The tri-weekly news. [volume] (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1865-1876, 1866-06-21
Remarkable Speech in the House of Rep.
rcsciitdtiycS.

lISbHtutIhIO'
Jh' Harris Of Maryland, Defends the
RWht Of Secession anil Justifcs the
Souh.-He THINKS the tSouthcrn .Stutcs
got out Of the Union md are still out.
-Andy Johns on not q LawfM Presi
dent, dc. dc.
WASHINGTON, Thursday, June ID
The morning hour having expired,
The Speaker announced that the sne.
cial order for to day was The considera-
ton OF the bill heretofore reported from
the Joint Committee on Reconstruction
eulIlled ~ bill to restore 10 the States
rights"
Mr.. Harris, of Maryland Mr. Speak
or. having been up 10 this furlo1 OF ,hr
session ii silent member irum r,,,'rr,
deem it my duty now to G"caru my
views upon some of the political ques
tlons, which are represented Tor the conSid
Grafton Of ihls House and ahe country
| should consider il most ignobIc act
tG win the support or endorsement Of
any man By the sleast conccalmcnt or
deception.
then, sir, declare that in principle |
now stand rs | stood before the war; as
l stood after war was declared; as |
stood IN the last Congress, when re.
cclved It's crown of crnSurr; aS stood
IN prison and before that Internal ins,ru.
melt OF tyranny, court.martial. And
as stand in principle, so will | stand in
practice whenever uccasion may re
quire.
When l Indicate that there has been
no change in my principl,s, this House
and this country, poSsibly-lor the
avowal oi them has been attended bv an
unexpected notoricty - may infer " hat
my r""'.'On now is. | am son old time
Democrat, and believe in The doctrine of
secession. l believe that tn. several
States OF this Union lave the ripht to
S"rcra'r from 1t, each acting Tor itself
/ believe That abuses and u$urpaion
had been pracliccd aud threatened to 50
great an extent by their associates
and partners in this governmental com.
pact, that the Southern States were
Justified IN going out and, sir, further
believe by rhclr ordinance Of secession
that they did 90 out and thereby br.
came u tins Union foreign States.
These conviction | cannot change, and
| do not expect will ever be removed:
will most ass'Ircdly proclaim them and
stand by them as long as single citizen
OF the Confederate States is in chains or
subject to penalty for asserting item.
TGrrc Is no political or personal cpuSid.
Grafton which wou!G prompt me to such
a drsrrlion. AS the right of secession
is the onl V Thing that secures them from
the charge oi treason, my voice shall
ever accord with nv convictions and
never JOIN in that verdict against Them
| should consider myself as assuming II
most infamous position if did. What,
sir, | that believe them right, ! that
would have joined them if The sovereign
State of Maryland had said so, to de-
scrt them now in their utmost need,
when | can lcgitimatcly give them such
protection as is in my power honestly to
glve-never?
From what have said,, Mr.. Speaker,
this House will readily infer that am
adverse to The reconstruction policy of
The President. | confess that Amy
johnson has been, IL adopting his mode
Of reconstruction, consistent with the
views OF the late President, with those
Of the Republican party that elected
him, and with his own declaration from
the time he abandoned the Democratic
party and joined the Republicans.
These facts Go noL commend him to me :;
but surely II is not his lault that he is
now AZ issue with many Of the people
who. raised him TO his present station.
In my view the Southern seeded States
have no right 10 representatives on this
lloor or in The Senate, and by my vote |
have heretofore invariably rejected every
application which has been made by
any person claiming such right and,
IL, p,t ,nl,, ia, ! h.liny,,