The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1868-03-12

ERs of the governmet in reference to the
States lately in rebellion. He appointed
| provisional governors in them. Yet
knowing there were no executives in
those communities who, under the Con
stitution, could issue writs of election, he
endeavored to force members thus lille
gally chosen and without loyal constitu-
encies into the Congress of the United
States. He dictated who might vote
there in order to re establish that civil
government which he admitted the Re-
bellion f" in its revolutionary progress :"
had overthrown, at the same time deny
ing such power to Congress- He tele-
graphed what laws should be passed, and
what amendments to their own and the
national Constitution lie considered in
dispensable to the restoration of State !;
but denounced the peoples representa-
tives, THE LAW MAKING POWER, when
they dared to deem any law or amend
ment necessary to give security for the
future; throwing his whole weight in
the scales to prevent the adoption Of the
fourteenth amentment, the greatest boon
ever offered to the South, under which
every Southern State could to-day have
been represented on this floor With
laws in violation Of freedom, with new
constitutions not yet conforming 10 the
principles vindicated by the war and not
yet accepted, with Legislatures not receg-
nized, knew almost every one Of these
Senators and members to be Rebels. and
although these Southern States had bv
their own action withdrawn both from the
national councils In the exercise of the
veto power with which he is clothed he
used every art Of the demagogc to falsify
the scope of statutes which we passed,
appealing in his vetoes and messages to
the worst prejudices and passions He
did not rest here. He chose 10 forget
that one veto only is allowed to each bill,
and after the passage Of laws over his
vote, he reiterated in nearly every mes
sage that these laws were unconstitutional.
and that Congress, representing that
great, patriotic people who at an untold
sacrifice of men and money had stamped
out the Rebellion = THE VERY CoNsTI-
TUENCY WHICH ELECTED HIMSELF =
was an illegal body, until the disloyal
States should, of their own will, take part
in making these statues. Sworn to pre-
serve, protect, anu defend the Constitution
of the United States, he thus vioiateG
that Constitution, doing all in his power to
bring into contempt the laws it required
him to care should be faithfully executed
By incendiary harangues he still asserted
those views to the people, recalling the
most gallant soldiers Of the Republic
who were endeavoring faithfully to carry
out the Reconstruction acts, and, by
every device that he thought would not
so hagrantly violate them as to bring him
self within the pale of punishment hin
dering the due execution in the South
ern States.
Mr.. Chairman, this conduct produced
its Legitimate consequences. When the
wsr closed peace seemed at hand, indeed
The South accepted the result, surprised
at the generosity Of those they had driven
to be foes. Business there revived.
With iraternal intent the people of these
sections mixed together once more
Northern capital and labor and enterprise
poured in to re-invigorate the South
UNDER ANDREW JouNsoN's INsPIRA-
lION ALL MS 10 NI1ANAfED. lU WRul-
ate representation in Congress, after their
four years sanguinary attempt to sever
the Union, was thing they scarcely
dared to hope, yet with no more delay
than was requisite to examine their con-
dition, to secure such guarantees as the
nations existence demanded, to see that
the honored dead had not died in vain
that the living should not be given up
to sacrifice, just, equal, maguanimous
terms were offered them, under which
every Southern State would have been
represented here upon the first regular
election after Congress met. If they
were not here then, and are not repre-
sented here to-day, ANDREW Johnson
ALONE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR 1T.
Spured on by him, fast tsaitors, like
their Rebel Vice President, clamored for
the places they had already held to ruin
the nation, and yet, reeking with the
murders Of Andersonville, refused to pass
the amendment which made our debt
sacred, the Rebel debt void, and gave
pensions to the Union soldiers and sailors
and their families. Discomfort and fresh
iObOiiOu III ADOuli III IlOI
at Memphis, in massacre at New Orleans,
still making their progress with blood,
until the Union men there are in daily,
deadly peril. Manufactures and trade in
the North have become depressed Com
merce between the sections is hindered.
and our national credit is impaired as
the world looks on at this unchecked
CRIME AGAINST CIVILIZATION. If these
are not "high crimes and misdemeanoss
of which Congress can judge, then the
Constitution is meaningless and the re
public a failure. Yet the people have
paused, in the vain hope that their con
slant rebukes would appal him, until An
drew Johnson, mistaking kindness for
fear, has laid violent hands on the last
power given in the Constitution. I'm
bued with the worst teachings of the Ro-