Year: 1867




rebellion and revolution end withor; full
participation aud concurrence II trait
ors instigatcd that revolution | need not
characterize those who fully participate
and concur in it.


Sir, immediate passage of this bill Is
urged by the gentleman because Of the
late dec sion of the Supreme Court in the
case of MIligan. That decision lie Ge>
nounces as Infamous" dangerous to the
lives and liberties of the loyal men Of the
Country" What is there in thi, decision
that calls for revolutionary measures In
what way is this bill to interfere with or
effect it? What is there in it to call for
maediction and denLnciation ? The gen>
teman does not complain that it does not
truly declared the law. Is the conrt it,
self to be stricken down to be revolution
lied? Are the provisions Of the bill
as sweeping and extensive rs that


Sir, none but despots and violators of
law hate or fear that court or its decisions.
None but those who w0ull denounce and
contemn their native land denounce it. 1t
brought the glad tdings to the depressed
and despairing people of this country that
the CONSTITUTION has not yet been Destroy
ed, that it yet stands the bona of our
union, the fundamental law Of the land
For one, thank God for that decision in
this dark hour of our country 1t may
save Us from just such usurpation as
this Congress, By this bill, will infict upon
US. 1t is the only hope of liberty in this
land to-day That decision has crowned
the court with immortal glory. Time. the
clamor of disappointed denagogues, nor
the malignant howl Of crazy fanatics can
ever dim the lustre it has shed upon
American Jurisprudence. Future genera
tions in all coming time will revere that
court as the great conservator cf constitu>
tional liberty and law. 1t rose above the
surging. remorseless passion Of rebellion
and civil war into the cal II judicial atmos>
phere of reason and truth. and giaddens
the hearts Of the millions who meyer de
nounced their native land 10y declaring
the law as II Is:


The Constitution of the United States
is law for rulers and people, equally in war
and in peace, and covers with the shield
of its protection all classes OF people ut all
tines and under all circumstances. No
doctrine involving more pernicIOus conSe-
quences was ever invented by the wit Of
man than that any of It's provisions can be
suspended during any of the great emer-
ycucie- of the government Such doc
trine leads directly to anarchy and des>
potism.'


Where Is there an honest lawyer VINO
doubts that as law? What is there to
denounco in it What is there infamous
il. that? Sir. these denuuciations are be-
cause that court does not adopt revolution
rs i precedent. because it does not follow
the lead OF the gentleman BY full partlci-
patton and concurrence" in the rebellion
70 revoluIionize this government.


But the passage OF this bill is neces i
ty also, according TO the gentleman's con-
struction Of it, because the presidential
Office is in his way 1t Is not only to de-
prive the Supreme Court in some manner
Of its lawful jurisdiction, but the Execu-
tive OF the Nation .-''thc commander IN
chief ofthe army and navy is to be made
to bow in meek submission and obey the
behests Of the gentleman and his party lii
Congress. Listen again to his speech in
support of this bill:


"Though the President is commander
in-chef, Congress is his commander and
God willing. he shall obey. lie an! his
mihions shall learn that this is not !; gov =
ernment of kings and satraps, but il gov>
ernment of the peopIe, and that Congress
is the people"


The President refuses to go with the
gentleman and his followers into a full
participation and concurrence IN the rev.
olution inaugurated by the rebellion, aud
thi. measure is to reduce him to obedience;
to bring him into accord with the VIII OF
the majority Of this Congress to simplify
the Government By striking down or usur-
ping the powers Of the coordinate depart
ments.


There seems TO be, then. three leading
objects in this measure 10 be carried lato
practical effect by full participation aud
concurrence in ''thc revolution to get
rid of the Supreme Court and its decision J;
to depose the President, or compel him to
..obcv" the majority Of Congress, and
thereby, or as an additional object, correct
s'paIpable incongruities and despotic pro-
visions of the Constitution. and turn ten
of the sovereign States Of the Union into
territories, or hold them without governs
ments as conquered provinces. No won
der at the implied doubt of the gentleman:
"Will Congress have the courage to come
down to the requirement? NJ wonder he
finds it necessary to storm, bluster, threat
en- and scold his weak kneed followers
But they will all come to the support of
this or some like measure. They will
trcmbe, turn pale, curse a little. but his
cunn.nslv uslnua,ed punishment IN the
question ne put "Doyou believe IN he'll -
will bring every mothers sun Of them un-
less possibly the gentleman from New
York, (Mr Rayrhond,) of whom NOTHING
quite certaiu is known till after he has
made his speech and recorded his vote.


More doubtless was meant hy this states
manlikc inquiry There may have been a
more solemn significance The tendency
of his party in that direction admonishes
all its members not to deny the Divinity
in the presence of which they are soon to
appear. Sir. this seems almost like traffic
with grave subject. aud yet the devou'
earuestness with which that inquiry was
propcunded by the venerable gcntlomau
cannot fail to impress his House with the
thought that there is some very close md
intimate connection between this measure