The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1867-09-27

HOUSE Oi l1upSDurH 10 tne throne OF 81.
| stephen for concession to the rights of
the people of Hungary. There is such
a party In America to-day, and IL insists
upon the rigid adherence to the provts-
ions of our written constitution, and to
the primary elemental principle of the
equality of the States. Loud ApplauIe)
| And never in all our history has the ext
| gcncy Of the country demanded from
that party such an exhibition of all It's
strength, all its intelligence, all its vir-
tue as now. For never--not in the cor
ruption of slothful ease, not in mad
excitement of u difficult and doubtful
war, have its Institutions been so ruth
lessly attacked, aud its liberties so great
ly imperiled. It's enemies have obtained
possession of the powers of the govern
mcnt and WELD them for its destruction.
| Applause and dissent.) | do not speak
unadvisedly. I mean what | say. |
measure my words. | dD not impute
bad motives, nor question the sincerity
of convictions. But ! repeat it, the
men who are Ia possession of the gov
ernment are its enemies, and it is their
deliberate purpose to overthrow Its
constitution and change its form. Con
| tinued cheerS.) Though ! speak to Il
party meeting to-day, | wish TO speak
in no narrow, bitter, sectarian sense.
Parties are inevitable where opinion is
| free. They are necessary where opinion
Is TO be carried into legislation. They
are beneficial when patriotism gives
them direction, and moderation curbs
their excesses. Their discipline and Or
ganzation are the condition of their
vigor. My experience in life begets
more and more coniidencci in mems mo-
tives, and leads me to expect the most
eXtravagant opinions as to policy, COM
bined with the purest aspirations for
| the public welfare. Attached to the
principles and organization of n great
party myself, because my Judgment APP
proves them, expect to find equal zeal
for II like good reason in Others. And,
therefore, | desire not to wound sensi-
bilitics, but to appeal to the reason and
conscience and judgment alone.
The foundation of the federal system,
that which made its organization possi-
BILE and its administration beneficial, is
that the powers of the government are
all granted, and therefore, are limited
that the States have equal rights and
equal duties, are equals in their relation
to the federal government, and equal rs
sovereign self-governing States and
yet we see ten States not only deprived
of all voice in the government of the
Union, but deprived Of all powers of
self-govcrnment and subjected to the
will of military commanders. And wc
are told this is an incident and conse-
quence of the war: Let Us see. The
war came upon us--l will not trace its
cause or mark its progress -avowedly it
was war on the one side to withdraw
from the Union; on the other side to
maintain 1t. Mr.. Lincoln, Mr.. Seward,
and Congress affirmed it. ''Armed
force" said Mr.. Lincoln, had disturbed
the practical relations of the States to
the federal government. Wlat force
must be met and overcome, and then,
these relations will be restorcd.' "l.et
members of the Senate and of the House
return and he welcome to occupy the
seats which they left vacant" said Mr..
Seward rights and dignity, and
equality of the States shall remain un-
| impaired said the resolutions of Con
gress. 1t would, perhaps, be too much
| to expect that in the midst of such n
war, passion should always he re-
strained by reason, and all the acts of
government be kept within constitu-
tional limits. Certain it il, many ilie-
gal acts were committed. The rights of
individuals were tramplcd upon, the
rights of States were disrcgarded. But
these acts were strenu0usly defended rs
being legal, or ut least rs being necess.
airy. They were alleged To be incidcn-
tai to a condition of war. and would
cease when the war ceased. And if any
of you ventured to suggest that this
was not the teaching ol history, You
We're deliCately called cOpperhead, dis
loyal, and the idea that the object or
effect of the war could be to change the
Constitution or system of government
was loudly and constantly denied. The
war came to an end the armies of the
Coniederatcs We're defeated. The armed
force was met and overcome. Sherman
and Johnson met in North Carolina.
Their truce disperced the forces of the
Cuniederutes, and left in full operation
the laws Of the federal government over
all the seeded States. This was the
logical conclusion of the war. No plan
of reconstruction, no amendments u
the Constitution We're needed. This
broke down every barrier 10 the legiti-
mate exercise of federal authority. This
restored the Union. This re-instatcd
practical relations of the States. But II
was instantly rejected. Then the Presi-
dent developed his plan of reconstruc-
tiOn. 1t consisted of an amendment OF
the State Constitutions rCpudiating the
confederate debt, and abOlishing slavery
throughout the States. The States
adopted it, and yet the Union was not
restored. Congrcss'propoSed the consti-
tutional amendment of 'G6 whereby the
States were to be made 10 purchase peace
and power by the surrender of all con-
troll over the right of suffrage, and all
objection to the civil Rights bill And
before these terms were fairly under
stood, Congress propoundrd another
plan, and to see that the work was well
done the new Congress met in extra scs-
sion on the 18th of March and to fill up
any crevicc which time might open
through which one single ray of pop
ular light might shine in upon the pco-
pie, meets again in extra sessions on the
lth of July. This plan abolishcs I he
State governments. 1t subjects the
people to mere military dcspotism. 1t
subjects the people to more military
despotism. 1t gives the right of suti-
rage to the cniranchiscd negroes, and
takes it away from the white men. 1t
degrades the State governments from
their equality in the Union, and from
their position as protectors of the rights
of their citizens. 1t subyerts and des-
troys the Constitution of the United
States, and then holds out to the people
the hope that If they will chccrtuliy nc
Quiesce IN these things, " lhcI VIII nOt
only patiently submit, but il they will
with aacrity and zeal and gratitude
appear to be happy to submit to them,
then-unless Congress changes its mind
unless another plan shall be suggested
unless the coniiscation Of Mr.. Stevens
shall he throught fitting reward for
superscrviceable eloyalty-they may be
permitted to let negroes elect and adj
minister II State government over them,
and choose members who shall be ad'
mitted to seats in the Senate and House
of Representatives. (Chcers.l And this
is not all. The States thus held in mill
tary despotism, thus compelled by ~
ranny, us relentless rs ever applied the
rack or turned thescrew to change theil
own constitutions are ihen to be used tC
amend the constitution of the United
States and toimpoee upon %ouin VI nhtsO
ta,and YOU in Wisconsin, aud us in Ohio