Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1876-01-22
Speech of Hon. j. Randolph Tucker.

sion of number Of excellent paragraphs al
ready in type, we take pleasure in making a
few extracts from Mr.. fuckers speech-a
speech which Mr. Lamar, of Mississippi, char
acterzed as the best speech he had ever heard
in Congress"
Mr.. Tucker said that the path of duty that
lay before b im in regard to this centennial bill
was as clear a it ever was in regard to any
question that had ever been brought 10 his
consideration What WAS proposed to be eel
ebrated in this centennial year? Was it pro-
posed to have a material exhibition only, or
was it to be an exhibition worthy Of the great
moral principles that were to be illustrated by
the anniversary of independence? In his
view there were three great principles that
underlay the Declaration of lndependen e.
These were the principle of individual liberty,
the principle Of local government in the strus-
gle against centralized power, and the principle
Of the exemption of American destiny from the
controlling influence of European politics.
lie woull unite in celebrating the centennial
anniversary on these three principles. Let
him see that the liberty of the citizen was Sc
cure against arbitrary power, that the freedom
and indepen ience Gu ief Justice Chase
terms the anatomy--Of the States was safe
against the arbitrary usurpation of Federal
power, and that American destiny was TO be
| guided alone by its own policy and be free
from the Interference of European policy.-
| Then there would be inleei centennial an
niversary. The spirit of the centennial was
obedience to the constitution. The greatest
invention Of American genius bad been left
ont of view cnlrely-and that was the abso-
lutte sub>r linltJl Of governmental power To
the ri.il. nl xible. unbendiug rule OF the
constitution Mr. Tucker then proceeded to
ar ,uc against the coastitutiJIality of the
pending measure.
Mr. Ilar, Of Massachusetts,, promising TIA;
he hal been very much interested in the gen.
! tlcnla's abe AL cl@ar statement, asked him
whether, when the constitution delegated To
C ,nsress certain nat onal powers, inciudins q c
taxing Of nIticnal attitude toward foreign
nation, it did not intend that such expcnIi-
lures for ornament, for national disnily, as
were usual to nations welding those powers,
should be mlde by Congress And was not
| the celebration of the centennial once in
hundred years one of those properly attendant
and implied expenditures?
Mr.. Tucker asked the gentleman 10 point
out 10 him where the word national in re-
spect to power or anything else occurred in
the constitution, aud declares there was no such
| thing in the constitution las claimed by Mr..
| lJar) 10 levy war there Is power 10 declare
war aud to rnie aid support armies. In answer
to the declaration of Mr.. Lawrence that the
worl national" was in the minds of the men
who m ade the constitution, Mr.. Tucker said
/" The men did not m Ike 1t no one man made
it, and the federal convention did not make it.
| II the gentleman wishes to know who made
it, say with grea. emphasis) the States made
! IT," Sensation
In the further course of his remarks, speak
ing of George Washington, Mr.. Tucker
marked that George Washington was the first
great rebel in the country, and he ventpred to
| say to the gentleman from Ohio, tMr. Gar
! held.) who spoke the other day about perjury,
that George Washington was in the view of
the law a perjured rebel, for he was an officer
in his majesty army and be Mr.. Tucker took
it for granted that he swore to support the
crown and then went into rebellion.
Mr.. Garfield Did lie hold commission in
the British army at the time Of the revolution
Mr. Tucker.-No, sir.
Mr.. Glriied-Then think he did not COM
nit perjury.
NJ. Tucker-Then you claim that his oath
only lasted so long as he held his commission ?
Mr.. Gliicd.-lt ceased when his commits
sion expired.
Mr.. Tucker-But he resigned
Mr.. Garteld.-IIe did not resign.
Mr. Tucker. He did resign.
Mr.. Garlied-He was not an officer at the
time.
Mr.. Tucker Why, the gentleman does not
know the history olhis own country. Laugh
ter.
Mr.. Garfed-Did he resign to take SER
vice against the crown ?
Mr. Tucker.-Oh no that is another
thing.
Mr. Garf.ll-IIe WAS trying to got ser
vice in Great Britain before the war and failed.
Mr. Tucker-lle signed, and then he took
service in the rebellion. When the gentleman
was speaking Of men of the South the other
day he spoke Of those who resigned and alter
wards took servre on the Confederate side.
Mr. Ga.felI.-I did not speak Of those,
who. having resigned took service, but spoke
of those who. being still under their oath, con-
temptuously violated it and struck against us.
Mr. Tucker-lf you had so qualified your
] pnrdScOOHy Snoulu not nave lutcITupttu you
the other day, for know of no such person
! The reason why interrupted the gentleman
the other day was that represent on this floor
a district and little town where sleeps the
remains of one Of the noblcst Americans who
ever trol this soil lmeaniug Robert +. Lee
! he sleeps in death, and no dishonor can ever
! by implication or expression be thrown on that
honorable grave that the representative from
that district will not rise here aud repel.--
| Sensation and some applause
NJ. Tucker then proceeded with his argu-
menf, in the course of which he quoted the
gentleman from New York, M Hewitt, as
saying yesterday that the government was
| conlcsSedly an educator Of the country, and
commenting on it he said Confessed by
| whom never confessed il not only do
not cofesS it, but deny it in toto. deny that
| this government can intrude on the control Of
/ the common schools of each state OF the
| Union. deny that this government can 20
into our common school system in the States
and upturn it according TO the views Of mem
| bcrs of Congress here who know nothing in
the world about it" laughter
Mr. Tucker then went on to say This gov
erument land | beg my democratic friends to
'emember III mas no mission except to execute
its power and to perform its duty under and
in subsection to the supreme law of tie land
the constitution Of the country. Spoken
with strong emphasis and great effect Show
me either the power 10 pass this bill. OF that