Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1867-07-26
Speech Of Mr.. Colfax

4
work Of the extra session, upon reconsiruc
ton. Among them was Speaker Colfax
whose speech in response we give entire
below, as follows;
FELLOW CITIZENS There are two
kinds of serenades in Washington--the
first when members arrive to enter on the
discharge of their duties, and the last
when, after the close of their labors, they
are about to start for their homes. AS
Holy writ declares that he who taketh of
bis armor has more right to be proud than
he who puttcth it on, value this mark OF
your RI gard more highly because, our work
being completed, you mean by il, " Well
done good and faithful servants" APP
plause. Congress sincerely desired to
avoid the midsummer session. They pass
ed the military reconstruction bills last
March. The President vetoed them on
the explicit ground that they made the
military commander supreme and absolute
over the people of the late rebellious
states. Congress accepted his construction
of them and repassed them over his veto.
They were cordially endorsed by the loyal
people Of the North, and acquiesced in
more readily than had been expected by
the people of the South. Soon it became
apparent that under them loyalty would
triumph in most os the Southern states,
and then the President vetoed his own
veto, and promulgated decision Of his
Attorney General that under these laws
the military commanders were mere po-
licemen, subordinate to the Provisional
Government over which they had been
placed; the army but posse comstatus, to
enforce the DEGREES of the Rebel Govern
ors and Mayors, and that every rebel was
to be his own register. The people, sur
prised at these decisions, appealed to the
Congress, in which they placed such de-
served confidence, to re-assemble, and Fl ON
Maine to Calf MIA they came hi,her to
resume their legislative authority, and to
SO declare the meaning of their legislation
that no legal sophistries of any attorney
general could mystify it. Vetoed again,
they repassed it by vote of four to one,
and it has gone on the statute book as one
Of the laws which the President, by the
constitutional oath, must take care to have
faithfully executed Some, I know, co.,
denim Congress for having done too much
in its past legislation, and some for having
done too little; but / think it has struck
the golden mean, firm and yet prudent,
courageous without undue excitement, in-
flexible and yet wise. The Presiden. in
his last veto denounces this military des-
potism, as he calls it, and declares that
Congress has subjected the South to ty-
ranny most intolerable. We have heard
these charges of military despotism before,
during the war, from The party which SO
bitterly opposed his election three years
ago. Every act tending TO strengthen The
government, such as the suspension Of
habeds corpus, trials of court martial, &c,
was determined as a military despotism
but the people rendered their verdict, and
i! could not be reversed. Instead Of ty-
ranny, the keynote of the Congressional
policy is protection to all, and the vindica.
tion and triumph of loyalty, and God help
ing us we shall stand by it until it is
crowned with triumph. Applause.l I
will use no word of disrespect toward the
President, for, although differing with him
in policy as wide as the poles, respect
the office which he fills, and prefer argu-
ment to invective. When ] listened yes
terday to Mr.. Jefferson, the clerk of the
house, as he read the bold and defiant
of the President, could not but
Eel that in the whole of it he arraicned |
himself far more than the Congress which |
he addressed. All parties agree that he
poke directly when, in his North Caro-
ina proclamation of May, 1865, he de-
Jared that all the civil governments Of the |
South had been destroyed by the rebellion.
He then, without calling Congress togeth-
III, went on with the work Of reconstruc-
ion in the absence OF all law upon the |
subject. Has Congress made State gov
subordinate to the military pow
ri? So did the President. Has Congress
provided for the calling of State Conven-
ions So did the President. Has Con-
,rsss authorized the ratification? So did |
he President. But he ordered conven-
lions by his executive fiat, and recognized
heir constitutions without their being sub
nitted to the people. Congress required
The people, the registered voters, to call
he Convention themselves, and then to
,pprove or reject their work by popular
'ote. Applause. Has Congress re-
Iuired the ratification of constitutional
amendment? So did the President. Has
Congress established test oath? So did
he President. Our crime is, suppose,