The Columbian. (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, October 04, 1867, Image 1
lie I M(I.1 I In., .. ... i )i 1 -1 VOL. I.-NO.40. BLOOMSBURGr, PA., FRIDAY, OCTOBER 4, 18G7. PIUOE FIVE GENTS. 2 I m ft THE COLUMBIAN, jg A Domoovntio NowHpapor, in I'l'iiMiiiin r.vmv fiuiiav mokninu ai III.OOMSlU'Hd, PENN'A. TIUUrlnclplcsorihlspnpernrurtlioJeneron Inn School of politic. Hinnc nrlnolnlm will neve ,y-Js !' wpr"ni1dl,yclconrtOTy nml klmUm nhall luiBouvii iu iuscumuik mem, whether with r individual!, nr with cnntcmpornrlc nf the, I'rc Mii Tl,n Hy. lmi'plltciii.and prosperity of llio conn .jjCtiyNiiurnlmniiil objects and Iho tucann lo i; itccumtlint, ueshall labor honostiyand earnestly t '"'""'"""""."""nH'llHowlhnfoMtorgnii. 'Station. ft TEitusorSuiisi itiiTioNi-Tvn dollar r. car Sjlf iiil.l In ndviihco. If not paid In advnnco two , dollars ami (Illy lent III liolnvurlaljlycliiiranl ft '.Tunis ok A nvt in iiimi :-Onc niuarodni Unci. i!orlek)inii'or tliii'u Ini.tllonn tl,.V)j each Mibso- iiumt Insertion oO cciitK, Y Al'ACF. M. 2)1. 3K. t,H, Iv. Onomiuaro... J.CD M,ou ji.oo jo.tio jto.o THoRqtuiri'H n.no n) qtm n,',in n,nt ,fct5 ' rnuo Miunri's 6,uu 7,00 8,(10 ijih Kim fl-our hiuiirrun lo.tn) 1I,iji) 2n,ui Half column 10,110 ivm 00 aym Olio rulnnili . l"i,(l 1H,U0 !KI,UI 6tl,li Kxccutor's an.l AiluiliiNimloi'H Notice $.1,00) An dltor'ii.SolIco !.','.!. Oilier ndUTlls. meniH Inser I ted umirillnK to special contract. Ililsllici.i notice, ulltioutadvcrtlv ineht, twenty x cent per line. .Transient iidverllxenuuta payable In advance oil other due nflf r the first Insertion. S- It l, In rl nui, more likely lo lio natlKfao ; Mory, liolli to subscribers anil to Iho Publisher, filial rcnitttanccsnnd nil communications respect ijlnit the business of the paper, lip nentdlrcct to tha dohlcenf publication. All letter, wliclhcr relating Ato the editorial or buslnc concerns of the paper, wid nil iymcnt for subscriptions, advertising, or Johljliirf, arc to ho mado to and addressed J1UOCKWAY A FUKKZi:, "Columbian OJJice," Hl.noMSIlUllO, l'A. i rrlntcl nt Roblson' IlulldliiKs, near the, Court JllOUSO, l.y tJllAM. M. VANllRlMMCr. . l'HANK 11. H.VVDF.R. BUSINESS CARDS. PKINTINfl NViilly cxccutotl at this Ofltee. Jp Jr. L'VKLLK, ATl'OllNKY-AT-I.A W, Ashland, Kchuj llilll Coillily, reun'a. j, K. JAOKSOX, ' ATTOUNIIV-AT-LA W, llerwiek, Colunilila Counly, renn'a. jy JI. TKAUCIII, ' AT TO UN I! V. AT-1. A W, l' IlerHhlr, C'oliuiilila County, reiiirn. y"I!.,UAM H. A11UOTT, ATTOItN'IJT-AT.I.A V. Ci:.NTUAI.IA, l'A. '"vTOH ' c w, iMii.iii:it, ATTOH.NIIV AT LAW, lolnlni! 1'oHt (lllli e. a- flountli 1, llark-lliy and omeoMllh i:. II. I.lltle. In In Irk ImlMllili ad- K-i'ay am HepJ0'u7. a eiiM'iiiN- coueeieu. JOHN O. VllKKAl, A T T O It N I! V - A T - I, A V, Olllee In Iteirlitter and Ueeorder'i ortKe, In the ljiiM'liletlt of the Con It lloilie, ItlooliiHliiirK, I'll. oiu:itT r. ci.Aiiic, A T T O It N I! Y - A T - I. A W Ollleo corner of Main and Market Ktreetn, over l''ln.t National Itank, lIlooniKhuri;, l'a. A uriulutito of Jt rtrrhiui .Medical t'olK'jrc, l'htl ilflihin, liruliiK pormani'iitly louMul, ntiVrn hit plOffMSiollUl MTVll-fK tO tIlOf.ll7(.'lS Ol ClllHW IrthU uutl li'lnlly, onictM.n M.1I11 rtu-ft, Mcuiiil ilour eiist nf t.'irtisy A John llulUllnjf. !nprVa7Him E. II. 1 4 IT T li K, A T T O It X i: V -AT-1, A V, Olllt'i' nu Main ri, til brick hulldinu hclow the Court Iloiin1, UIcHniishurt;. V, C. " HltOCICWAY, ATTOItNEY AT IlLOOMSIllIItfl. I. A W, l'A. Okkick Court HoiiMo Alley, iumbiun Ottlee, Im'Iow tile O). Janl'tiT, j 11. noiusoN, ATTOUN UY-AT-1. A W, llLOOMSlirud, l'ON'.V, omen In Uiiium'Ht'n llulldlnu, Main Slrei t. Wl of trut Amerleau House, niy'jrtJ7, jUCTIO X TlTll . mohi;h cofk.man, Havltiff follwM (ho iirofi-solon of l'ublio Vendue Crlt-r lur iiiiiny jmrs, would Inform liN friends thnt he N Btllfln tho Held, rendy ntid wlllInK to Attend to nil tho Out leu of 1 its mlllng. i'ertoiw dt'Rlrlne his hervlcex Khould eall or wrllo to him at UlnfjinstmrK, I'u. ImarS'trr. T)H. II. miADLKY, uno AHHWtiini leoicui unuctor iJ, a. Army,) ... , . VIIYHXOIAN AN!) HUUQEO, AB-Onieaut the house nmiOkite Hhlve'H I) lock. lUooiUhhurtf. I'll. Calls promptly Attended lo bolh nlglit and day, UIooim.bn-g, Jan, 18, iwr, 1J. PUIlSKfj, HAHMH( HADDLi:, AND THUNK MANUFACTITIIKH, utid deulur lu fAlirin'-llAQsl, VAI.IS1W, 1'I.Y-NI.TH, 4c, Main Street, IJlouinHljurir, Ta, an :ve, O A 11 I -V I! T M A K K 11 , ami uANi'FAt-iUiien nr dtkam ur HASH, HMNDS, HOOHH, 11 U T T K II H, MOULDING H, WINDOW FIIAMKS, AC. VAIN HTItKI'.T, DliOOMSnUItO, l'A, BjunoM, ISl.T. 1g C. COLUNH, y KASH IONAIII.K IfeuAVINCl, HAllt CUTTING A Nil HHAMPOOINO HAI.CON, si Over WUlniajer a Jiicony n no Lriam pn, A u HLOOMKItUIttl, l'A. " Hair DveliiK ami Wlilskera colored Waek or lirown. Ilalr TonlotoilfMroyuanuruii kiui im hu. Ilfuli.- tl... Ill r..klnru liulr lo till OrlulllUl color ultliout Nullluif Iho Uncut fubrlc, conktantly Ull llllini, l.(.i.-.i n. s a v a a k , I'HACTICAL WATCIIMAKKtt ANI1 JKWUMtY, Afdtn fttrert, nu tht Our( Ifouit, lli...faiilTlirl 11. 'llpiiuHimlly on hand u fluii aaurlnoot a' AISHK'AN AND HWIHH WATCH), CjoikM, Jewelry, Hllvcrwuru and HpectuclM Prtkulr ulUntlon paid to Hit rrpalrlig Watchei;, clocUn, Jewelry and HiwUelM. -11uoiUo iurkb inado to ordr, All work WtuM airlt'l7, SPEECH OF HON. 0. R. BUOKALEW, IWfcriif fn tltr fbtirf fame, JIltMnti'iurff, Saturday Evening, Soptombor 28th. itr.i'oiiTi:i iiY j. .r. muiiimiy. Mil. I'ltCKlUHNT ANIl I'l!I,r.OV-CI TI- .KXH : Tim (-rent war wlitclt brokn nut nnit cotitliiiii'd four yenrs botvci'it tliu Xortlitrii nml Southern sccIIoih of our country cunio to an will lit Aiirll, lwi i ( in iwiMiit iiiutii'iimo to nn ctitins a mill' tary iiiifstloii. Thcro tiro, huwovcr, nor sons amoiin; tis who seem to labor under the inmruH-Ioiitlint It 1ms contin ttwl down to tho present time, nml that ii it yet in existence, lor tney support mid illinium! measures or tinttoiml tinllcv which mo bitted upon the Idea that thttt war U yet In existence, mid that certain legal principles consequent upon war therefore continue and Justify peculiar IUI.