Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1868-10-23
Henry Ward Bcecher's speech.

lyn, in favor OF the election Oh of""e
From it we make few extracts. Id
questions which he answers were thos
sent to him by democrat in letts
previous to the meeting, with reques
that he would answer:
Fifth: "What is or was the necesslt
of Congress acting outside of the constr
tuition since the close of the war, an
preventing tho United States Suprem
court from passing upon their reconstru'
ton measures!
There is a great distinction betwee
acting contrary TO the constitution an
acting outside of it. We act outside {
the constitution simply where there is n
provision in the constitution for our az
ton, and where the times compel us (
do something. If there was in the col.
stitution provision for the rehabilit,
ton of the rebellious States, the repul
lican party certainly would have obeye
the constitution; but that never wa
contemplated, and there were no sue
provisions made in it, therefore, the re
publican party was obliged to act outsid
the constitution, or not act at all. A
to this matter l confess | don't feel S
sensitive about it as do the men VIII
spent four years fighting against the con
stitution. | have great respect for it. !
| like it. But it is not so dear to me as j
| has become to them. | have a reasona
BILE hope, too, that the constitution vii
be maintained; | think the broad com
mon sense Of the American people wili
take care of the constitution. 1t is very
affecting to my feelings, therefore, when
| hear these outcries, these most affec-
tionate warnings, and longings, and re-
pinings of the reconstructed rebellion in
the South in behalf of the constitution,
the dear, blessed constitution. Laugh
ter and applause Why do l love the
constitution? Because | believe j;
breathes and creates liberty everywhere.
Why are they so solicitous for the con-
stitution? Because it breathes liberty
everywhere. That is the trouble. Tht
constitution they mourn is the old con
stitution that fancy constructed; it is tn !
old constitution that was brought befort
the conrts when Southern men put judg
es in the courts foresworn to make decis+
ionssin favor of slavery. That is the
constitution they mean. | mean tho
constitution that our fathers made, when
all Europe was flushed with love O.
liberty when the world shone like an
aurora with the spirit of liberty; wher:
our fathers, under that divine magnet
ism, built this glorious constitution, and
built it for liberty, That is the cousti-
tuition | mean. prolonged applause
What feature have we taken out of IL
that will eircumscribe the Independence
of the individual? What feature of the
constitution that will make liberty mar
rover. The very cause of offense is that
we have made liberty so broad that there
is no creature born of woman that does
not become citizen under that consti /,
tuition. That is the offense. Applause.
., no! o! My friends, you are invited
to attend the funeral of the constitution.
Laughter. The late members of this
democratic party, the Southern people
in general, are all affectionately invited
to attend the funeral. See them going;
In procession after the constitution,
laughter some Keeling with grief AMI
other things. Laughter See them
going, with their bowie knives reversed
see them going, hardly yet wiping their
hands with the blood of the last assass4
nation; see them going, the men who
fought your sons and mine, and that
split the blood of loyal, valiant sons ant.
children like water; see them, moaningt
grooming, "The constitution" All this
dissertation" of the constitution, this
love OF the constitution it is peculiarly
affecting to me. When Sodom and
Gomorrah sit round about the temple OF
Jerusalem and praise its beauty, and
long for the prevalence of the light that
shall shine out of Zion, then shall be-
lieve that these men who are CRYING ont
the constitution, the constitution, " have
any love for its essential principles. or
have any right to say anything about it.
Sixth Is it safe to lay aside funda-
mental law, and the constitution of the
country whenever a majority desire to
act outside of it p
No; that was the very reason why we
blamed the South, it had no business to
go outside of it; we have brought it in
side. Laughter and applause
Eighth: Would not the country ba
prosperous and happy, and liberty and
fraternity exist in the whole country II
at the close of the rebellion in Anril
1860, Congress had admitted those
southern representatives who could and
would have taken the iron-clad oath
and punished such of the Southern states
in the rebellion as the peace and DIGNITY