The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1869-03-20
Ventilating Congress.


the United States, gives the fol.
lowing ventilation Of that iniqui-
tous body, the American Congress:
Let us turn for moment to the
history of the majority in Congress
which has acted in such utter dis
regard of the Constitution, while
the public attention has been
carefully and constantly turned
to the past and expirated sins of
the Sonth, and the servants of the
people in high places; who have
betrayed their trust, broken their
oaths of obedience to the Consti-
tuition and undermined the very
foundations of liberty, justice and
good government. When the re-
bellion was being Suppressed by
the volunteered services of patri-
otto soldiers amid the dangers of
the battle field, these men crept
without question into place and
power in the national councils.-
After all danger had passed, when
no armed force remained, when a
penitent people bowed their heads
to the flag and renewed their allie
glance to the government of the
United States, then it was that
pretended patriots appeared be.
fore the nation and began to prate
about the thousands of lives and
millions Of treasure sacrificed in
the suppression Of the rebellion.
They have since persistently
sought to inflame the prejudice5
engendared between the sections.
TO retard the restoration OF peace
and harmony, and by every means
to keep open, exposed to the pois
onuus, breath OF party passion,
the terrible wounds of a'four years
war. They have prevented the
returnof peace and the restoration
OF the Union, and in every way
rendered deluSiye the purposes,
promises and pledges by which
the army was marshalled, treason
rebuked and rebellion crushed,
and made the liberties OF tie peo-
pie and the rights aad powers of
constantattack. They have wrest-
ed from the President his c0nsti-
tutional power Of supreme com
mand Of the army and navy. They
have destroyed the strength and
efficiency of the Executive Depart
meEt by making subordinate 'offi-
GERS independent OF and able to
defy their CHIEF. They have at
tempted to place the, President
under the power Of a bold, def.
ant, and treacherous cabinet OIL
Ger. They have robbed the Exec
utive Of the prerogative OF pardon,
rendered null and void the acts Of
clemency granted to thousands OF
persons under the provisions Of
the Constitution, and committed
; gross usurpation by legislative at
tempts to exercise this power il
favor Of party adherents. They
have conspired to change the sys-
TEN Of our Government by pre-
terring charges against the Presi-
dent IL the form Oh articles Of i'm
peachment, and, contemplating,
before a hearing or trial, that he
should be placed in arrest, heldin
durance, and when it became their
| pleasure to pronounce his sentence
driven from place and power in
disgrace. They have in time of
peace increased the National debt
by a reckless expenditure of, the
public lhonies, and thus, added to
the burdens which already weigh
upon the people. They have per.
| mitted the nation to suffer the
evils Of a deranged currency tothe
enchantment i'll price OF all necaS-
saries of life. They have main
tanned large standing army fol
| the enforcement OF their measures
of oppression. They have enga ged
in class legislation, and built up
and encouraged monopolies that
| the few might be enriched at the
expense OF the many. They have
! failed to act upon important trea-
ties, thereby endangering Our
| peaceful relations with foreign
| powers Their course of usurpa.
ton has not been limited to in
roads upon the Executive depart
ment. By unconstitutional and op
| pressive enactments the people u
ten States of the Union have ebeel
| reduced 60 a condition more into.
cradle than that from which tht
| patriots of the Reyo .u.i0n rtlelled
| Millions OF American citizens eal
now say OF their oppresSOrs, viii
more truth than our fathers die
OF British tyrantS: They have
forbidden the Government to pass