Year: 1868




cratic meeting held at York. Pa. reeeotw. On tax
ing the chair the Judge expressed himself as fol-
lows


The candidates Of the two parties are now fairly IN
| the field and we have abundant cause to be proud
assembled in New York on the Fourth Of July. do
not believe that any member OF the party to which


20 that re


mentally, for the places to which they politically
aspire than seymour and Blair, and man OF real
candor Will admit that our candidates have very
decided advantage over theirs


After eulogzing Seymour and Blair the Judge
said:-


But there are other considerations In this election
besides the mere personal merits Of the different
ddates. The continued existence OF this govern
menthe life OF the nation-s at stake upon the ISSUE
Some OF you may possibly suppose that this Is false
alarm. II you really believe that the institutions OF this
country are not in very great danger or that their
destruction would not be very serious calamity OF
course you WIN disregard our warning IL is true
nuenced by party prejudice, have come to the de-


berate conviction that unless the ship OF state is
driven upon the rocks and become total wreck.


We cannot possibly endure much longer this DEVILS
dance OF disc0rd, misrue and corruption.


How can the government (Which is the constitu-
tOn and aWs) survive IL 1t remains IN the hands OF
those who are hostile to tY The struggle we are
hands OF Its enemies.


Who are its friendss Who are its enemiesS These
are questions which can easily be settled.


For more than three-quarters OF a century, while
the democracy controlled public AFFAIRS no Sc.
rous inlractiOn Of the organic law took place-none
at ali which they had power to prevent. We were
faithful to the constitution because we sincerely be-


lieved it the best form OF government which could be
adopted for any people In our situation. 1t was
framed by the wisest and greatest men that ever
lived in all the tide OF time, at the head
an honor not only to his country but to
human nature. and man whose name is never pro-
profound profound respect pee ana reverence They told us in
language at once sublime and simple what were the
objects for which they had established and ordained
it. They said it was "tO form more perfect Union
between the several States, to establish justice, to
insure domestic tranquility, to provide for the COM
mon defence to promote the general welfare and to
the blessings OF liberty to ourselves and
pOsterity" These great objects 1t has accomplished
limitations be observed and its precepts Obeyed. We
owe no personal allegiance to any man any body
OF men. Obedience to the constitution and laws is


ism. The country says to all her people what the
Founder Of Christianity said to his disciples-"f ye
love Inc keep my commandments"


On the other hand our opponents, by their acts
and their utterances, express the profOundest con-
tempt for that instrument which we consider so
sacred. They claim the privilege of doing whatever
seems to be good In their own eyes, without regard
to any prohibition of the fundamental law, If il will
promote their interest or gratify their passions or
give them an additional chance to perpetuate their
power. They have never upon any occasion treated
with decent respect constitutional objection to any
OF their measures, matter from what quarter 1t
came. Private individuals who have attempted to
argue such points have been arrested, thrust into
dungeons and treated with a cruelty such as no hu-
name man would inflict upon his beasts. The Presi-
dent took ground in favor OF the constitution. They
answered him by an impeachment, and came within
one vote OF depOsng him from his Office ana putting
In his place creature OF their own, who would
trouble them with no conscientious scrupes The
supreme Court came TO the rescue. They broke
down its jurisdiction nsulted that high tribunal and
tramped its Just authority under their feet.


Remember that this is not dispute upon an ab-
stract question OF political ethics. They have carried
out their hostility to the constitution into the fullest
practical operation. And this they did not merely
in time OF war, when the passions engendered by
the contest might have afforded feeble excuse
for their conduct; but In "A time OF profound peace
when the United states had for more than two wears
ceased TO have an armed enemy IN the world Con-
gress deliberately sat down and plotted the total
overthrow of the constitution ten OF The States
Tor no legal reason expressed or understood which
would not he applicable TO all the other states


They not only destroyed the State governments


within those limits, but they anniated the federal


government at the same time. They left not
vestige OF either, and upon the ruins OF both they
erected despOtism as absolute as that OF Asiatic
sultan. II was not only usurpaon OF power not
granted. and therefore forbidden, but IL was eXer-
cised IN way precisely most destructive to those
great rights which the constitution was made on
purpose to protect.


Ii is unienable that the reconstruction acts $50
called violate not only the whole principle and spirit
Of the constitution but they abrogate every separate
provision in 1t, and all the amendments, including
their own amendment for the abolition OF slavery.
Tha, declares that slavery or involuntary servtude
shall not exist except for crime whereof the party
shall have been duly convicted" But under these
acts any person may be, and IL Is notorious that
scores and hundreds Of persons perfectly innocent of
crime have been, reduced to slavery or involuntary
servitude'' Of the worst kind-to hard labor for
years and for life without the smallest pretence OF
due or legal conviction.


Good natured persons may suppose that these out
RACES were not wiIuly done. ! admit we are bound
10 put on their conduct the kindes construction
we can consistently with reason But charity never
woye mantle broad enough To cover such crimes |
theirs. There is direct evidence corroborated by
strong chain OF circumstances, which proves incon-
testib! that they knew what they were about. | |
ought 10 mention, at lest some Of the evidence to /
which refer, and Will.


In the first place, ii Is literally impossible for them
to have made u mistake. You must presume that |
members Of Congress have read the constitution. |
Having read II they could not believe that IL |
the establishment OF an irresponsible |
despotism in any part OF the country: for |
and justice They could not nelp but that II pro-
vdes jury trial and habeas corpus for every citi-
and seizures Of person and property without war
rant. They could not close their eyes the words
which declare that no act Of attainder bill OF pains
and penalties shall be passed; that all judicial au
th0rty shall he vested in the ordained and estab.


shed courts; that every state is guaranteed such /
form of republican government as 10 may choose |
and that Congress shall not regulate the right OF
suffrage. There are some things for which ignorance
Is no excuse man who has studied the ten CON- |
mandmenis cannot be allowed to say that ne /
thought II right to murder steal or bear false wit
ness against his neighbor. The constitution is as


Another thing. AT the time when these laws were |
passed Mr. Thaddeus stevens was the great leader |
periority entitled him to "that bad eminence - He
lowered above all Others like the King OF the Tttans
ndence they trusted him to frame their measures ec
cording to the views he was known to take upon con
stitutiona questions. lie drew up the reconsructon
law laid II before them and told them that n was
not constitutional. He would stutify himself by
asserting that he found any warrant the organic
law for such an act. When democrats objected he
said their scruples were merely the spliners OF the
Old broken constitution fostering in their kidpeys
Some Of the smaller radicals pretented to that
the war making power-the power bestowed ON
Congress TO make war upon foreign natons-would


Justify every kind OF nterdicted legislation against
nttr IN n IA mo pf fact


fenced that pary twaddle 10y the expression of his
profound contempt. Afterwards in "a printed aud
published letter, he boldly avowed that Congress
had repudiated the constitution and that the Recon.
struction act was usurpation. He not only ac-
knowledged that he himself mad committed that Of
fence, but he turned States evidence and testified
that his associates were equally guilty. His testi.
mony IL directly TO the point. lie knew the truth,
and he proclaimed It unequiyocally Now that death