-.I-1IIII.-) in iiiiiiiu poiiey. i iiitn mi uDsuriias inn noes nol reiptiro tleoate, does not reiiulru ri.'fiitiitlon In nnv In. telllKcnt conitniinity In any section of our eotiuiry. UiKiuestfonably our great civil war. a war of unexampled inanltude In the New AVorld, a war the burdens anil the p.iN-lon or which reached every com munity mid almost every llre.-lde In the land, did both in point of fact and lit point of law terinlnateln April, lMi'i.by thesiirrenilerof (law arntle-i which un- li ril Islltiiriti.-dll-il M llltiir- nni iii:iih1its. I mean dUtlngulihi'd in point of abll- iy, mm neen arrayed afrainit, in lit me Southern country and had for years con ducted a struLrcle. ivltli in. oftentimes doiibtltil lu its is-ue, ami caining the (teeiiest aiiDreiiensions unions all of us cone ruing tho contintienco of our lte- iitijiican system ol irovernment ami of tho Union with which it was associated. Tho armies of hee and Johnston sur rendered. Tho few vcnssoN which tho Confederate irovernment had sent out as privateers were also either hitrren dered or wero llcelng from our armed vessels oi war in remote seas nml in dis tant oceans. Those armies surrendered lo General Grant nml to General Sher man upon a single condition ; ami what was thnt '.' Thnt so long ns they eon ducted themselves peaceably and did not resist tho authority of the United States, they should not bo molested or called in (mention in any way whatever bv tho United .States. That parolo which was taken by tho whole of tho southern Confeder ate forces then In tho field hasbecn kept both iu spirit and in letter down to this day. Nobody can (mention that there has oeen no lurtlicr resistance to tho ar mies of tho United States, and there has been no resistance to the civil authority of the United States. Our courts have uninterrupted Jurisdiction over tho whole of tho South. Nay, so com plete, so universal has been tills ac quiescence iu our authority that oven that Military Government which was established by net of Congress in March last, and which is now in existence in tho Southern States, and which bears with n severe and heavy hand upon the populations iu that section, is submit ted to without question and without complaint. If there ever was n people lu any period of tho history of tho world and iu any country unon its broad surfaco whokepf falth.whoporformediiii obligation assumed by them, tho people of tho South are that people with refer ence to the agreement which was mado net ween their leudersaml ueneraiiirani ii ml General Sherman who represented tho Federal Government in the Held, and vhoo ngreenient with tho Confed erate forces was approved by tho execu tlveadiiiinlstratlon at Washington, and accepted without complaint or objection throughout the country by the Ameri can people. Alio war then, gentlemen, cnucu 111 April 18ti."i. What was achieved by that war'. What was accomplished by it .' You are as competent to Judge of this question as the profotnulest lawyer or statesman in the country, because It requires for Its solution nothing but good sense, goo-1 common Judgment undisturbed and uunorvcrU'ii t.v pas sion and prejudice. This Is all that 1s- redtilsite. rsow what was acconipiisn ed bv tho war'.' We would suppose, ftentlcmen, that the object of tho war was accompli-hed when victory was achieved. Now then wo tro back to the (Uie-tlotl, u hat was tho object ol the war which wo pro-cculcd so long ami at such cost to ourselves, in which wo expended hall a million oi precious lives aim ion red out treasure by hundreds or mil lonsand Incurredndebtof unexampelcd magnitude iu tho history of the world ; that Is, us a debt incurred with in tlto same period oftiino'.' Why did uo arm ourselves'.' wliv did wo clothe ourselves with the terror and thunder of battle ami rago llrcely and vlo- leutly thioiiglioutthe .Southern country until the people there wero thoroughly subdued and humbled before us'.' Wo announced to tho world the reason of our conduct and tho object wo had iu view; and, staled in a slugio sentence, it was tills: wo went to war and wo waged war to preserve the union of the American States. That was our announced purpose, and becauso we announced It our fellow citizens every where throughout theadliering btates came forward with alacrity to uphold tho arm or the r euerai power in me struggle. Individual means wem contributed voluntarily; appropriations of mnncv wero trl ven iniLrrudcrlntrlv both lu i (ingress aim iu mu Legislatures oi tliu States j a Sanitary Commission was organized and other war charities drawing heavily upon tho liberality of the people. Nay, so patriotic and deter mined wero our population In that great war, that although tho political majori ty which controlled tho Federal Ad ministration by which it was managed, misconducted Itself as wo supposed, descended to many acts of maladminis tration and of abuse of power on peace ful citizens, and deprived our people of their constitutional rlclits and privile gesnotwithstanding all these tilings and many others which i win not. biop to enuinerato, there was, as a question of honest fact to bo written down In his- torv. a L'eneral concurrence iu carrying on tho war and in supporting tho au thorities to whom its management had been committed and who had tho legal right lo control It. If theso chare-OS of dislovaltv. which have been heard so loner nnd which are yot impudently repeated, upon nearly ono-hidf tho population ofl'i'imsylvimla nml of tho other Northern States, had been true : f thev had represented the actual fact as It stood during tho war, that war would have Had a widely nil- mrcnt conclus on nml termination, in stead of victory, thcro would have