The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1866-08-20

| f6bal1aUl0n ana revenge Ills Has pooI
the courssan the policy Of one portion
Of your Government. ..
| The humble individual who is now
addressing yon, stands the representative
| of another department. Of the Govern
ernment. The manner in which he was
called upon to occupy that position
shall not allude to on this occasion
Suffice it to say, that he is here under
the Constitution of the country, and be-
ing here by virtue OF its provisions, he
takes his stand upon than charter of Oul
liberties as the great rampant of civl
and religious liberty prolonged cheer
ing.] Having been taught in my early
life to hold it sacred, and having prae-
tised upon it during my whole pubic
career, I shall ever continue to reverence
the Constitution of my fathers, ana tG
make it my;guide Hearty applause
| know it has been said (and must be
permitted to indulge in this remark chat
the Executive Department OF the Gov
| ernment has been despotic and tyrannlc
al. Let me ask this audience OF distin
guished gentlemen around me here IT,
day to point to avote ever gave, to a
speech / ever made, to single act of my
own public life that has not been against
tyranny and despotism. What position
have | ever occupied ground have
I ever assumed where it can be truthfully
charged that l failed to advocate
the amelioratiOn and elevation of the
great masses of my countrymen ! Cries
of "never," and great applause
So far as charges of that kind are
concerned, will say that they are simply
intended to deceive and delude the pub
lie mind into the belief that there Is some
one in power who is usurplng and
trampling upon the rights OF the Consti-
tuition. 1t is done by those who make
such charges for the purpose of covering
their own acts. That's so,' and ap-
plause. have felt it my duty, in vim
dication of principle and the Constitu-
ton of my country, to call the attention
of my countrymen to these proceedings.
When we come to examine who has
played the tyrant, by whom do we lind
despotism exercised AS to myself, the
elements of my nature, tho pursuits OF
nv life have not made me either in my
feelings or in my practice oppressive.
Nv nature, on the contrary, is rather
defensive in its character but | will say
that having taken my stand upon the
broad principles of liberty and the Con.
stitutiOn, there is not power enough on
earth to drive me from it. Loud and
prolonged applause.] Having placed
myself upon that broad platform, have
not been awed or dismayed or intimidat-
ed by either threats or encroachments,
bnt have stood there in conjunction with
patriotic spirits, sounding thd tocsin OF
alarm when deemed the citadel OF lib.
erty in danger. Great applause
said on previous occasion, and re-
neat now, that all that was necessary in
| this great struggle against tyranny and
despotism, was that the struggle should
be Sufficiently audible for tho American
people to hear and perfectly understand.
wbo the contestants were, and what the
struggle was about, determined that
they would settle this question on the
aide of the Constitution and of principle,
TCries of chats SO, and applause L
proclaim here to day, as l have on pre-
yious occasions, that my faith is In the
great mass of the people. In the darkest
moment of this struggle, when the cloud,
seemed to be most lowering, my faith
instead of giving way, loomed up
| through the cloud, beyond which L saw
that all would be we'll in the end, My
countrymen, we all know that tyranny
and despotism, in the language OF Thom'
az Jefferson, can be exercised and exert
ed more effectually by the many than the
one. We have seen Congress gradually
encroachsstep by step, and violate day
after day and month after month constr
tutionai rights and the fundamental
principles of government Cries oi
that's So and applause Wo have
seen a Congress that seemed to forget
that there was limit to the sphere and
scope of legislation. We have seen a
| Congress in q minority assume TO cXer
else power which, if allowed to be car
| ried out, would result in despotlsm or
| monarchy itself. Enthusiastic applause
| This is truth, and because others, rs well
as myself, have seen proper to appeal 10
the patriotism and republican feeling "i
the country, we have been denounced III
| the severest terms Slander upen an
der, vituperation upon yltuperatlon o'
the most villainous character, has made
it's way through the press. What, gen
tlemen, has been your and my sin what
has been the cause of our offending!
will tell you: Daring to stand by the
Constitution of our fathers (Appioac
inc Senator J0hnson) consider the
proceedings of this Convention, sir, rs
more important than those ofany Conven'
ton ever assembled in the United States
IGreat applause. When | look with
my minds eye upon that collection oI
citizens coming together voluntarily
and sitting in council with ideas, with
principles, and views commensurate
with all the States, and co-extenslve
with the whole people, and contrast it
with the collection of gentlemen, who
are trying to destroy the country, ] re
gard it as more important than any
| Convention that has sat-at least since
l757. Renewed applause. | think
may also say that the declarations that
were there made are equal to the decla-
ration of independence itself, and | here
pronounce them to-day a second declara'
ton of independence Cries OF ''Glori-
ous," and most enthusiastic and pro
longed applause Your address and
declarations are nothing more or less
than q reaffirmation of the Constitution
of the United States [Cries of Good
and applause
Yes, will go farther, and say that the
declarations you have made, that the
principles you have enunciated in your
address are a second proclamation OF
IL. l.. 8 hal H..sI