer 10 that
is that each House must be the Judge Of
it. and il traitor presents himself | can
not help it. The House will know that
be is traitor, (applause) and il he is a
traitor, can they not keep him out Of
doors and send him back, saying to the
people who sent him. you must send US a
loyal mau ? (Cheers Is there any
difficulty sbou, that? (No. no. and
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