The New York herald., 1867-07-21
sERgNApE TO c0NGREssMEN.


speech Of speaker Colfax.
WAsHIx0ToS, July 20, 1867
Mr speaker rolfax and Messrs Stevens Wade aud
sumner wee ssrenaded tonight Tho serenade party
ars, procceded to Mr. Stevens residence, opening Tho
music with the alas. Rose OF Summer" and following
WITH the ''Ivy Green" Mr. Stevens III, and unabio
10 respond 10 the compliment Mr. Farnswortb, Of
nGos, stated 10 the screnading party, and made
bricf sdlress, being followed by Mr. judd NJ a., Of
Illinois, ard Mr.. ,cphersop Clerk OF tho House Of Rep
rssentatiycs. Their speeches we'll received and
highly sppauded.
fhe band then proceeded TO tho National Hotel to ser
enade Mr.. Wade and Speaker Colfax Mr. Wade Was nos
present, but Mr. CofaK came 10 the balcony and re-
spondsi as follows
FgILow Cr1Izsss-Thero two kinds Of serenades IN
Washington the Ars, when members arrive 10 enter on
the discharge OF their duties and the last, when alter
their abors they about 70 resurn 10 their
homes A Holy Writ declares that no who
takoth OF his armor has moro right 10 be proud
than he who pu,to,h 1t on, l value this mark
OF your regard more highly because our work
being completed, you BY IT, "Wcil done, good and
faithful servants" tAppaase.) Congress sincerely
desired TO avoid this midsummer session They passed
Military Reconstruction bills last March, hs Prcst
dent vetoed them the explicit ground that they
made the military commanders suprsWe and absolute
the people the late rebeous Statea Congress
accepted his construction Of them and rspassed then
over his Veto They were cordially endorsed by the
loyal peops OF the North aud acQuiesced in more
readily Than had be n supposed by the people
| under them loyalty would triumph in
OF the Southern States, and then ibe President
vetoed his veto, and promulgated decision Of his
Attorney General un,er these laws the military
commanders were mere poicemcn, subordinate TO the
provisional 20, ernmsnts over which they had been
placed the army but pose eometals 70 erfoce the
decrees OF the rebel aud mayors and that
rebel was to be his own registrar The people
nriQa 2t lied
gress in which they placed such deserved con
hdonce TO reassembe, aud from Maine 10 California
they came hther resume their legislative authority
and declare the meaning OF their legislation tha NO
legal sopnsres Of Attorney General could mystfy
| one and 1t has gone on the sa,ute-book as one OF
tho laws which the President, by hls constitutional
| Some ] know condemn Congress for having
done too much In its past legislation, and some
iSr struck ne and yet prudent
Ageous without undue excitement infexibie aad yet
military despotisn no calls IT, and declares that Con-
gress has subjected the south 10 tyranny most nto-
cradle. We have heard these charges OF military despo
tism before, during The war IRON tho Pary whch no
| bitterly opposed his eecto on three years ago.
| Every ACT tending to strengthen the government,
| such a the Suspension OF The habeas corpus,
trials by martial and forth, denounced a
military otsm; put tho people rendered their vcr'
the key OF Congressional pocy protection to
all, and vindication and triumph Of loyalty anu
God keeping VS. we shall stand by uut IL crowned
with triumph iAppaase viii word OF disrespec,
towards tns President for Ihoagh differing with
policy WIDE tue poles, respect the office which he
n3 ana prefer argumont 10 invect When listened
yesterday dr hcf herson the clerk Of tue House, an
he the bold and defiant message Of tho President
could not but feel that in the whole Of II he aragned
himself far than the Congress which be ad-
dressed. Al parties aareo that he SPOKE correctly
when in his Norm Carolina proclamation OF May,
1906, declared that oil clio civil governments OF
the South had been destroyed by tho rebellion. He
the work OF rcconstruc.ion IN the absence Of all
upon The subject. Has Congress- made state govern
President. iias Congress provided for the calling Of
State Conventional So Did the President has Goa
gress the ratification? ~ did the President
But he ordered conventions Dy bis executive has and
recognized their constitutions without their Bong sun
matted TO tho people Congress required tho people
and approve reject their work BY popular
vote lApplauss Has Congress required The Iasines-
dent Has Congress established test oathf 50 did the
President Oar crime Is lsupposs that provided that
those whom the nation bad mado free should have the
feemans ballot for their prosection, while tho President
did not But the results Of his policy srkingy con-
with The results Of The naaon looked on u
sec what would result from bis and what
they In nearly every Ssato the rebel power re-
tive legislative 0 and JUDICIAL departments Tue vagran,
and labor laws virtually re ensavng tho omancipated,
followed by mnrders ou,laSes' riots ana massscres;
the rovivned spirit Of rebellion was triumphant With
our duty 70 our country aud ON our oalhs We
hence the Legislative action ~s have since aken. Ap
proved In the past We have bcsn cannot doubt even
Tho Prcsdenl appeals TO the ballot 0ox, so do and
by willing fall. in 1862,
ia the darkest hour OF tho Har, AMID dsas er and re-
verse, tie ballot bog sustained and returned ropub
lican majority to Congress. In 1864 compelled
10 lccept all the odium VI conscrpton tho heavy bur
ms OF taxation necessary for uational credit aud
to keep flag lying in tho field, the
| charges Of enemies that men being
drafted from their TO FREQ negroes and the
dcnnncatons agans the war as faiiue Dat with the
| noble Prcstent-wouid 10 God he living io-day-
magnificent triumph. (Appause.) In 1860.
whom President johnson turned his back the party
which elected him, tra,ersed The Country making
whole Cabinet against us. with bu, honored excep-
ion Applause, amt cries OF "otEnton,'D with the
whole power and patronage Uf tho government thrown
In the scale of our encmc, wo appealed again 10 the
ballot box vim .ng the most ,nincont vicory
known political history. (Applauec) But this
SHALL place IA the oiilco VI the governments ono
who viii be faithful TO hbery, justice and 10y
atty. We ask no moie and viii accept os
lees, and this victory will be swelled by the
they viii In accordance with the terms pvesorbet
IN our egslation, they viii return With magnificent ms
iorities the right (Appiause.l They will back
led they must be by who have beou faithful 10
the Union IN ITS darkest hours Tbcy l Join with
Of the North under the inspiring influence Of free labor
and FREQ tho march OF prosperity aud power, ana
viii JON ldsislatiDg inat hereafter
this nobs Land ibere shaii % poor, hum
be obscur that be look 10 tho American
nag as hs unfang protection and with the ballot which
plause)- and all tho loyal people snail say Amen and
Amen. loud applause.
The serenane party then proceeded TO tho residence