Year: 1866

/
OF our government. (Cheers.l


What remained TO be done2 OnA atl,.


thing remained to demonstrate to the civ


llzed and pagan world that we had passe


successfully through the third ordeal of on


national existence, and proved that on


government was perpetual "a great princi


pie to be restored, which was established H


our revolution. When our fathers were con


tending against the power Of Great Britain


what was one of the principal causes Q


their complaint? 1t was that they wer


denied representation. They complained o


taxation without representation. ECheers.


one OF the great principles laid down by oui


fathers, and which fred their hearts, wa


tnat there should be no taxation without
| representation. How then does the matte,


stand ? Who has been usurpirie 2 mower. WIN


has been defeating the operation of the Con.


stltution2 And what now remains TO be


done to complete the restoration of these


states to all their former relations unde,


the Federal Government, and to finish the


great ordeal through which we have


been passing? It is to admit repre.


sentation. [Cheers.l And whenw we say admit


representation, what do we mean We


mean representation in the constitutions
and law-abiding sense. The Constitution


declares, in express terms, that each house,


the Senate and House of Representatives,


each acting for itself, shall be the Judge Of


the returns, election and qualifications of
| Its own members. 1t is for each house TO


settle that question under the Constitution


and under the solemn sanction of an oath.


And can we believe that either house would
| admit any member into its body, to partiei-
/ pate in the Legislation of the country. who


was not qualified? They have the power.


not the two houses, but each house for itself


The Constitution further declares that no


State shall be deprived Of its equal suf


frage in the Senate of the United States


without its consent. Then all that is


needed to finish this great work of restora-


ton is for the two Houses respectively to


decide the question. Oh! but some one


will say traitor might come in. The an


swer to that is that is that each House


must be its judge, and if a traitor presents


himself cannot either of the Houses know


that he is traitor 2 (Applause.) And if


ne IS traitor can they not kick him out of
doors snd send him back, saying to the
people who sent him, "You must send US a
loyal man. Cheers, and voice, "That's
IogIe.O Is there any difficulty about that ?
(NO, no, and eheers) If a traitor
presents himself to either House
cannot that House say to him, No, you can
not be admitted into this body, 20 back.
We will not deny your people the right of
representation, but they must send loyal
representatives. (Cheers.) And when the
States do send loyal representatives can
you have any better fidelity to the Consti-
tuition and laws. There is no one learned
in the Constitution and laws who will saw
that if traitor happens to get into Con-
gress that that body cannot expeI him
sf.er he is in, that makes assurance
doubly sure and confirms the action of the
Government to the Constitution of our
fathers. Hence I say let US stand By the
Constitution, and in standing by it the cove
nant will be preserved. While have been
eontending against traitors and treason and
secession and the dissolution of the Union,
have been eontending, fsame time, against
the consolidation of power here. think
the consolidation of power here is equally
dangerous with the separation Of States
CHEERS. The one would totter US and
might run into anarchy, while the other
would concentrate and eventually end in
Oh, but there is an idea abroad
that one man can ha a dsspot but that a
nundred or two hundred cannot Jeffsrson-
the apostle Of liberty tells US and SO does
common sense, that tyranny and despotism
can be exercised by many more rigorousIv.
more vigorously, and more tyrannicalIy
than by one. What power has your Presi-
dent to be a tyrant? What can he do
What can he originate? Why, they say he
exercises the veto power. (Laughter.) What
is the veto power7 a voice, "to put down
the niger Na1ghter) Who is your
President? Several voices, candy John
son. Is he not elected by the people? Presi-
dent is nothing more than the tribune of
the people-his office is tribunal in its
character in olden times when tribunes
were first elected in the Roman republic.
He stood at the door of the Roman Senate.
which was then eneroaching the popular
rights and putting the heel of
power on the necks of the people, chose a
tribune, and placed him at the door
Of the Senate, so that when that body
an oppressive act he was clothed
with the power to say "Veto-I forbid -
Your President is now in the tribunal of
The people, thank God have and I in
tend to exercise the powers which have
placed in me. [Cheers Your President,
standing here day after day and discharg-
ing, his duty, is like horse on tread
wheel, and because he dares to differ in
opinion in regard to public measures he
must be denounced as usurper and q
.yrant. Can he originate anything under
The veto power2 think the veto power is
in its character and affirmative.
All that can be done by the veto power is to
Iay when legislation is improper, hasty,
lnwise or unconstitutional. Stop action
md wait till this can be submitted to the
,eople and let them consider whether it
5 right or wrong. lGreat Applausel


That is all there is in it; hence I say that
f power can be exercised somewhere
Use by the Executive, here he is power
ess. AL that he can do is to check legis-
alton to hold in a state of obeYanee, until
he people can consider and understand
vhat is being done, and what has been
lcne. have done whatI believed the con-
titution required me to do. (Applause.( So
intend to stick to my position,
elying on the Judgement, the integrity and
Intelligence of the mass of the American
,eople, the soldiers and sailors expressly.
Cheers.) Then for my life I cannot see
where there is any tyrany. It is very easy
o impugn motives, and suspect the purest
md best acts of mau's life. If you come
Onward aud propose q certain thing your
motives are suspected and condemned, and
f you withhold your opinion you are re-
,arded as being opposed to the matter; so
hat it is very hard to move one way
II the other, so far as certain
persons are concerned on all cues
ions pertaining to the interests of the
american people, for in them is my hope
Or the salvation of the country. 1 am with
-ou, citizen soldiers and sailors. Who has
acrifced or perilled more than the humble
Individual who addresses you2 Has not
ny all been put On it; my life, my proper
Y, everything sacred aud dear to man has
cen staked upon it, and can now be sus-
ected of faltering at the close of this third
rdeal of the nation. Where is he
q public or private life who
as sacrificed more or who has devoted
lore of his time and energies to the accom-
Of the great end than !, and I
ave done it from the prcmptings Of my
wn heart. / believe it was right, and with
our heart and your countenance and your
shall go through on that
me. CHEERS and lsughter.) And when
Ome to talk about sailors and soldiers,
ais is to be done, and that to be done, all
want is for you to wait and see if l do not
and by you, although every other man
liter and fail. (Cheers.) want to see
leasures of policy brought forwsrd that
i'll advance the interests of the people,
I'D of that portion Of the people who con-
itute the gallant and brave men
ho in both branches Of the service
ave upheld national flag and sustained the
,untry in its recent struggle. thank you,
sntlemen, for your encouragement, thank
on for YOUR couEtenance on this occasion.
cheers and gives me strength to perform
,e work before me. five are true TO our
lives, if we are true to the Constitution, the
ay IS not far distant when this govern
ent will be restored. Let US 20 on and
store the government, let us now
llsrge the area Of our commerce and
ads and let Us not only inspire confidence
home but respect abroad, by letting the