The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1868-07-01
SPEECH OF SENATOR DooLITTLE

A Thorough Exposure of the Crimes and
Blunders Of The Radical Party-The
issues of the Coming Campaign Dis
cussed, &C., &c, &c.
FELLOW CITIZENS OF n Jew JERSEY, I stand
before you tonight, in plain and simple
language to discuss some Of the great ques-
tions which are involved in the coming
canvass. In all human probability, no
greater responsibility has ever rested, or
ever will rest, supon the American people
than the decision of the coming election
All that we prize most dear in constitn-
tional liberty is involved The rights of
the States, the equality of the States under
the Constitution are involved in the strug-
gle. And let it be borne in mind that what
ever men may say or profess, there is none,
and there can be no liberty for the individ
ual citizen unless the State can be guarded
in its rights and liberties under the Consti-
tuition. fApplause.) 1t is impossible to
suppose that /, as single individual, can
maintain my liberties against the usurpa-
tons of the Government if the State of
Wisconsin, is not able to defend her rights
and her Independence and her equality I'M
der the Constitution of the United States
| (Applause.) 1 think we very often over
look the great and all-important fact that
the great mass of our personal liberty is
guarded and defended by the States under
which we live, Take, for instance, that
which we all hold most dear-our homes,
our families-what guards them against in
vasion Certainly it is not Congress
(Laugbter.) "a voice" you are right,
4 there.") 1t is the State under which we
live that alone protects us, guards US against
arson, guards us against burglary, against
tfespass by day or by night, all the reIa,
tons which are most dear to men the re
lations of husband and wife, parent and
child, teacher and scholar, guardian and
ward, all come under the protection of The
State government and the laws which The
( State enacts. fla mar seeks to oppres;
me here in the State of New Jersey, tc
whom do I appeal for my defence, not tc
the laws Of Congress. A yoice.-"Good." y,
: appeal to the laws of New Jersey, tt
, those who execute and administer the law;
Of New Jersey, to defend me. That is thu
consideration which I think is often over
looked. in the public mind-that our clio
, sest, dearest rights aud interests, our fam
lilies, reputation, all that is dear and honor
ed to ms are protected and defended by thu
laws of the States in which we live, AMI
therefore it is essential that Ee. should de
i feud these rights and liberties, that W,
: should guard and defend the rights and dig
5 nifty, and equality of the States under thu
, Constitution. (Applause.) Withou
: dwelling longer on that topic, pass on tt
: the consideration of other questions.
!, TIE IMPEACHMENT.
n You know. fellow citizens, that we hay,
> just passed through, in Washington, yer,
important crisis--I mean the Impeachment
lof the President of the United States.
i shall not now go into discussion of tn
6 questions involved upon that trial any fur
7 ther than simply to say that when the pres
{ ent excitement shall have passed away, a
I pace it will, and etha great mass of tn
r American people come to look upon th
/ trial and the facts which were there pro
J, duced, they will be utterly astonishcd t.
know that any respectable Senator of TIL
: United States could have dreamed for on,
: moment of convicting the President Of higl
r crimes. {Applause.) The evidence dis
closes the fact that the Managers on th
: part of the prosecution put the message
and statements of the President in evi
dence themselves, and according to thes
statements it appears that the ,Presiden
was advised by every member of his Cabi
, met that the Tenure-of-O Office Law, as it il
called, was Unconstitutional, and Therefore
no law at all that Mr.. Stanton joined il
giving that advice, as well as Mr.. Stanber
Try. the Acknowledgement. And they al
agree in another thing: that if the Tenure
ofOffce law, was constitutional, that i
did not apply to Mr.. Stanton's case at all
because the lawsitself only referred to thos
members of the Cabinet during the term o
the President by whom they were appoint
ed and Mr.. Stanton was not appointed b.
| Mr.. johnson at all. (Applause.) All til,
members of the Cabinet advised Mr.. John
sou that the law did not apply to Mr. Stan
ton at all, and his Acknowledgement SO ad
: vised him. Is it not O menstrous propo
sition thatethe President Of the United
States should be heIdet guilty of higl
crimes and misdemeanors because he fol
lowed the advice of every member of III
/. Cabinet, including the Attorney General
on disputed question of law. You know
that many of,these laws that are passed b.
: Congress are passed hurriedly through
they are ambiguous in their terms, and dif
ficult to be comprehended often. tel
YOU that there are questions arise of thi:
nature, upon which the best lawyers of thu
l,,J ,I;l,ar in orinion rs to the COuStrUc