Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1868-01-29
Hon. j. A. Bingham OH Re-

Hon. J. A. Bingham on Re-
: construction.
We nave read with much pleasure
the speech of Mr.. Bingham, of Ohio, re-
ported in the Daily Globe OF the 18TH.
Mr.. Bingham's speeches are generahy
referred 10 as remarkable for fine
rhetorlc, but it strikes Us the logic in
the following extract IS about as fine as
the rhetoric. He deals Mr.. George II.
Pendleton a ponderous blow: .
Nj. Bingham. l desire, Mr., Speak
er, to state as briefly as possible the
provisions Of this bill, and the grounds
upon which we sustain it here, and
hope to sustain it before the country.
No one, Mr.. Speaker, can, If he
would, eyaGe the conclusion, that there
Is now in this country a great and pow
erful organization, always talking
about the ssnctity of the Constitution,
but opposed to-day as it was eight
years ago to the defense of that Consti-
tution4Sther by arms or by laws. l will
not, sir, standing as I do in the pres
6nce of the recorded facts of the last
seven years, be driven-into any denial,
special or general, of the right of the
people of the United States to maintain
their own Constitution and Govern
ment both by arms and by laws. That
question has been settled by wager of
battle. 1t has been settled 5 well by
the ballot in the past, and in the cur
rent year 1868 it is to be settled | trust
finally and forever in that great con-
hict of the people which shall deter
/ nina -ho ,L,ll b. S,Fr~,1FaA NTH Nha
executive power of the United States,
and with the legislative power Of the
organized people OF this country. 1t
is useless, sir, for men to stop to per-
suade anybody that this is a mere
party contest between 3 Democratic
party and a Republican party. 1t is a
contest, sir, disguise it IS men may, be-
tween the friends of the Constitution
and Government Of the United States
and its enemies, open or covert.
The gentleman from New York (Mr.
Brooks) could not, with all his ~Ingenui-
ty, in presenting his minority report
against this bill, fail to echo the voice
which comes back to US from the past,
the voice we heard seven years ago on
this Hoor, declaring it was unconstitu-
tiOnal TO interfere with the sovereignty
of the seeding States, alleged to be
supreme, and assuming the rightful
authority 10 strike down the Constitu-
ton On the n hand, and to strike
down the rights of theorganized people |
of the country on the other.
The words of the gentleman's report
are s~tereotyped. 1t was my privilege,
! sir, to stand on this floor this day seven
Z voar- aon opd baor ,rao;salu fbo ,,.4o,
ance to which we have listened to day,
when men were mastering in South
Carolina as men ere mastering in South
Carolina to day, against the supremacy
of the Constitution and the integrity of
the Union, Selling your arms, seizing
your treasure, seizing your ships, seizing
your citizens, charged and ~chargeable
with no crime a Y fidelity to the Con-
stitution.
1t is a significant fact that the very
Representative from my own State.
who. on that day, stood on this floor,
and with an JUNCTION as fervent as that
which marks the uttera2ce OF the gen.
tlemsn to-day, declared after those acts
of secession, after those acts of public
robbery, after those acts of incipient
treason, that it was contrary to the
genius and spirit of the Constitution TO
coerce seeding States. The gentleman
who made that utterance that day Is
now the accepted standaTd-bearer of
the party on whose behalf the gentle
man from New York Mr.. BrooksI
speaks when he comes with his apology
for treason, saying that il is uneonsti-
tutionai 10 provide bylaw for carrying
into effect the written letter of the /
Consultation.
When the contest had progressed
from that day. in January, 1861, until
the whole land was covered with arm
ed men, until the whole heayeas were
filled with blackness, until the habita-
tons of the land were filed with dead,
and il became necessary, in order that
your countrY's defenders might be fur
nished the means of shelter and trans
portation and defense, to make a forced
loan, the same gentleman Mr.. Peudle-
ton arose in his place and declared
that it was unconstitutional to emit
bills of credit for the redemption of
which stood pledged by act of Congress
the amounted wealth of the whole
people of the United States. Strange
to say. when it suits his purpose, the
same gentleman, without any change
of that instrument, has the audacity to-
day to 60 before the people and pro-
claim his readiness, provided his party
be intrusted with the power, to violate
the Constitution in hat behalf to the
extent of an issue of $4,000, 900, 900 at
once Of bills of credit, redeemable
never, and thereby repudiste the obi
cations of the country, thus incurred
Of necessity and in defense of the
nations life.
1t becomes such gentlemen to talk
about the Constitution, and to de-
nounce as unconstitutional the bill now
under consideration, and by which it is
intended to aid the people speedily to
restore the shattered fabric of civil gov
eminent an the insuErectlonary States.
This brings me to the consideration
of the first section of the bill, which I
venture to say Is as clearly constitu-
tional as any act ever passed BY thel
Congress of the United States. Trust
ing, as l do, that in some form and in
substance that section viii pass into
law, | am OF opinion that it will be ad.
Judged constitutional by every Judge
upon your Supreme Bench.
---- ii
Rs When the issuing of greenbacks
to carry on the war was first proposed,
the Democrats in Congress arrayed
themselves against the measure as I'M
constitutional and %ruinous, and this
was the position the Democratic party +
took in its conventions and on the
stump. Now, however, they propose ]
an almost indefinite issue of these same :
greenbacks wherewith 20 pay the ma {
tional obligations. Opposed to the war, !
they were opposed to providing the :
only means for carrying it on. The !