Year: 1868

Country I
backward and cover the nakedness and me shame OF % S
American people in that day of American disgrace Iney


their terms, and was carried into the Presidential ehh
by the votes of all the States in tins Union mon
law, offensive to the Judgment and conscience Of the
people Of the United States and Of the civilized world
Senate and tell that it is the traditional policy OF the
american people to allow their laws to be dehed by any
Execntiyei deny It, There is not line in our history


that does not give fiat denial to the assumption 1t has
never been done, never.


part from the direct line OF argument 10 uOce another
point that was made in order to bolster up this assump-
with the execution OF law that is the reference TO
your lamented and honored President ABRAHAM LIN
TO be reminded in the darkest hour u your trials
when. the pillars of your temple tresnbed in the
own simple words was registered in heaven, aud
which he must have taken the peril Of his sOul Was
laid down his life, beautiful sacrifice in the defense OF
the Republic and Of the laws without his memory being
tongue is mute and that he Is no longer able to speak for
HIMSELF by the bold naked and false assertion that he
speak wary Senator'S s on this subiect because The


man thus andered and outraged in the presence OF the
Senate and OF the civilized world was not only my own
personal friend friend but but was the friend of OF ;,1 our
was regardless Of the obligations Of his OATH or Of the
qnTements Of the Constitution | deny that he ever
Violated your laws. Ideng that he erer assumed 10 him
SELF The pOtcer claimed by his dp0Stde President This day 10
suspend me tdtos aud dispense tch their erecutt0Ii.





Senators when they TO consider this accusation
against their murdered President to ponder the words
Fugitive Slave law, he said to the American people that
however much we may dislike laws upon our statute
books not at liberty to defy hem disregard
them or set them aside but must await the action Of the
people and their repeal by w-naklng power on But
gentlemen too learned not 10 know that has been


settled law from the earliest times to this hour that in
the midst OF the laws silent. You cannot sup
press war by a magistrates warrant or a
cOnstables staff Abraham Lincoln simply followed the
~ tho he
answer further for / want TO leave no particle un
answered. would count myself dishOnored being able
10 speak here for hun when he cannot speak for himself
II left colorado authority for that assault on his
character unanswered and unchallenged But say the
is there weak to know that 10 Is vain that you
pass indemnity ac TO protect the President IT, after all,
his acts unconstitutional You must 90 step fur


her than that you must deny jurisdiction to the courts
you must shut the dOOrs OF your temple OF justice you
indemnity that will protect them IL his act at last
was unconstitutional That was not the purpose Of the
ferred TO- had the honor to draw it myself although
claim personal credit for It, II is not unknown IN the
, Tonoress ' n1sseI similar act IN issa
The general act to Which refer was passed in June
dent in the premises and Of those who acting under
him in the premises shall be barred prosecution against
defend seff il be constitutional to defend the Consti,
tuton be constitutional for the President 70 summon


reside and of their own nationality the law said that
that should be authority for the Court TO dismiss the pro-





OF the President will stop to argue the questions II
has been argued by battle and has been settled
beyond the OF this tribunal, or any tribunal
that the public safety the highest law and that IL is
part aud parcel Of the Constitution OF the United States
have answered. Senator's and trust have answered
satisfactorily all that has been SAID by the counsel for
the President for the purpose Of giving some color OF st
first time in history that 1t pertains TO the EXecu
tive prerogatve interpret the Constitution judiciay
every law passed by Congress To execute TO suspend
or to dispense with the execution at his pleasure.


aSO o'clock Osk Of IS minutes Amer
Mr. BINGHAM repeated point which he had suspended bis
remarks. aud Continued as i9lows;


beg pardon Of the Senate for having forgotten to
notice the very astute argument made by the learned
touching the brokers' refusal TO pay the license under


lax % Hy e d in G hs courts may
again that the introduction OF such an argument as that
insult TO the American Senate IL does not ouch
this question: and the who does not understand that
proposition Is not ht To stand In the presence OF TINS
ts nase an" NotGng is is more Clearly setedoand ought
pardon at every step for making such reference
The sHI American Constitution, and It's interpretation
than that the citizen upon whom the law operates
authorised by the Constitution to decline compliance
without response and appeal TO the courts That was
the OF the NewYork broker to which tho learned
counsel referred and desperate must be the case OF ms
client il II stands upon any such defense. VINO ever
heard Senators, OF that law OF universal application IN
this country, OF the right OF the eitZen quietly WITHOUT
without indicating resistance 10 appeal 10 he
against the oppression Of the law being applied TO
the executor OF that law 1he learned gentleman
from ewlork would have given more ght on TINS sun
that the Collector under your
revenue law had dared underline letter OF auoIity ol
Andrew Johnson set aside your and upon
his authority coupled with that Of ms Chief to DEFY
your laws The questions wide as life ana death,
as light and darkness and further word need he said
by me 20 the American Senate in answer to tnis may
be paTdoned Senator'S from referring 70 otner pro
visions OF the Constitution which sustain ana make clear
the position which assume as the basis OF my argu,
ment that the letter OF the law passed by te peoples
Representatives In Congress assembled Includes he TX
ecutve have given YOU already the solemn 1ecsi3h son
OF the Supreme Of the United states upon TINS SUP
ec unquestioned aud unchallenged from that day TO
this now refer Senator'S to u higher and more com
manding authority. | refer TO the supreme law oi tne
land ordained 10y the people and for the people IN when
they settled this question between the Executive
and the people beyond the reach OF colorabe doubt
refer TO the provisions OF the Constitution, which de-
clared that every bill which shall be passed by the
House of Representatives aud the Senate SHALL before
becomes law be presented 10 the President OF the nj
ted States. II lie approve he shall sign IT, but IL n3t ne
shall return II with his objections TO the House III whch
IL shall have originated, who shall enter the objection
upon their journal and proceed TO reconsider H. ana
after such RECONSIDERATION twothrds OF the House shall
gcther with the objections to the other tsS House
and il passed by twohrds OF that House shall become


law II auy bill shall not be returned by the frSsuet
neen rrcsentrd TO him the shall be law IN like
manner as IL ne had signed IT, unless inc congress ny ls
aJi"rument prevent its return in which case It shall
nor bo law ask the Senators to please note III tns
controversy between the representatives OF te peopio
and the advocates OF the President that IL Is teie W
fen i'm the Constitution plainly that no mortal man can
gainsay IT, that every bill when sall nave passeu c
Congress OF the United states and been presented to the
and shall receive his signature shall become


law and t further provides that every bill which nc
shn dlsnpproye and return 10 the House In whlcn IL
oriuaed il reconsidered and passed by the Congress
OF the United states, shall become law and that ryery


bill which shall have passed the CONGRESS OF the ohed
States and shall have been presented 10 th9
President for his approval, which he snail
retain for more than ten days Sundays excepted during
the session of Congress, shall be law That is the IAN
Snogo of the Constitution IL shall he law II he approve


IL shall be law II no dsapproye IT, and Congress prss
IL over his veto IL shall be law, says the CONSTITUTIONS


he retain for more than days during the session OF
Congress, Sundays excepted, IL shali DC y law Is
Yam altogether In vain against this buwark of the Con
stitutop that the gentleman come in, not with their r.
ted ordnance but with their small playing upon ~
and telling the OF the United states and the people
of the United States. In the face OF plain words Oh tho
CnnsuOp that Il shall not be law. The people eaht
precisely what they said, and that 1t shall be " law
Though the President give 80 many reasons Why
G vetn he deemed it unconstitutional nevertheless


Nv vote mss Il over his veto, ~ snall