been detent, instead in tne miiyuguuoii m our enemy, we ourselves would have railed in tnu war, ami with biiamo ami humiliation wo would huvo been obliged to submit to the Inevitable, ami with reluctance, If not grief to take up our future national course us a fragment of a country i as asovoral fragment only of Unit Union of which wo had formerly IV coustlliiieii an integral part, .mi; tliosu charges wero lu tho inuin ami substantially, untrue mid unjust. In lbti.1 In our State Legislature, at the session at which I was elected to thu Senate of tho U. S. resolutions wero adopted by tho Democratic majority in tholower House, tho House of Ilepre scntatlvcs, on tho subject of the war, Then our caitbo stood trembling In tho balance. Then grvn. doubt and u'reat iipprehenMoii wero felt about Iho result. The political majority In the lower brniichos of our Legislature, adopted resolutions which gave the platform upon which they stood during tho war, and upon which Ihey will boJtl(lj.'cd by history. If I had those resolutions) here I would read them to-night. 1 shall tune pride to mvir herearter when belied and calumniated lu cuinmoii with others, iu pointing to that plat form, lu tho construction of which, and in tho suniiort of which. I ti:irlh'lt:itiil. What then, gentlemen, was accom plished by the war, so generally sup ported and so triumphant In its close'.' lino would in i n K wu nail accomplished the object for which we fought ; a resto ration of tho Union, mi extension once more of tho Constitution of the United States over tho whole of Iho States ns they stood before tho war began. I'or what is tho Union '.' It is an association of States established and united by the l onstltutlon, and by iiothlngelse. Take that away and thcro Is uo Union i there is no I'edoral Uoveriiinent j there are uo United States to bonumbercd among the powers of the earth.. Therefore, In IMsi. at tho end ol the war. when t ie Southern armies had surrendered, not only was the Union restored, but in or der to Its restoration, Inseparably con- necied Willi its restoration ami mills- leiisablo to it, tho Constitution of the L'nlted States was restored every where lu our country; not alono in its authori ty, not alone in the power which It con ferred upon I'ederal olllcers from the I'ro ideut downward, hut also in. Its privilege-. In Its hcnctlK in its guaran tees of liberty mid of representation lo tho people of all Iho Stales which com pose the Union created under it. AH this Is clear to common Judgment and to common sense as 1 said before, and it does not require learning or high wis- nun to understand u or explain it. Gentlemen, did this result for which wo fought in fact come to us? I have endeavored to show you that It camo legally ; it came as a matter of right ; it came as a logical conclusion from the premises; that it was the result of vic tory; anil that to this result the whole Amerhau people wcioentltled and they have been entitled to It from that mo ment to this. l!ut this privilege of eace,of Constitutional rule, of reunion, ins been withheld from tho American people, and it has been withheld from you and 1 just as much as it lias been withheld Irom persons in any'other sec tion of tho country. As citizens of a great Republic composed of many States, wo are entitled not oniy to enjoy, indi vidually lu our own persons, those lib erties and those political privileges which our ancestors established and whicli thev sanctl lied by their labors and Eiilierings, by their patriotic zeal in tliu catiso of American Independence nml Liberty, but also to demand them lor an oiners wno live in our country, whether In our own State or in any other Stato; and whenever they aro withheld.it is our privilege, aye and our duty also, to demand that they shall bo extended to. and shall bo en joyed by all. .now, lieiiiiemeii, what is the plain fact'.' Kntitled as wo were to reunion, entitled to coiistltutlon.il rule, entitled to thorough po.ieo throughout our coun try and to all thu fruits of peace, in April lbu.i, J hero arraign heroro you tho polillcid majority in Congress be- catisu down to this moment they have withheld that result from tho American people. That Is their otl'eiice: that is thu wrong, the Iniquity for which 1 ar raign them, and for whicli you ought to pronounce judgment against them in the only manner in which they can be condemned, and appropriately con demned ; 1 mean at tho ballot box. j.et us go os-er tne history oi two years and a half that have elapsed since the war ended. I shall endeavor to be ns brief as possiblo and not weary you, but In order that wo may reach in telligent mid clear conclusions it is nee-' essary to travel over the past somewhat, I to trace events down to tho present time, lly this preliminary exanilna-1 tion we shall bo enabled to Judge the existing situation of our public ninth's and pronounce t proper mid Useful judg- I mom upon them. After the close of the war the Trc.-I- dent of the United Stale-,appoiiited pro- 1 vi'ioiitu iiovernors lor ine-everui states ' lu the South. Thoo Governors issued I proclamations to the people Inviting 1 them. not commanding them, lo pro- 1 ceed and reorganize their State Govern ments. The theory which was held by j the President was, that the Statu Gov- , eruinentsas organized for the inirpo-es 1 of tho war weru invalid; that tlieiracts were unauthorized ; ami that it uis pro- per,il not iieccs-ar,v,that there should be reorganization of thu local or State Gov ernments. That was ills view. It Is not neecs-arv I'or lis now to nass tinou it ami to ascertain whether It was correct or not. S o are only concerned with the fact. The provisional Governors appointed by thu President then Invit ed the people of tho several States to se lect delegates to (.