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

SPEECH OF HON. WIN. LOUGH.
RIDGE.
OF IOWA,
In The HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
February %, 1868,
BY this act the term or Office OIL
Sec'y Stanton does not terminate un
til April 4, 1869, and he cannot be re
moved until that time without the
consent of the Senate. The Presi
dent, then, in this matter, has clear
ly disregarded the provisions of this
law and trampled it under foot.
Sir, I need say no more. Surely
the cup Of this mans iniquity is full
and running over. The people Of
this country have demanded his re.
moval long since, and they will
brook no longer delay. The nation
must be freed from the great incum.
brance upon its happiness, it's peace,
its prosperity; and when that is done
and an honest man placed at the
helm, and not till then, the nation
will breathe free and settle down in.
to tranquility and peace. Gentlemen
upon the other side talk very flip
PANTY of resistance, bloodshed, and
civil war. Sir, how can it cause
bloodshed and civil war for Congress
to exercise; according to the forms of
law, a power given It by the laws. a
duty devolved upon it by the Consti-
tuition? IF any parties see fit to re.
sist this constitutional proceeding
and its legitimate results upon their
heads be the consequences. Iappre-
bend no danger. The conspirators
against this Government and the en-
emies of its peace have had enough
of war; they desire no more. If they
should, all they will have to do will
be to raise their arms once again
sgainst the lawful authorities Of the
Government, and I warn them here
that if the sword is unsheathed once
more in defence of the law and the
Government it will not be returned
to its scabbard until its work is fully
csmpleted and the disturbers Of the
public peace swept from the land.
The gedtleman from Pennsylva-
MIA, IMr Woodward in his speech
to-day, claimed that this Congress
had no power to impeach the Presi.
dent for the reason that it is an ille-
gal body, and is not the Congress of
the United States, because tho rebel
States are excluded from representa-
ton. Sir, by what right does that
gentleman occupy seat upon this
floor and draw from the Treasury of
the United States $1,000 per annum
for his services here if his position is
correct? If he is right in this, then
he is guilty not only Of an incon-
sistency, but of a crime, in occupy
ing q seat in this House, and by his
presence and participation in its pro.
ceedings giving countenance and aid
to a band of usurpers. IF his doc
trine Is correct he is himself q usurp-
or, acting as a member of an illegal
body, which is day after day enacting
important laws and voting away mil
lions Of dollars Of the natious' mon
ey.
The gentleman is one of those
who believe that the rebels forfeited
no rights by their rebellion. But
sir, this is not a new doctrine; we
have heard it often from that party
here and elsewhere.
The only difference between that
gentleman and myself is, that he
thinks that by the REBELLION they for
feited no rights, while I think that by
the rebellion and their cruel war
against the Government they forfeit
ed all their rights, and when they
surrendered were at the mercy Of
the Government. That gentleman,
at the conclusion of his remarks used
the following language:
"If / were the Presidents coun-
selor, which / am not, I would advise
him, if you prefer articles ofimpeach-
ment, to demur both to your iurisdic-
ton and that of the Senate, and to is
sue proclamation giving you and
all the world notice that, while he
held himself Improbable for misde-
meanors in Office before the constitu-
tional tribunal, he never would sub
ject the Office he holds in trust for the
people to the irregular, unconstitu-
tional, fragmentary bodies who pro-
pose to strip him Of it. Such q proc
1amation, with the Army and Navy
in hand to sustain it, would meet a
popular response that would make an
end ofimpeachment andimpeachers."
Sir, I am grieved and astounded
that such sentiments should fall from
the lips of that gentleman. Had the
remarks been made by some fiery
young orator in the heat Of passion
and the excitement of debate, with
out thought or reflection, there might
have been in such case some show of
palliation, but when made by Q gen.
tleman of age and experience, one to
whom the people would naturally
look for sound and sage advice, made
with careful and grave elaboration,
it is absolutely without the least
shadow ofexcuse or palliation. Sir,
this is but specimen Of the danger
GUS element with which the Repnbli-
can party has had to contend in the
North while prosecuting the war
against the reLa,s IN the South and
struggling to save the Republic, the
same element which at Chicaro in
1854 declared the war against the re.
bellion failure and demanded that
it should cease the same element
which opposed the war at every ster
gifts progress, and after the rebellion
suppressed and the nation saved
they now come here upon this floor
and openly advise the renewal Of
civil war and armed resistance to the
constitutional authorities of the Gov
eminent. Sir, the leaders of the
Democratic party should beware that
their feelings Of sympathy with the
traitors of the South 10 not lead them
too farm that direction. They should
remember that 81
"Vice il q monster of 20 foul mien,
That to be hated needs but to be seen,
But seontoo on, familiar with her face,
We first endure then pity, then EN-.
BRACE" RI
The gentleman says, "with the
Army and Navy in hand" ian end
would be made Of impeachment and
impeachers." I suppose, sir, by this
ha means to be understood that at