Year: 1868

cogniEed in the history of the country fo
all time to come, and the wonder of pos
terity will be that il was so long tolerated
l am thankful that God called me into be
ing at the time. to aid in my humble way
in destroying this monster evil. :.
On the slavery question my record i:
clear, aud am proud Of it.


But the overthrow of the Democrat,
party was necessary to the accomplishment
of this result. Even the remnant of tha
party stood by as mourners over the dead
body, and for long time refused to bt
comforted.


\ Another great event since we met. j:
the young party of progress and patriotism IN
the party that was bold enough to appeal tc
the head aud heart of the nation, 10 make
war ON the false pride and prejudice of the
people that stood in the way OF doing jus
/ tice; party possessed of sufficient manly
courage to attack Democracy and slav cry
when in the hight of their power, and
bring them before that highest tribun Al
the people of the country for trial. If
they failed to convict the first time, the
increasing crimes of the culprits only sub
jected them to new indictments and trials,
in 1860, by an overwhelming vote, they
were found guilty, and then came into
power this young Republican party, which,
to-day, is proud Of its achievements and
it's glorious accomplishments, rejoicing in
the fact that it has never had traitor on
its muster roll; that to be Republican is
to be patriot lover of freedom and a
hater OF all troms of oppression, pointing
/ mi fb ID al q
of human beings that Democracy would
ever have held in slavery, and exhibiting
with none the less joy, as one of the tro.
phies of Republican victory, the fact that
in all the States where slavery prevailed
we have unmanecled the press and the
pulpit; we lave opened again the blessed
Bible, and while we have guaranteed and
made sure the freedom of black men, we
also liberated the white man and enforced
the Constitution of the United States in all
those regions ofcruelty where its power had
been destroyed under Democratic rule.


As conseque nee, there is a marked
and rapid progress in education and re-
ligion, aud all that dignifes and sdorns
human character in the former slave States,
ano under the operation of those potent
agencies for good-iree speech, free press
and free s,asPel-'he South and the
North will soon b, come homogeneous, and
whsrn that time comes -as come 1t will,
ana that At no distant day--then, and not
till then. will his nation be at pssrfect and
entire peace.


There is no Recoust,r ,ruction policy ST
eifectua as that which will e'aiighten the
minds of men, purify their heats, and
bring their rebellious souls in harmony
with the good government of God. =


Another of the grand achievements of
the Republican party is that it has over
thrown and destroyed that wicked and
disorganizing doctrine, that the States,
and not the General Government, held
the septer of sovereignty in this country
This doctrine was the pet theory of the
Democratic party. 1t was on this ground
that the South attempted to justify seces-
sion, aud from this standpoint the Demo
Gratis Of the North defended there wicked
traitors. Our fathers made a fair trial of
this principle by incorporating it into the
articles OF confederation, aud they found
soon, to their sorrow, that it was fatal to
the permanency OF their Union. Allow
ne TO quote the second article of confera-
ton articles, in elucidation of this point.


ART H. Each State retains its severe
ignty, freedom and independence and
every power, jurisdiction aud right, which
is not by this confederation expressly
delegated to the United States in Congress
assembled


Among the rights reserved to the States
was the right to levy the taxes to pay the
expenses OF the general Government. and
when the heavy debt of the revolution
was to be paid, the general Government
found herself poweress in the hands of
States Jealous of each other The sover-
eighty OF the nation was nothing. All
power was in the States, aud the general
Government was a mere man of straw; aud
while the States were wrangling, the
patriotic people came together and made
new bond OF union, our present glorious
Constitution, setting forth in the preamble
their purpose and the reasons and neces-
sity for their action. Allow me here to
read that preamble:


"We, the people of the United States,
In order TO form a more perfect union,
establish justice, insure domestic tranquilli.
ty, provide for The common defense, pro-
mote the general welfare, and secure the
blessings of liberty to ourselves and our
posterity, do ordain and establish this
Constitution for the United States Of
America"


No language can be clearer.


The States are ignored, and the mighty
power here speaking for the common de-
tense and the general welfare" is that
mighty power before which all States and
faithless parties and Presidents must ever
bow in submission, and that power is in
the first words of the preamble, ave, The
People"


But, fearing that the purpose of this
sacred instrument might be misconstruei
and to put at rest all assumption on the
part OF State sovereignty over and above
the National authority, they say in the
concluding part of the immortal document,
That


"This Constitution and the laws of the
United States which shall be made in
pursuance, shall be the supreme law Of the
land, and the Judges in every State shall
be bound thereby, anything in the Con-
stitution or laws Of any State to the con-
trary notwithstanding''


The Democratic party, under the lead
Of john o. Calhoun aud nulifers of the