Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1869-04-18

making power Of the nation and outside of
Congress there are no laws made. The
people elect their officers for q term Of two
years; that is while il is called the Legis-
latiye department ofthe government. Then
there is no other power that can make
laws, repeal laws, amend laws. We passed
laws according to the constitution; but be-
fore Jthey become laws The constitution
provides that they shall be sent TO the
President OF the United States for his APP
prevsl. II he signs and approves them,
the constitution declares them the laws Of
the land; and IL be does not approve them,
the constitution Above him the privilege
OF returning them. That same insirument
provides that The message is TO be read in
the house in which the bill originated.
Then the only thing TO be done is for the
clerk 10 call the roll; and if two
thirds vote for il IN that house
il is drilled to the other, and il two thirds
OF that house vote for il, the constitution
declares il the law Of The land, the veto OF
the President notwithstanding. You have
as much right in preserving your branch
the Legislative Department--as he has in
preserving the Executive Department. II
il not in HE scope to declare the laws OF
HE constitution unconstitutional Heswears
that he will see the laws faithfully exc
cuted. Then we come TO the Judiciary
Department. They sit there TO look after
State. They are the only ones who
can declare an act null and void, and I'M
constitutional and not the President. Then
deny that Congress usurped any power
delegated 10 them by the constitution. IL
We have failed to do our duty, the Presi-
dent of the United States is not the man
to como forward and test the constitution
ality Of the laws. That duty belongs TO
the courts of the United States. The re-
construction acts were passed. l cannot
stop TO enter into the details of the rebel
lion. You had the war, and the Southern
people were defeated by force Of arms, and
surrendered. They destroyed all con-
nec.ion with the Federal government.
They had set aside all laws
that had bound them TO their government;
and when they surrendered they stood in
the position of State in The Union, but
without the laws of government to con-
troll them. The President undertook, after
the surrender, 10 reorganize the different
States. lie had the right as President TO
send provisional or military Governor
to those States. Andrew johnson said TO
Gov. Marvin aud other provisional Gov
ernors, "Your government Is only pro-
yisional, and will remain as such, until
recognized by Congress. The Supreme
Court, which has charge of such
hot 10
known as the Dow case in Rhode Island,
decided that the court had no jurisdiction
as to whether the States were provisional
governments or not Then we, the Con-
gress, had all the power of reconstruction.
He could send his provisional OF militia
ry governors there.
1 appeal to you, as see some pro-
fesaioESl men here who understands the
laws better than do; but there are some
things that / know something about; and
want you to hear me and see whether |
am right or moi. Where did he
get the authority under the con-
sitiution to declare who should vote
and who should not, and who should
hold office. He had no more right to say
a man should vote, than an humble citizen,
standing in this audience. The authority
was not given him by the Congress of the
United States. He violated the constitu-
ton when he began 10 prescribe the quail
fcations of voters. | wish to say few
words TO the colored mea right here. He
says that he is your beat friend; that he
is your Moses but when he prescribed
qualification of voters in these States, he
- id h1a % h1fI a. he rnhs
and not to the colored men. Where is
the place in the constitution that would
Justify Andrew johnson in placing power
in white men and not in colored men.
The Congress amended the constitution of
the United States, and the people ratified
it. Four long years passed, and great Is
sue sprang up last November.
We settled one question by force of arms,
and the next battle came up at the ballot
box. The question was fairly made and
brought before the people, and on The
third of November they went to the ballot
box and there declared that Congress was
right and that johnson was wrong. /
stand here advocating the acts of Con-
gress, endorsed by the people throughout
he nation, and decided by the courts in
heir favor. 10 the face of all that, We
have this man leaving his home in
Greeneville, denouncing Congress and
he government that saved them from des
going over the country stirring
lp strife. do not know whether ought
20 say the man is a little touched with in
Ianity or not But do not blame him for
moving around. I'll was as guilty to day
IA he is / would feel like travelling around
Ill the days of my life.
Where does this Radical Congress take
lway the liberties Of the people? You
nave your Congress as you always had
We have elected President az you usually
lid he has appointed his cabinet, put out |
# Office bad men and placed in
heir stead men whom he thought |
o be good. Suppose Congress
would go to work and pass bad |
avs. Thousands of bad laws have been |
,assed, and afterwards repealed. | ask
,ou, ia all candor, il there is any ground |
or all this abuse that he has piled upon
Ie? Where have we got any interest ia
upon the interests Of the peo-
dep What interest have your Tepresen- |
aiives got in trampelling upon the liber-
AAb VI Tue pCOpis4 II ~ tnOn-
irous for this man to be going around the
ountry talking aboutthe Executive ruling
he Legislative department.
Mr. Johnson says in his spesch that he
cit IA il he had been a break In arresting
be downward tendency of the government.
Now Mr.. johnson, how did you arrest that
ide of destruction Why did you not
ell the people that when you vetoed those
ills that all the power you had, Congress
lad wiped ont by a twO-thirds vote? If
Gu preserved the constitution, what are
90 going abont the country say ing that
here is no constitution-tbat Congress has
'iped il from existence? The people knowing
hat he had done came forward to the
allot-box and placed life coal of indig-
alton upon his tarapine shell. They
Their despotic tyrant. He said in a speech
n Broad street 'stand firm and vote for
and then demand our
ghts, and If they refuse them, then we
An pursue any course We please. II said
! his speech at Knoxville "my PLAN"
Deaking of Jefferson Davis and
lhers, was TO fight the battle in the Union,
nd not out, and il We had done it we
ould have succeeded in it," Succeeded
1 what in keeping these negroes in
avery for all time to come; and my opin-
IN is that believe that If this man had
cen rendered .the position of JEFF. Davis,
e would have been the President of the
outhern Confederscy, aud when he found
lat he could not get on that side
e then came back on the Federal
de. He says that he was elected by the
democratic party, but every man knows
lat be was nominated by the Wing party,
portion of whom comprised the Republi.
IN party. He ia one of the most profane
zen | ever heard, and he is an Incorporate
ian, He has betrayed all parties and