Bristol news. [volume] (Bristol, Va. & Tenn.) 1867-189?, 1869-03-12

! thousands of lives sacrificed to visions OF
false glory. 1t cannot, therefore, be charged
that my ambition hiss been Of that ordinary
o. criminal kind which, to the detriment OF
the peoples rights and liberties, ever seeks
to grasp unwarrauted powers to accomplish
its purposes and to pander to popular preju-
dice aud party aims.
What, then, have been the aspirations
which guided me in my official acts Those
acts need not at this time an elaborate ez-
planation. They have everywhere been
comprehensively and fully discussed, and
become pari &c the nations history. by
them am ready to be, judged, knowing that
however imperfect, they at least show TO
the impartial mind that my sole ambition
was to restore the Union Of the Statc~
! faithfully execute the office OF President
and, To the hest ofmy ability, preserve, pro.
tect and defend the Constitutions I cannot
be censured ifmy efforts have been impe-
ded in the interests of narty faction, and !,
If a policy, which was intended to reassure
and concililte the people of both sec
tons Of the country, was made the occasion
OF indamiDg and irritating still further those
who were recently in arms against each
other yet, as individuals were sincerely de-
sirous, as shall ever be, of buryng all hos.
tile feelings in the grave of the past. The
bitter war was waged on the part OF the
| Government tn vindicate the Constitution
and save the Union, and if / have erred in
trying TO bring about more speedy and
lasting peace, to extinguish heart-burnings
and enmities, TO prevent trouble ia the
south which was retarding material prosperi-
ty In that region and ipiuriously affecting
the whole country, | am quite content TO
rest my case with the more deliberate
| Judgement Of tho people, and, as have
already minated, with the distant future.
The war all must remember was stu
pendous and deplorabe mistake. Neither
side understood the other, and had this
simple fact and its conclusions been kept 10
view all that was needed was accomplished
by The acknowledgment of the terrible
wrong and tAe expressed better feelings and
and earnest eudeavor at attonement shown
and felt in the prompt ratification of the
constitutional amendment by the Southern
States at the close of the war. Not accept
| ing the war is confessed false step on the
part Of those who iDaugurrtsd it, was an err
/ ror, which now only time can cure, and
and which even at this late date we should
endeavor to- pllliate. Experiencing, more
over, as all have done, the frightful cost Of
the arbitrament of the swORl, let us in the
future cling closer than we have ever done
to the Constitution as our only safe guard.
| IL is to he hoped that not until the bur
deus now p s5siDg upon us with such fear
ttul weight are removed wiz our people for
| get the lessons Of the war, and that remem.
boring them from whatever source, peace
! between sections and States may be
lperpetuated. the history of late events in
our country, as Well AS Of the greatest
governments Of ancient and modern times
teach Us that we have everything to fear
from departure from the letter and spirit
of the Constitution and the undue ascenden-
/ cY OF men allowed 10. assume powers in
what are considered desperate emergencies
! Syla, on becoming master ofRome, at once
adopted measures to crush his enemies, and
to consolidate the power Of his party. He
established military colonies throughout
/ Italy, deprived Of the full Roman franchise
the inhabitants of the italian towns who
had opposed his usurpation, coniscated
their lands and gave them to bis soldiers
and conferred citizenship upon great num-
Der OF slaves belonging to those who had
( prescribed him, this creating at Rome a kind
Of body guard tor his protection.
After having given Rome over to siaugh-
ter and tyranny, beyond all example over
those opposed 10 him, and the legions
bis terrible instrument OF wrong, Sylla
could yet feel safe in laying down the en-
]
mingling freely with the families and friends
OF his myriad victims. The fear which he
inspired continued after his voluntary all
Fdication, aud even in retirement his will
was law to the people who had permitted
themselves to be enslaved. What bat a
subtle knowledge and conviction that the
Roman people had become changed, dis
courged, snd utterly broken 10 spirit GOULD
4 have induced this daring assumption ?
What but public Indifference to conseqnen.
ces 20 terrible as to leave Rome open 10
every calamity which subsequently, hefell
her eonld hav, justified the conclusions Of
the dictator and tyrant in his Startling ex
pertinent We dnd that 10 the time which
has since elapsed human nature and the
exgencies in governments have not greatly
changed. VINO, few yoaFs ago, in contem-
plating our future, could have suppose /
that in brief period Of bitter experience
everything that demanded, in the name of
military emergency, or dictated by caprice,
would come to be considered as matter
OF course that CONSUMPTION, contiscation,
loss of personal liberty the subsection OF
States 10 military rule, and disiranchise-
mout, with the extension of the right OF
suffrage, merely to accomplish party ends,
would receive the passive submission, II not
acQuiessrI ce, of the people of the republic
Ii has been clearly demonstrate by a re
cent occurrence that entertainments upon
ithe Constitution cannot be prevented by
the President however devoted or deter
mined no may be. That unless the people
nterposo there Is no power under the Con
stitution TO check dominant majority OF
two-thirds Of the Congress OF the United
States. An app Jal of the nation Is attended
with ton much delay to meet the IN srgency.
If left free to act, the people would correct
in time such evils as might follow legsla.
) tive usurpaiion. There is danger that the
same power which Il stegards the COnSttn-
ton will deprive thrm OF the right to
change their rulers except by revolution.
We have already seen the jurisdiction OF
the judiciary circumscrned. When it was
apprehended that tho courts would decide
against the laws having for their sole object
the supremacy Of party, while the veto
power lodged ia the Executive by the Con-
slitution Tor the interest aud protection OF
} the people, aud cxel csed by Washington
and bis successors, has been rendered nnga.
tory by a partisan majority Of two-thirds
in each branch Of the national Legislature.
The Constitution evidently contemplates
that when bill is returned with the Presi-
dents objections IL will be calmly recon
I siderea by Coogress, Slch however, has
5 not h3en the practice under the present
; party rule. II has become evident that men
( who pass bill un1,r partisaa influence are
? NOT likely through patriotic motives to
4 admit their error, and thereby weaken their
1 own organization, 10y solemaly confessing Il
! under tho official oath. Pride Of opinion
{ Il nothing else, has interviewed and proven
, ted a calm and disI ASST nate reconsdera.
! tion Of bill di'ap9royed 10y the Executive
$ Much as | venerate the Constitution, il
Z must be admitted that this condition Of
/ Affairs had developed def c, which, under
Q tho Oppressive tendency OF the lcgislativ,
d department Of the Govcrnment, may reAdil,
work It's overthrow. 10 may, however b,