Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1867-02-02

and unblemished, except that be may have
held some office under one of the States Of
the so-called confsderacy, to be deprived
and his family deprived of his just earnings
in the courts OF the United States ?ls gaip,
| Sir, ] cannot dwell upon this point for j
| do not desire TO, trespass long upon the at
tention Iof the House. But it seems to me
/ that this Legislation was conceived in a
spirit Of hostility to the peopleo of the South,
Wfo are these people of the South ? They
are the sons and daughters, and the child
ren of the sons and daughters of the men
who fought side by side with our fathers to
achieve Odr independence and establish our
Government. They are our brethren. You
and land our children who are to come af-
ter us for generations are to live with these
people under common Governments and
unite in fidelity and support to the Consti-
tuition Of the United States. Is It the part
of wisdom for us.t to ihterpOse obstacles to
those friebdly relations which ought to eX-
ist between all the citizens of the States? (
Mr.. Speaker, one or two other words and
/ will have said all intend to say on this
subject. j do not say it out OF any disre-
spect personally to any gentleman upon
this floor, but Isay it nevertheless as my
deliberate Judgment, that the principles
OF theparty npower and to-day contrOll-
ing the Legislative department of the Coy
ernment, are not in conformity with the
principles Of our Constitution and frame of
Government; andin order that they may
successfully establish the principles for
which they are contending to-day they
are compelled to change our Con
stitution and to invade the just juris-
diction and prerogatiFes of the executive
and judiciary. .Ig.ou-.. ..r srg o.
iE XVh fhncn
measures trenching upon these different de-
partments of the Government. Sir, a free
Government like this can only be main
itained by maintaining the just powers of
each department of the Government. The
great danger is to-day, as it has always
been. that this, the more popular branch of
the Government, will invade and usurp the
rights which belong to the other depart
ments of the Government. You see these
things already in the proposed measures
in this, House. That august tribunal to
whom the people have always looked
with reverence, and respect and con-
tidence; that tribunal which is to decide as
the last resort the great controversies
growing out of our system of government
between the States and the people of the
different States, and to construe and apply
the great principles of our Government;
that supreme tribunal is attacked, andwhy?
Because it has been, faithful, while others
have been faithless; because it has had the
manhood and independence to rise above
mere partisanship aud tovindicate the great
principles of the Constitution of our faith
ers. trust that the Supreme Court will
not be invaded by the proposed legislation
of Congress. trust it will be left as it
was organized by our fathers, to exercise
the jurisdiction and powers conferred upon
it by the Constitution and laws of the Uni
ted States. l believe while that court does
exercise and discharge these duties faith
fully, if this bill be passed, it will hold, as
It held in reference to the test oath, thatit
is unconstitutional. .ef ... .....,,.r ..., 80