(inventions hy whom new Constitution should bo fornied.aud upon tliu adoption of such Constitutions to -elect olllcers for the State Government- and also ltenresentatlves ami Senators to servo iu tliu Congress of the United States. I hero lias been some talk In the country about this proceed ing Initiated hy tho l'rosldent.and It has been disputed whether ho was authoriz ed lo commence it and to encourage its being carried on. Gentlemen, the lre.-l- lent ol the united sstutes has not one particle oi authority lor the creation ol anv Constitution anywhere, and the Congress of tho UnltedBtales hnsjust ns little power as the President has; that Is, It has homo nt all. Applause. Un questionably the only manner in which an American Constitution can be made, mid lu which any Republican Constitu tion can lio mnde, lu tho very nature of things, Is by tho people themselves, tho people concerned, the people who mo to bo bound bv such Constitution, who aro to bo obedient to it and for whoso protection and to btib-ervo whoso Inter ests It Is created. Tho new Constltu lions mado in tho South iu lStM upon In vltatlouof the President derived no au thority or validity from anything ho did, but they wero legal and valid mid effectual Constitutional Instruments be cause thu people of tho several States chose tliodelegateswliomado them A af terward, when they wero submitted to their votes, accepted them ; precisely us In Pennsylvania wo would accept an amendment to our Constitution If it wero submitted by tho Legislature of tho Stato miller a particular clause of our Constitution authorizing such sub mission, or as wo would accept It If It wero mado by a Convention of delegates which wo had previously selected for the purpose. Now t lien you see how clear this propo sition Is. Those constitutions made lu tho South were legal and valid and pro per because In point of fact they were made by the people and accepted by them. Under them, Ihey organized State Governments, which are yet iu existence, and selected Senators and Iti'prosciitatlvcs for tho Congress of tho United States, In December ISUVj, when Congress convened, most of thosoSlates were entirely organized, ;iitl prepared, through their Hcprcsentiitlvos, lo take part iu the Government of the United States. A few were not then through with proceedings of it organlzutlon, hut they completed hat It was necessary to do shortly afterwards : so that early in IHUfi every one of the States which had been concerned In tho rebellion wax at (ho City of Washington by Its Senators and Representatives, prepared to take part iu tho 1'Vderal Government, to participate In those constitutional pow ers, to enjoy thoso constitutional rights and to bo bound by thoseconstltutloniil 1 duties which, existed us to them before . the war began. I The President In his annual mespngo I to Congress in ISO.j, stated what lie had done lu relation to reorganization: ho called It tho restoration of the Union ; and ho submitted to Congress itself the ! .1. i .i e .1 11.... .1... uei-isiiiii in mu ijiiusuiill ll.'iiiillll lliu admission of Senators and Itetiresenta tives. Ho had no power over that ques tion, U.ach House, by tho Constitution, Is mado the exclusive Judgoof thequall Mentions, elections, nml returns of lis own members. Shortly afterwards, in response lo n resolution passed by the Senate, he sent in a special message in which hu recommended the acceptance of the Southern Representatives, ami along with that message ho transmitted n very Important communication from General Grant, In which the General stated that he he had then visited tho Southern section of our country, had mingled with tho people there, and had ascertained what their views wero with regard to lestoratlou ; and ho said, and his words are yet upon record, and they aro Instructive ami Important to every citizen who desires to form an honest opinion on this whole subject, that the Southern people laid accepted the result of thi war lu gootl faith ; they had accepted the decision mado by the mguest aiiinority Known 10 unman in stitutions, thnt Is, by arms; and that they wero desirous of resuming their former places In the Union of perform ing thu duties mid enloyiiig the ad Min tages connected with citizenship In tho United States. This was early In IMHS. Now what did Congress do? The two Houses wero In session and they re untitled In session a period of eight months from the time of their meeting on the first Monday of December, lSft'i. What did they do on this subject of re construction? They did not admit tho Senators and Representatives sent up under the proceeding Instigated by the President; they did not nccept tlieRep resentativoH who appeared before them, nor did thev themselves propose and ndont any law or resolution on the sub ject of reconstruction during that whole time. .Nothing was done lu that way by Congress. After a little interval of time complaint was made about tho President's ideas on tho subject of re construction. This, that, and the other point of criticism wero ventured upon. Finally, tho critics became somewhat bolder and commenced denouncing him; but, observe, this was months af ter the session of Congress began, and In spite of llio fact that during 18i!j wlille this proceeding of restoration, was golntr on under tho President's plan. there was a general acquiescence in It throughout tho country ; very Ilttlo complaint was heard against It in any quarter. I say that session ran on for a period of eight months, during all which tlmo no bill or resolution was passed on tho subject of reconstruction to hasten tho restoration of the Union, to givo us back peace, to restore thoCou- stltutlon in all re.