The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1879-04-09

ton to refer for q moment to chap
ter Of history The last act of the
Democratic domination in this House
Is years ago was stirring and dra-
matte, but it was heroic aud high
isouled. Then the Democratic party
said, eff you elect your mau as Pres
idens of the Uaited States we will
shoot yoar Uuion to death" And
the people of this country, not viii
ling to be coerced, bus believing they
had right to vote for Abraham
Lincoln if they choose, did elect him
lawfully as President, end then your
leaders, ia control If the majority of
The other wing of this Capitol, did the
heroic thing of Withdrawing from
their seats, and your Representatives
withdrew from their seats and flung
down to Us the gage of mortal battle.
We called it rebellion, but We admit
ted that it was honorable. that it was
courageous, aud that it was noble to
give US the fell gage Of battle, and
fight it out in the open field. That
conflict, and what followed, we oil
know too well and to-day. after IS
years, the book Of your domination is
opened where you turned down your
leaves iD 1860. and you are signal
izing your return to power by read
log the second chapter (not this time
an heroic one) that declares that if
we do not let you dash a statute cut
of the book you will--Dot shoot the
Union to death as in the frst chap
ter--but starve it to death by refus-
ing the necessary appropriations.
| Applause on the Republican side. I
You, gentlemen, have it in your pow
er to kill this movement. You have
it in your power, by withholding
these two bills, TO smite the nerve
centres of our Constitution to the
s,illue-s of death and you have de-
eiared your purpose to do it if YOU
cannot break down The elements of
free consent that, up to this time.
have always ruled in the Government.
LESS HONORABLE THAN THE sEcEs-
SION PLAN.
In 1856. 10 Cincinnati, 10 the Nat
ionel Democratic Convention and still
later, 10 1860, the National Democra-
cy 10 the United States affirmed the
right OF the veto as one of the sacred
rights ofour Government. and declared
that any law which could not be pass
ed over veto by two-thrds vote
had no right to become a law. and
that the only redress was an an
peal from the veto to the people at the
0ext election That has been the
Democratic doctrin on the subject
from the remotest day - certainly
from Gen. JacksOn's lime until now
What would you have said in 1861 if
the Democratic majority in the Sen.
ate, iDs cad OF taking the course which
it did, bad simply said, I'VE will pu,
an amendment on an appropriation bill
declaring the right Of any Siae to
secede from the Union at pleasure,
aad iorbidiBg any officer of the
Army or Navy ef the Uai.ed States
from interfering with anv State ia its
purpose to secede?" Suppose that
the Democratic majority had said
then, "Pns that on these appropria
tinn bills. or we will refuse supplies
to the Government" Perhaps tbey
could have killed the Government
then by starvation. Bot in the mad.
ness OF that hour, the leaders of the
secession Government did not dream
that It would be honorable to put
their tight on that ground, but thew
walked out on their plan OF battle and
fought 1t out. Bot now, in a way
which the widest of secessiouists
never dreamed Of taking, il is propos-
ed to make this new assault on the
vitals of the nation.
Gentlemen. addressing the Dem
ocratic side Of the House, we have
tried to cunt the cost. We did try
to count it in 1861, before we picked
up the gage of battle and although
no man could then forecast the awful
loss III blood and treasure, yet, having
started in, We staid there to victory
We simply made the appeal to our
sovereign to that great omnipotent.
public opinion, in America-to de-
termine whether the Union should be
shot to death. And now. lawfully.
in our right and in our place here, we
pick up the gage of battle which you
have thrown down, and will appeal
to our common sovereign to say
whether you shall break down the
principle of free consent in legislation
a. the price of starving the Govern
meut to death. We are ready to pass
these bill for the support of the Gov
ernment at any hour when you will
offer them in the ordinary way, and
if you offer these other measures as
separate measures, we will meet You
10 the spirit of fair and fraternal de-
bate. But you shall not COMPEL US
nor coerce us--even to save this Gov
ernment, until the question has gone
&c the sovereign to determine wheth-
er 1t will consent to break down any
OF its voluntary powers. And on
that ground, gentlemen, we plant
ourselves Loud applause on the
Republican side and in the galleries. !
We remind you, in conclusion. tha,
this great zeal of yours in regard to
keeping the officers of the Govern
ment out of the States has not been
always yours. | remember that only
six years before the war your law
authorized Marshsls of the United
States to go through all your house
bold and hunt for fugitive slaves. 1t
did not only that, bat it empowered
Marsbals 10 call posse comitatus,
and to call upon all the bystanders
to join in the chase; and your Demo
cratic Attorney -Geueral declared, in
an opinion in 1854, that a Marshal
of the United States might call to
his aid the whole posse, including
soldiers and sailors aud marines of
the United States. to join in tie
chase, and to bun, down the fugitive.
Now, fellow-members of the House.
lif, for the purpose of making slavery
eternal. yon could send your Marsh
ais and could summon posses and use
the armed forces ofthe United States,
oy what face or grace enn you tell Us
that in oruer to procure freedom in