The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1867-09-24
that the return Of fagitives was the duty Of

on the GROUND tnac the 6taIe Suouio nut ~
sist the federal government and In 1861 |
they repealed all laws on the subject, on the
ground that neither the state nor federal |
government should execute the constitu-
ton.
In 1858 they had possession of the state |
governments ; they magRi6ed states rights, |
adopted the resolutions of '98 and 1919 at |
their conventions, exalted the idea of con-
federation as against unity, and prepared to
array the states in armed conflict with feder- |
al authority. In 1862 they had possession
of the federal government they denounced
states rights, called the Kentucky resolu- |
tons treason, and have, as far as is in their
power, by mere brute force, as we'll as by
legislation, reduced and degraded the state
governments:
In 1856 they declared that s'no war could
be right, and no peace could be wrong 5"
that if the south desired to change their po-
litical relations and form of government,
their right could not be denied. In 1862
they declared that the trinity of salvation
was taxation, emancipation and war;
In 1854 they declared that the interests of
the country required the restriction of suf-
frage, and that the Germans and Irish and
English and French ought to be disfran-
chised. In 1867 they declared that the in
terest OF the country requires lis extension,
and that 1t must be given even to the ne
groes.
In 1859 Mr.. Chase, then governor of Ohio,
asserted: awe have rights which the feder-
al government must not invade rights su
perior to its power, on which our sovereignty
depends and we mean to assert these rights
against all tyrannical assumptions of author
ity." In 1867, Gen. Hayes, who aspires to
be governor of Ohio, asserts that the states
have no sovereignty whatever.
In 1864 they asserted that the president
had the power, by proclamation, to emanci-
pate four millions of slaves. In 1867 they
deny that he has power to remove a member
of his cabinet.
In 1862 party purposes required them to
consider the Union unbroken. In Louisi-
ana the federal government had possession
of New Orleans alone. They admitted Hahn
| and Flanders to their seats as representa-
| tives from that state. In 1865 it had pos
| session of every foot of the state; these same
men present themselves as senators, and
they are rejected because the state of Louis
lana has ceased to exist.
| In 1862 they desired to create West Vir-
| ginia--they must have the consent of the
old state-they elect Governor Pierpont and
| a legislature. and take their law as the solo
emn act of the state of Virginia asserting tt
| its own dismemberment. In 1866 they Sc
up a military government over Pierpont and
his Legislature on the ground that prior to
| his election secession had DESTROYED the
state.
In 1861 and 1862 and 1868 and 1864 and
! 1865 and 1866, during the war and after the
war, they admitted representatives from Ken
lucky, and now they reject them until a
committee can inquire whether Kentucky
has a republican government.
In 1863 they established military commits
sions in Ohio for the trial of citizens, and by
their judgement sent them to death or exile.
In 1867 the supreme court, by unanimous
decision, declares these tribunals Illegal, and
their sentences void. In 1868 they vexed
us with many oaths, and in 1867 the SUI
preme court refused to administer them.
For this they have threatened to impeach
the Judges, and they have actually reduced
their numbers.
III 1861 they appealed to the patriotism OF
the people, and raised immense armies to
maintain the constitution and the Union
In 1865 they preferred to continue the wal
rather than make peace on the basis 0.
maintaining the constitution and I MON.
And to-day calling themsel YES with os
tentatious hypocrisy the Union party. they
would prefer to recognize the independence
OF the confederate states, rather than restore
the Union on the basis of the constitution
They have held and abandoned every the
DRY of government and every political opin
! ion.
EIn the short space of one revolving moon,
Was statesman, poet, fiddler and bufoon.'
They have been true to their passions
true to their desires true to their partizar
interests but never true to the constitution
They do not understand what it is to "stand
by the constitution" They proclaim loudly
that the constitution does not exist either IL
theory or practice In ten states ofthe Union
and their most trusted and able leader, ii
the fullness of his contempt for that instru
f ment, and for the few republicans who arr
5 willing to obey it, declares in his own choice
] language shat some fragments of the ole
L and broken constitution stick in their giz
: yards and trouble them of nights"
3 Gentlemen, this is the charge we have al
f ways made. They do not understand wha
2 it is to stand by the constitution. And it Ii
: for this very reason, as we assert that the,
: have clothed our land in the mourning o
i civil war, destroyed our form of govern
e ment broken down the guarantees of liber
: ty, and loaded US with this enormous bur
3 den of debt and taxation.
f And yet repeat the advice, "Stand b,
the constitution" That is the safe, AM
= and certain remedy. We may not lmmedi
= ately be able to restore its authority, but lie
n US, at least, never abandon or degrade ii
# Its principles of government are the ark O
e our safety amid this flood. 1t contains tn
: hope of the world. In it is preserved a.
:. that is valuable in the experience of the pas
e all that is susceptible of improvement j
r the future. 1t may be tossed on wrathfu
It waves amid the blackness of darkness, bu
It the sun will shine at last. The dove will z
: forth never to return: emblem of purity
0 and liberty, and peace, she will seek to re
build her habitation among the scenes of he
l. former life.
e, do not despair. / will not surrende
IL hope. "Sorrow endureth for time, bu
l. Joy cometh in the morning. / have hop
in the aspirations of man j have faith in tn
Of providences of God. Progress is the law {
s. humanity
'e "And from the sky, serene and far,
n A voice falls, like falling star,
1T Excelsior"
ic 1t occurs to me this is an historic day.
e is the birthday of the great Napoleon. APP
e. ly, for the encouragement of those of you VIII
n, despond, ] remember an incident of b
s. life: In 1895, after he had won distinctio
1t. at Toulon, after he had declined the war
Vendee, unemployed, penniless, alone, /
walked the streets of Paris. He begge
he from Talma, the actor, a few francs to su
a. ply his daily wants. He said: 'In EuroI
ut all things are settled the conditions OF go