-pecls throughout tho country. Nay, they purposely delayed this work, important and vital as it was. Olio would think that if there was any thing wrong aoout the l-rcsident's plan and his mode of accomplishing our great object, they would havo suggested somo better plan, or at least some plan of their own, and have allowed the people of tho United Slates to consider mat, ami pas judgment upon it ; nut they did no such thing. Tho matter was shullled on" and kept off until tho end of tho se-sion. ltut what was going on nil this time? Wo havo got now far enough past thoso events to look back mid consider them calmly. Men wero a little warm in their minds while they wero occurring, a little in a passion ; tho war feeling remained. Wo can look back now, however,with greater clea rows of vision Reforo Congress assembled in lSO'i, be fore tho House of Representatives was organized and Us members sworn, there was an Informal meeting of the Repre sentatives wliocoiistltuted the majority, in a private room. They held what i as called a caucus ; not a very elegant wurd, but one that wo are obliged to u-e becuu-1! no other ono Indicates pre cisely the Idea which It conveys. For my part, I have very Ilttlo ol respect for or of coiilldenco iu, meeting of that de-criptlon, ami have had very Ilttlo to do with them, in public life. Theru may ho great emergencies when it may be proper for a party of the members of a Legi-latlve body, of Congre.-s or of a Stato Legislature, to meet nndconsiilt together ; but to have legislation and the policy of Government fixed up in secret in that way, as a thing of system 1- a great abtiso and an outrage upon the people who are governed by the lawn that spring from such Irresponsible bodies. I say there was a caucus or se cret meeting of tho majority meuibersof the House of Repre-entatlves before the Jl'Jth Congress was organized, at the bo giniiiiigof December lSU'i.mid what imp pencil thcro? Our old acquaintance, Thaddeus Stevens or this State, was early In attendence at tho room where that meeting was to bo held, and he looked after tho organization of tho caucus, mid had certain icsolutloiis in troduced and adopted. The caucus ad journed within fifteen minutes I think alter its meeting. Now what were those resolutions'.' The leading matter contained In them was this: that all memorials, bills, reso lutions and papers of wliatover de-crip-tlou that should bo Introduced Into either lloiisu of Congress on tho subject of re storation or reconstruction of tho Union should bo referred to it Joint committee of tho two Houses ; that Joint committee to consist of fifteen members, six mem- bers of tho Senato and nlno members of tho House; and that such papers wliat over they might be, relating to that great subject wero to havo such reference without debate. No man wasto open his mouth concerning them: mid until that Joint committee, thus constituted of menihcrs irom each nouso, reported on thoMihJoct of rccoiistrtict!on,thcru should bo no action whatever taken by either House upon it. Tho members of both Hou-es wero to bo tied up, their hands tied, their mouths closed until this com niltteo from its secret chnmberspokolts opinion and relieved tho Representa tives of tho people and of tho States from a condition of abject silence and Incapacity, self-imposed. Now, gentlenicii, during that session Congress acted under that schemo, be cause tho caucus resolution was Intro duced In tho House and passed there, mid sent to tho Senato where it was somewhat amended, and passed. Tho Joint Commute was established, and that Joint Coiiiuilttco tuok clinrgo of re construction during thoso eight months; ami thus it was that this great subject, iu which tho whole American people were Interested, In all parts of thoootin try, was throttled iu Congress, was turned over to n secret committee pros), did over by Thaddeus Stevens; and tho Congress of tho United Stales nt theend of eight moiitlisiidjoiirned without hav ing performed any duly whatever on this subject. In fiict, they did nothing upon it except by speeches, by Inlliun. inatory harangues, by every art ami de vice of which they wero cupable, to In flame llio public mind; to get up If pus siblr, a feeling of opposition, of hatred and dislike towards the President of tho United States, and toward the people or tne nouin. On the eve of adjournment, however, it Constitutional Amendment was In troduced, which passed both Housw of Congress, and was submitted to tho Legislatures of tho soverul States for their consideration. You will rcmeiu. berthattlienmchdmenltotlioCotistltu- I nn nlmlltflitnir Hlnvort lintl lioon tifiuwn.1 at n previous session of ongros,two or uireii years nuiore, aim iiouiii ims nine it hail been udopted by nearly all tho States represented In Congress, and by most If not nil the new State Govern- meiiis tuni nan oeen reorganized Mouth, nml It undoubtedly had become a part oi me ioiiswuiuonoi tnu i.nueu .-suites. Hut hero at this session of ISC'), another nmendtnont about the end of the sess ion was submitted which It was alleged hail somo reference to tho subject of re construction. That amendment con tained a good deal of matter of which I shall not speak. I will only allude lo one point which It contained. It pro vided that hereafter representation In each Stateof tho American Union should In a certain way, bo based upon the electors of the State. The argument was that our old rule In the Constitu tion that representation in Coiiltcss should be ba-otl upon population was Incorrect or improper, anil that It would be much better to bti-elt tintm the voters of the several States; that the true Re publican Idea Is that thu peoxlo shall rule them-elves, that they shall all have an equal voice, inn us they cannot all meet together they chooso representa tives to net for (hem; consequently, In distributing repre.