Year: 1869

AZ AA""J N"'S0 VA Lldi OJ jury Lncy HdF0
taken away our charters and excited do
mestic insurreetion among us, usurped our
most valuable laws, altered the funda-
mcntalforms of our Government, suspend
ed legislatures, and declared themselves
invested with the power to legisIate for
us in all cases watsoevcr.


This catalogue of crime, long as it is,
is not complete The Constitution vests
tho Judicial power Of the United States
in one Supreme Court, whose Jurisdiction
shall extend to all cases arising under
the Constitution and laws of the United
States. Encouraged from this promise
of refuge from tyranny, citizens Of the
United States, when by order of q militia
ry commander given under the sanction
Of a cruel and deliberate edict of Con-
gress, have been deprived of their Con-
stitUtional rights Of liberty of conscience
and freedom of the press and of speech,
and Of personal freedom from military
arrest. and of being held to answer for
crime only upon presentment and indict-
meLt, or for trial by jury, with the writ
of habeas corpus and the protection Of
the civil and constitutional government
the citizen thus deeply wronged, appeal
ed to the Supreme Court for the protec-
ton guaranteed to him by the organic
law, and at once fierce and excited ma
jority, by the ruthless hand of legislation,
stripped the ermine from the Judges,
transformed the sword of justice into an
engine Of torture, and remanded the op-
pressed citizen TO a degradation and bond
age worse than death. It viii be record
ed as one of the marvels Of the times
that party claiming for itself monopoly
of consistency and patriotism, and boast
ing Its unlimited sway, endeavored by a
costly and deliberate trial TO impeach one
who defended the Constitution and the
Union, not only throughout the rebellion
but during his whole term of Office as
Chief Magistrate, but at the same time
could find no means at command TO bring
on the trial even of the chief Of the re-
bellion. Indeed, the remarkable failures
Of this case have SO often been repeated,
that for propriety sake, if for no other
reason. it became at last necessary to ex-
tend to him an unlimited pardon. What
more plainly than this illustrates the ex-
trcmcs Of party management and engl-
neering On one hand and factious vindict-
iveness and intolerance on the other!
Instead Of seeking to make treason odious,
il would in truth seem to have been the
purpose rather to make the defense Of the
Constitution and the Union crime, and
to punish fidelity to an oath of Office, if
contrary to party dictation. by any means
at their command. One of the reserved
rights of the States is that each may de-
clare the qualifications Of its electors. It
is assumed that Congress can control
this right, which can never be taken from
the States without impairing the princi-
pies of the Government. When depriy-
ed of this prerogative the States have no
power worth retaining, but will be SUBJ
ject to the arbitrary will of Congress-
The government will then be centralized.
This proves that the people should re-
quire these branches of the Government
to act within the Constitution. look
forward to the young men, upon whom
will devolve the duty of perpetuating the
| Union. The Constitution should be stud
led. Young men should not be under


the control of party, but should resist
Capitalization. In reviewing calmly my
administration have nothing to regret.


1 have defrauded none, have oppressed
none; have received no bribe. Ny


thoughts have been those of peace. Let


us return to the first principle of our
Government, unfurl the banner of the
country and inscribe thereon the infalli-


BILE characters, The Constitution and the


Uaioa- One aud hsepdrable."