The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1868-03-19
THURSDAY, MARCH 19, 1868,

Il Il ~ ION
members Of Congress- this whole ques
tion was submitted to the people 81
the ballot-box, and the people by
overwhelming majorities decided in
favor of the policy Of Congress and
against that Of the President, and the
members Of the present House 81
Representatives were elected.
But, sir, strange, unaccountably
strange to say, this decisive verdict
OF the people, spoken through the
ballot-box and thundered in his ears
had no effect to change tho course 81
the President. He has ever since
blindly and obstinatsly continued hii
course Of opposition to Congress.
After the election Of 1866 the rebel
States, having through tho advice d
the President rejected the proposed
amendments Congress passed, what
is known as the reconstruction acts
authorizing and empowering the peo
pie Of the rebel Statos to call conven
tions and frame constitutions republi
can ia form and to then apply for ad
mission to Cengress-this act was
vetoed by the President, and was
passed over the veto and became q
law.
Il then by the Constitution became
and was the duty of the President tc
take care, that the law 80 enacted
was faithfully executed" this wa
nis sworn duty. Has he performed
that duty ( No, cir; on the contrary
while no executed It in form and nm
der protest oy appointing the officers
required Dy its terms for the purpose
oi ne execution, yet he has in every
possible manner thrown obstacles in
the way OF the faithful execution o1
tne law Dy the ofdcers having its exc
cotlon in charge.
ne removed from the commando
to which they had been appointed
under the law the brave, gallant, and
true soldiers, Sheridan, Sickles, and
Pope, for no other reason than that
they were endeavoring to carry out
the law in good faith according tc
the spirit and purpose thereof He
continually and persistentlv denoun.
ced the law unconstitutional. takins
advantage of every opportunity foi
that purpose in his official communi.
cation to Congress. in his remarks n
committees who from time n t;me
waited upon him. and in hia sneeches
to promiscuous crowds in the strects
and from the balconies Of hotels os
he iourneyed around the country
with the apparent object Of arous;n )
in the minds of the peonle an anti
pathy against Conpress He has
used all the patronaee Of HIS Office
all his influence. pnb1;c and nr;vato [
TO prevent the people of the robe
States from accepting the terms nro-
posed by Congress and orpaniEino
under the law. And l have no hesi.
tation in asserting that but for b;s in,
fuence against it all of the rebcI
States would have accepted the terms
proposed by Congress, and would to-
day have been fully restored and rem.
resented in the Senate and House 81
Representatives.
And now, sir, / come to the last
and crowning act Of infamy in the
inglorious carer of this nnfaithfu]
public servant. On the 2lst Of the
present month, Edwin NJ. Stanton
was, as he still is, Secretary of War,
and in possession Of the ofice and ita
records and papers. He had filled
that position and performed it's ardu-
o1s duties during the greater part o,
the war against the rebellion; he had
endeared himself to tho country by
his laborious and faithful discharge oi
the duties of the Office during the
dark days ofthe struggle for national
existence, and l say, sir, what no
candid man will deny, that no man
in this country has done more hard
labor foI the Government, no man in
civil life has contributed more to its
success, than Edwin NJ. Stanton as
Secretary Of War. A true, faithful,
and tried patriot and q public officer
OF distinguished ability, the feeling
OF the natlou was that he was the
riget man in the right place; and yet
on account OF his refusal to join with
the PRESIDENT in his opposition to the
policy and laws Of Congress he in