-entatlves In a great country like ours, the representatives ought to bo distributed according to the number of voters in each State. There is nlau-ililHty In fiiat rea soning; ami that was the ground upon which tliu argument was conducted lu favor of that amendment both in and out of Cnngrc-s. Hul that amendment, although It profc-scd to be founded up on that argument, departed from It en tirely in Its terms. It was adroitly worded and ilxed up, and had a sinl-ter object. It provided that whenever in any Statu tho right of suffrage should be withheld from any portion of the male Inhabitants over twenty-one years of ago on account of racoor color, there should hu a loss of represent atlou for that State in proportion (o the extent of the population ol such race or color the males of whicli should bo so disfran chised. The practical result was this: Till! people of tho South, and tho people of Pennsylvania, Maryland, Kentucky and Mi-souri along witii them, were re quired to allow the negroes within their borders to become electors just liko white people or to losu a share of their power in tho Government of tho United States. For Instance, if Pennsylvania continued to refuse tho negroes within her borders the right of voting on ac count of color, thcro might lio a dock age of ono Member of Congre.-s from this State when tho next appointment camo to bo made; tho next distribution of .Members of Congress to tho States by law. That was the idn ; and It was applied throughout tho country. Now. observe thoadroit manner in wlilch thai amendment was constructed. It was to forco negro suft'rago upon all tho Slates under penalty of losing a portion of their political power; hut at tho s.iino time ull the foreigners, all the females, all tho minors that con-titutcd n part of the population in n State, for Instance, lu New York or Massachusetts, wero still to bo counted for purpo-es of rep roscntation in Congress. That Constitu tional Amendment would only cut, and cut home, iu the South and In the Cen tral States, whereas Now Knglaud would havo all her non-voting popula tion counted; she would retain her rep resentatives; nay, upon an examina tion of tho effect of that amendment, It was found that Now Knglaud would gain two members hy it while other sections of llio country would lo-e. I havo delayed you thus long in explain ing that amendment simply becau-o it has not been much debated, and perhaps is not very generally understood. I say, tho only thing iu connection with reconstruction done at the llrst or long se-sion of the fflllh Congress was .tho submission of that Constitutional Amendment whicli is yet pending, which is not adopted, and perhaps nev er will bo by the States, unle-s our new fellow-citizens of African descent down South choose lo take It ofler Ihey have reorganized State Governments there. Congre-s adoiiinetl in tliu summer of IWiii, mid we had an election last year at which the Republican party win gener ally triumphant In the North. Their speakers went upouthesluuip and talk ed about "Copperheads," and about "rebel-," and about "not giving up the fruits and glory of the war," mid about "traitors," nml many other things equally interesting and equally Import ant to tne loriiiation oi popular judg ment. The.-o topics wero the burden of their song. Thev appealed to the pas sions of the war a year and a half af ter It was closed, endeavoring, .tji keep them alive, ami lo keep men voting "n old l-.-ues instead of the new ones, thu present ones, tho pre ing questions of public pulley and of public iidmlnl-tru-t Ion which liowcomeliomutoouriiitrc.st.s and ought tocomu iiomutoourjuilgmeuts nl-o. They went back to the old mat ter oftho war achate, rehashing it over: and they wero successful on tho whole in luo-t portions oi tne .Minn ami we-i. It was concluded by the people to givo llieni a further lea-u of power,and they retained, therefore, tlieirprcpnnderauco lu Congress. Congress met again in the month of December last for tho short i session ending on thu fourth of March. What was then done by it on this sub ject of reconstruction? Why they con sidered it anil tne iienaio went on ami on until tliu second of March when a bill was i i.i -st 'i 1 called a Reconstruction bill. I shall speak of it in a moment in connection wltlitwosiippleinenlary acts which wero passed afterwards. Tho fortieth Congress convened on tho fourth of March under a special act of Congress anil remained in session about a month, adjourned over, Cot to gether again in tho mouth of July and remained lu session most of that month, and then adjourned over to thu twenty lire t of November, when it Is to re convene; so that thero will bo threo fragmentary sosslonsof tlio fortieth Con gress before tho usual tlmo of meeting, wlilch is, tho llrpt Motuly of December; to wit : a session in March, a se.sslondn July, and another piece of n session In November, And yet our Interesting friend, Mr. Sumner, was deeplygrleved that Congress i as sitting so Ilttlo during tho present year t It would suit him exactly to havo it sit all the time and to havo about twenty bills passed whero ono is now enacted. On tho twenty-third of .March, the new Congress, thofortlcth,pa-ed a sup plementary Heconst ruction act, and then In July they passed what was cull ed an explanatory reconstruction act, iu which v iillotbey proeoidcdtostutowhul their former laws meant, they managid to put iu it great deal of new matter ami to make up really a r.ew law Now Gentlemen, what is the charac ter of those enactuieiits of which I havo spoken, the Reconstruction act of the "ml of March, the Supplementary act of tho -;lrtl of March, mid thu Htpluiiu lorv act passed In July? I will statu It In a few words, mid then you cunjutlge tho plan of the political majority iu Congress mid determine for yourselves whether it Is proA'rablo to Unit schemo of restoration wlilch the President of the Unltid States propod in 1MB, or preferable to uny other plan or scheme which might Ui devised. In tho lirst place, thu leu Stutos of the South wero divided into tlvo military dl.