Year: 1879




son, ask who Of us is "levying war against
the United States or giving aid and COM
Tort tociheir enemies, or what overt net voi
violence we are proposing to commit ., But
! do not desire to make q, mere technical
argument. i desire to meet the accusation
In its spirit as we'll as in its letter. .-.


WHAT ARE THE ISSUES BEFORE US?


Let US understand them distinctly. But
first let me say wh6t are not the issues we
are discussing. 70 me there is no oucs.
ton; there can be none, rs to the propristy
sots max ing the propriatioqs necessary for
.thg support u the 66Sefnment In al its
departments. Upon this point there shall
be no misapprehension of my position. BY
no vote Of mine will the appropriations ne
cessary for the efficient maintenance of the
army be refused. 1t is competent for Con.
gress to declare under what limitations and
upon what conditions the appropriation is
to be made. The form i'm which this is
done regard as immateriaI In my judg.
ment it would have been best to adhere to
the usual form but as it has been deemed
advisable to maka the necessary appropria.
tions in another manner, shall, in order
to secure unanimity, acquiesce in the deci.
sion of the majority. But in no event Can
| consent to aid in disbanding the army or
in impairing its efficiency. 1t is the army
of the South as we'll as Of the North it is
the army of the whole country. In its his
tory, from the days ofthe revolution through
its achievements of 1872 aud the glories of
the Mexican war, have sume reason, by
right of birth aud of blood, to be proud
In the late civil contest, on many bloody
field, tested its valor, and no word nor
act of mine shall depreciate its value or les.
sen its usefulness. But because so regard
it no act of mine shall tend to degrade its
rank and file into police squad nor convert
its officers into detectives. Twill not so leg.
islate that against its own honorable instincts
and traditions it shall be. the instrument
of tyranny i'll the hand of factious party
or Of an executive who might be so un-
as to use it unlawfully. Nor
shall consent, because of any difference of
sopinon upon matters of legislation between
the majority and the minority or between
the majority and the President, to close
the courts of justice, stop tho administra-
tion of the departments and embarrass the
necessary and orderly life of the Govern
ment. The Constitution, which 1 have
not idly sworn to support, has provided
means by which an appeal to the country
can be taken, and it is for the people to
decide whether the Presidential veto has
been wisely and patriotically used to defeat
the will Of this Congress which represents
a vast majority of the citizens of the United
States. My duty will have been performed
when have used all the power with which
that Constitution has entrusted me. The
President and the minority in Congress
must be responsible for the use of theirs
And while these are my general views of
my duty, 1 certainly have no inducement,
no disposition, to embarrass the present ad.
ministration.


1t is source of profound regret to me
that the President could not fnd himself
able to approve the bills he has vetoed To
me they seem to embody but simple decla-
rations of constitutional principles, and to
be in entire conformity with the policy
which he has announced repeatedly as the
one that he would pursue. But 1 am not
disposed on account of this difference, grave
though it be, to denounce his ction nor to
impugn his motives I am we'll aware that
his position is not easy nor his responsibility
light. remember, and the people whom
l represent remember, that in


CRITICAL PERIOD OF OUR HISTORY,
in disregard Of the passions and in opposi-
tion to the wishes Of the party who placed
him in his present position, with doubt as
to the result of his independent action,
moved, as honestly believe, by his con-
victions of duty, he withdrew the Federal
troops from the State. Houses of South Car.
olina and Louisiana, thus enabling the peo.
pie of those States to restore their local
governments to those who represent the
popular will, as we'll as the character, the
intelligence, and the property Of the two
States. For this action, wise and patriotic
as l am sure that history will record it,
FOR one am grateful. And while in the
honest and necessary party differences which
must arise in a free country. it will be my
duty, with all the energy and ability pos.
sess, to oppose the partisan policy of which
he IS the representative, my opposition shall
not be captious. Nor shall by bitter and
acrimonious cersure drive him into depen-
dence Oh those who would in their selfish
rush for power trample on him aud on us.
trust, therefore, in what l have to say
that l shall be able to speak with truth and
soberness.


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