Year: 1866

| When the time came for taking the vote
on the Civil Rights Bill 10 the Senate, two
Senator'S we're sick and disabled from voting
on the Bill, and when motion was made to
fix an hour for taking the vote, 80 that these
Senators might be present, Mr.. Wade arose
and opposed it, saying that God had given
them an advantage in the sickness of these
men, and that he would not forego it,


The blasphemous speech called out re,
buke from Senator McDougaI, which even
the Republican members pronounced just.


"Mr. President, the Senator from Ohio is
in the habit Of appealing to bis God in vindi'
cation of bis judgment and conduct. 1t is
a common thing for him to do so; bu. in
view of the present demonstration. it may
we'll be asked, who and what is his God! In
the old Persian Mythology there was an Orc
masdes and Ahriman-a God Of light and
beauty, and God OF darkness and death
The God Of light sent the sun to shine, and
the gentle flowers to fructify the fields. The
God of darkness sent the tornado, and the
thunder, scathing with pestience the ma.
tons. And in old Chaldean times, men
came to worship Ahriman, the God of
darkness, the God of pestilence and fam.
inc, and bis priests became multitudinous
they swarmed the land; and when men pray
ed, then their offerings we're: We will not
sow field of grain; We will not dig we'll;
we will not plant tree. These were the
offerings to the dark spirit of evil until a
prophet came who redeemed that ancient
land. But he did it after crucifxion, like
our great Master. The followers Of Ah.
riman always appealed to the same spirit
manifested by the Senator from Ohio
Death is to be one of his angels now
to redeem the Constitution and the laws, anC
to establish liberty. Sickness suffering, evil
are to be bis angels, and be thanks the Al.
mighty, his almighty, that sickness, danger
and evil are about. 1t may be a good God
for him in this world; but if there is any truth
in what we learn about the orders of religion
in the Christian world, his faith will not hold
him when he shall ascend up and ask entrance
at the crystal doors. If there can be evil ex.
pressed in high places that communicates evil
thoughts, that communicates evil teachings,
that demoralizes the youth who receive i'm.
pressions as does the wax, it is by such les.
sons as the Senator from Ohio now teaches
by word Of mouth as Senator in this Senate
ball.


Sir, the President of the United States is a
constitutional officer, clothed with high
power, and clothed with the very power
which be has exercised in this instance, and
those who conferred upon him such powers
were men such as Madison and Jay, and
Hamilton and Morris, and Washington, and
host of worthes-men who, think, knew
as much abou: the laws Of government and
how they should be rightly balanced, as any
OF the wisest who now sit here in council.
1t is the duty Of the President of the United
States to stand as defender of the Constitu-
tion in his place as conservator of the rights
of the people, as tribune OF the people, as it
was in old Rome when the people did choose
their tribunes to 60 into the Senate Chamber,
among the aristocracy Of Rome, and when
they passed laws injurious to the Roman peo.
pie, to stand.up aud say II forbid it,
That is the veto power, incorporated wisely
by our fathers in the Constitution, conferred
upon the President Of the United States, and
to be treated with consideration; and no ap.
peal of the Senator to his God can change
the Constitution or rights Of the President Of
the United States, or can prevent n just con-
sideration of the dignity of the Senate body
by persons who have just consideration, who
feel that they are Senators.


1t is strange thing, an exceedingly
strange thing. that when a few Senators 10
the City of Washington, i'll at their houses,
give assurance that they cannot be present to
act upon a great public question upon the
day following, that we should hear piece Of
defamation, the Senator appealing TO bis
God, and saying with an 40 trinmphe" air,
we'll or i'll, God has made them i'll. Sir, the
God Of Desolstion, the God of Darkness, the
God Of Evil is bis God. never expected 10
hear such objections raised among honorable
men. never expected to hear such things
iu this hall, and rose simply to say that
such sentiments we're to be condemned and
must receive my condemnation now and here,
and if it amounts to rebuke, l trust it may
be rebuke.