-tilcts, Iho led throughout, and Unit was, tho ml Irst district consisting of the State of 1 mission or the aegro population of the Virginia; the sveoud of Vorth Carolina I South to the right of suit rage, both In nml South Carollnu;the third of Georgia, choosing delegates t the constitutional Alabama, anil Florida; tho fourth of j conventions ami afterwards iu voting MNsppl nml Arkansas; and tho fifth of Louisiana and Texas. General Hcho- Until u-ni iualt...r.jl 4r. II... lln fl........t Sicklesto tho second; General Pope to me nurd ; uenerai uru to too rourtll and General Sheridan, bomowhal ills tliigulhed for gallantry In Virginia In tho war. to tho fifth district. Tills was accomplished tinder tho Reconstruction law of the ilnd of .March, tho first that 1 "its passed, inai law inns original fi.r.r. U . 1 tl... IT.... - 1 .".in, u-i ii lias-en win jimi-u iiiiti was sent to tho Semite, armed these milita ry commanders with authority to pro' sorvotho peace, to repress all popular disturbance, and lo protect tho rights of person and properly throughout the South ; and for this purpose they were authorized to resi-t the interference of any statu authority lu Unit section. It was alleged that the negroes wero being siiiiigiiiereti tommy down mere; thev were murdered In Texas, Alabama, anil ciruwiicrc; very interesting persons vru iiurrieti out oi existence, and it was necessary therefore that n Just and benignant government like that of the I'liltoa states shou ( extend Is m In rv protection to them and not permit them lo he made the objects of popular mi, in in iirivuiu vengeance, i His was good, Christian, reasoning, and it was respoctablo logic also. If there had been power forthe ptirpo-e and If thero had been expediency to sustain tha policy undertaken, it might havo borne n fair character and been entitled to bespoken of In language of commendation, a-su-ming of course that tho facts charged were true. When (hu bill came to tho Senatealid tho members of that body, astute and experienced men, came to consider it, they saw that It was wilfully dcllciont ; (hat ite'tablisbeila military government throughout those ten Southern States Without any provision that it should ever conic to an end. They foresaw the remarks with whicli Iho measure would be met throughout tho country ; that the people would say to them, "you aro objecting to Andrew Johnson and to the restoration of the Union under his Ideas, and vet now. in Hio second venr after tho close oftho war, Instead o'f re storing tho Union or authorizing steps (o bo taken for that purpose, you nre simply passing a despotism bill for tho South, a bill giving tho people thero military government, nml that without any hope of deliverance in future from its power by anything which you provide." They thought the bill would not bo popular, and for that rea son of course It was not expedient. Therefore, tho Senalo proceeded to amend Mr. Stevens pure military bill. Ho prefers to go straight to his object, and lio never has a scruple about nny- .iiiiiK imi, Quiimurs nioru prutieni, anil more nstuto did not clioo.-o Ui follow him on that occalou. They proposed and attached to tho bill a schemo of reconstruction ; and thnt was tho first nieasuro of the kind deliberately pro posed by tho majority in Congress other than that of tho constitutional amend ment of whicli I have spoken. Mr. Sherman, as tho spokesman and organ of his political friends, propo-ed that the people of tho South might hold conventions, form constitutions) and elect member to Congress, and If their constitution!) were approved by Con gress tho States should bo readmitted into the Union and entitled to their for mer rights; but in that proceeding of reorganization all tho male clllzensover t wenty-nno years ofage, without distinc tion of raco or color should be entitled to vote ; that Is (to tell Iho wholo story in a worth tho South should havo tho privilege of being reconstructed, or more accurately, should have tho rigid to reconstruct itself and to send its Sen ators and Representatives to Congress, provided always that it was to be done with tho ossistuueu and by tho ntlnils--Ion to still rago of all the male negroes over twenty-one years of age. Upon my sugge-lion that there was no limita tion its lo district residence and matters of that sort, they put iu by way of amendment a provision that thu person volingsliniild have re-ltled In the State one year, which is tho only limitation upon sun" rage in the bill beside those of sex and age. That bill of the Aid of March then contained two features as it was enacted into a law and passed after wards over the President's veto: llrst, military government In tho South for tho protection of person anil property anil Hie maintenance of public order; and secondly, a scheme of reconstruc tion t involving negro stilrragci lo be managed mid conducted hy tho people of tho South themselves. The military had nothing to do with reconstruction. This Senate umeiidment left that alto gether to the peopleaud their local Stato governments to regulate for themselves Tills law was pu-scd dually over the Presidential veto two days before the termination of the thirty-ninth Con gros. Tho loth Congre-s convened on the Itli of March, and on the Aid it pas-ed a supplementary act as 1 before stated. Why was this done? I will tell you In a wortl why It was dune. It was ascer tained that llio people of the country received thu Reconstruction act of the -ml of March without much disfavor or complaint. Thero was no great amount of clamor or of objection lu thu country to II. There appeared at least to be a general popular acquiescence. The au thor uf that law therefore became em boldened. They thought thero was no danger lu going onmid doing some thing more, Cou-eiiuently, on the lid of March they pa-sod their supplemen tary net, mainly for the purpo-n of turning over tno w hole siiPiect oi recon struction to tho Generals mid (he mili tary who had been put iu command, Hy that tlmo they knew who the Gene rals wero. They saw that all of them wero ardent Republicans,!!! political ac cord with them, that (heir sympathies