The Ebensburg Alleghanian. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1865-1871, 1868-01-16

reciionary States Sha.i resume their
original practical relation to the General
Government. ~
Hp:s, sehen and through uhom this can
be best done, Is the great question of the
| present.
That the views and conceptions oe q
single ludividuai, noWerer hi gh he may be
| accidentally and temporarily exalted, sho'd
be allowed tu coOtrol or determine this
question, cannot tor momeut be conce-
ned. The Constitution provides that the
United StItes shall guarantee to every
State "a the Union republican form OF
government and, where the will of the
/ people is the acknowledged law of the land,
| It requires an extraordinary amount of
| political chrontery to assume that Chief
| Executive OF the nation, to any degree or
under any circumstances, is the United
| States
And yet i'll effect or substance, if not
IN plain terms, this was assumed shortly
alter the surrender of Lee and his armed
| forces, by the PRESIDENT; and he has
continued to act on :hls assumption, even
III his late annual message, in which,
while claiming, III words unknown to our
forciathers aud our instructions, TO be the
''eiecT,d defender" of the people, he
| arrogantly calls. Congre IS to ''immedi-
ateiy strike from the statute backs" its
reconstruction laws.
That Congress ''will surrender its plan
! OF Reconstruction" to this manifestly
| despotic demand, cannot oe even i.pag ined
or conjec,ured. That plan, carefully
natured a, 1t was, and fully approved
| when 1t WAS direct issue before the
people, is eminenrly just, wise aud patri-
! oGIc. IL insists that men who were iuyal
III acts during the rebeiio:, or loyal In
their feelings, should alone participate In
| the immedIate government OF the 'insur-
rectluuary districts" Going beyond the
mere surface, it rests ultimately on the
important doctrine that the de>tinIes of
! the nation Can pbly be safe ''in the hands
| OF it's Ireuus OF those whose political
aud moral uature5 reuiaiu sufficiently
pure to ierl the Impulses Of patriotism
and the obiI= atlous vi Oaths.
That policy which aurasnniZas the Con-
grcssiuuai plain, winch has o6sttucied,
and psIsistentiy endeavored to defeat il,
first ignores al these important consider
ations. Having done TINS, II consistently
maintains that thu,e WHO devised rhe
yeats reieuties>iy perpetraed, in aid ui
their purposes, ihrtr, pIunder, murder,
Starvation, aud assassinaII"n--Ihe very
readers vi the rrbeilinu-shuuld be
allowed, after their involuntary failure
to possess all the right and privileges oi
good citlZen. Tlat ii scheme SO abs urd
aud dangerous should be sternly opposed
by every true patriot, ough; Ia admit vi
nn douot. The TACT that it has some
advocates reuders It more important to
sustain the contrary proposition.
In my IuaTsurdl address, L said, "that
while Punu> ylvanla wall cIutiIe In loyal
Congress, She wsli uoi hesitate TO sustain
1t bv ner iuHuence aud power" This |
reptat. Nor can DE induced to change
thIs purrr-e; nor do l believe the people
o. t.tc State eau be-, ty appeals TO tue
humanirarIani>n OF the a.e and the lnVQ-
cation uf mercy iOr those atrucIous deeds
which have carkemed the pages ut history.
L. has been we'll said, "the pity of the
magistrate which suffers crlm:nal daU-
,:rryuS to society TO escape from deserved
punishment, Is nut mercy, but weak ness.
l'rue mercy InciIncs u ~ pity aud reilCve
the unfortunate and guilty but only IN
accurdauce with justice. Aud II may
well b.. aided, thar 1t is at least weak
ue.S, ii not cri.ne. to permit uurepen-
tant, and ouly outwardly subdued traitors
10 exercise the elective franchise, hold
office, or .ake part iu the deiiberatiou.
aud legislation ot the uatiuE. It's stability
aud pro- -perlty, the welfare OF the peOple
now and hereafter, cannot permit these
things to bc done.
=
i..di, idual interests, as we'll as the
general tinauc.ai condition OF our ua'i iona
affairs, would be lneatiy teE,tied by tt.t
>iuly / Iicutinn OF Iutcrnal revenue taxation
reducing the number Ot articles taXcC
: ul:G In>uriDg honesty aud fauhtu'nesa II
collections. The reduction of taxes OF
the ucceSSarils "t lie aud Oh manuiac
, lures that are III competition with tn
products Of foreign labor hhnua1 b.
. eucuaraacd, while tue tax Oh luxurIes ant
imports should he made sufficient Il
= sustain the expenses oi the government
, The people OF PenusS Ivania, ever tru
!" !" to the Union, and umswerviug In thel
= determination 10 preserve Its honor, lnteg
] rt; aud pIrpe:uIty, are proud ano Tree Il
: .,s..rt ,u,. sacredue>s of tie national deb'
and t,,at its ui, innate payment III iuil mus
Uc secured.
AS regards the tariff, the i'foteetion o
" hume labor and resources, L neeG oni
; refer to tue views expressed In my inau
! sural. Time and continued reflection
. nave strengthened the views therel
&c EXPRESSED. But this sut ject is commute
: 10 the VA chiul care ut our representative
- IN Congress, aud II is hoped their labor
% viii Je crowned with the happie,t coust
,o,c.s Sur,lv the United States shuul