and feelings were to lio trusted, ami be causo they suppoed that tho people ot mu country woum iicui ui u, wouiu submit to It, would ncqulosco in It.they passed their supplementary law taking (ho wholo subject of reconstruction out of Iho hands of the people, so far ns lis management was concerned, and turn ing It over to thf military authorities. Ami now thoso Generals In command havo thoappolnlinunt of every register throughout tho wholo southern country, tho nppolntment nf nil tho men who enumerate tho electors nml admit them to tho prlvllogo of registration. It Is to bo remembered that thoso register ed aro the only persons who can vote, the only persons who can sit on Juries, tho only persons who nre to bo Ameri can citizens in point of fact mid In point of right ami privilege. The Gen. erals appoint tho persons who make the rogl-trlos throughout tho-o Stales. They also appoint the persons who hold tho elections, and returns am lo bo inndo to them; uutl after the conventions uru held tho leturiisof the votes on tho con stitutions aro to he scut them, mid thoy aro to transmit the results to Washing ton, 1 i ('peat then that by till! law of tne 2!d nf March tho control of thu sub ject of reconstruction was taken out of tho lunula or tho people of tho South ami of their I fstatogoverumenls and con ferred upon thu military commanders placed ovt-r the loulheru districts. ifiosuppiementaryact pa-sed in July, described in short, was to confer nihil I tlonal powers ujxm those military otllo ers aiitlto plucu the procoidlng ol recoil' structlon more completely within their power and colitiol. In thou laws the I former Idta which euterisJ into the coiislllutlonal amendment was euibod. upon mo i,oiiiiituions when they were lormeti, to the stimo extent In wlilch tho rigiu oi suitrago might lie enjoyed by mi- v.iuii;.s. Thero wus, however, In these Inw another rcnturu which was hot suppo sed io no important, which did not elicit much of debate, which In tnrt was put on by tho House on tho act of mo ion oi .March a- an amendment nr ter the .Senate had nt nlnl ilm l.m. nml (hat was (hu disfranchisement of certain persons. When that llousu iiiuentimeni was suuinllted to tho Sen ato for consideration wo worn inM di the number of persons that would bo tiisiranciiiscd miner it would ho from li.OWto KJ.OWI; (he provision being that thu persons who hail held ollli it nn.l.ir tho United .Stalls or tinder nartleulnr states nt nnv former t inn nnd ni minh olllcers lind sworn to support tliu Con stitution of thu United Slntis. nml Imrl in ii.iv. urns engaged iu reoeillon, should not vote at cither one of those elections. Ihoseoillcinls, It was alleged, would amount to some CJjno or 10,000 1 u all and inusf were tnu persons to ho excluded from the nrivlh'im of vnlliur nt tin. iir.t and second elections which wero to lie item in connection with tho reconstruc tion of tlio Sooth. Ill till, rtinn.il ..fil.n debate on that proposition I expressed tllC Opinion Unit the llimihr r illfr.ii,- chlsetl would be much larger; that In stead of its belnglmt from 0,000 to 10,000 in the ten States of tho South, as Mr. Sherman supposed and asserted, (mid he, by the way. was tlio author ami sponsor of tlio scheme of reconstruction then propo-ed and enacted,) It was moro Ikelytobo liil.Ooll, or possibly n still uglier number. That was supposed lo be a very exlmvnt'utit siiooiiinilnii ,.i,,t estimate. Now.gentlemen, I will show you In a moment what the result has been, by which It will tiiiiie.ir thnt in. stead of thero being but from fl.Otm to 1(1,000 of the wldto voters oftho South disfranchised by way of example, and because, having been formerly sworn to support thoeoiistlhitlnn nf i Tin l'nlli.,1 States, they nflerwards played fal-o to that oath,-to busure.most of them wero out ofolllcuat the time, the number is liruu.tuiy n quarter oi a million, and so argo a portion, solar-iron ntnss nf Mm voters in the rosnootlvo sUnfc-i nf tl... South that each anil every onoof(ho,u States, with ono or two exceptions. U Uliouestionahlv Africanlzetl. or thu oh. solute anil complete political control of them placed lu tho hands of thu new negro voters created, and created for tho llrst tlmo by the acts of Congress to which I have alluded. And by the way, gentlemen, observe that tlliscliangoof suirratrohns lint boon decreed by tliu vote or net oftho people oftho United States anywhere. Thu people In no Stato have voted on this btthject and agreed to extend sull'rage, Ha u luiiuurij voieu ami ngreca wncn wenmende(lourStntoCon9tltutIon. Tho people of the North have nover voted on this subject nor havo tho pcoplu of any one of the States of tho South hud an opportunity to express their views upon it. It lsa schemo Imposed bv act of Oongrcssjwithoul a particle of popular assent from tlto people of the United niaies in any iiuartcr oi tnu union, ci ther in that which is lo bo principally affected by this measure or In our own section, where wo havo political power. ui sniiiiosu wu uavu political power, to control and regulatu tlio action of tlio Federal Government through our Sen ators and Representatives in Congress. Now, gentleman, I have troubled you with this discourse, concerning tho past, tracing tho history of reconstruction from tlio time when thu war camo to a conclusion two j ears and a half ago, in order that, ns I stated lu tho out-et, wo may bo able moro clearly and folk- tn comprehend tho existing situation of muni: iiii.urs aim our political duties regarding them. At this tlmo the prin cipal subject to ho paed upon bv Un American people nt tho elections Isthis: nro wo iu favor of tho policy oftho ma jority in Congress on the subject of suf frage ami thu reorganization of the. Union ? Wo hnvo waited patiently two i mis nun a inui since me war emieii to hear from them on this subject. Wo nave stootl liy and observed what thev have done, not what they have said merely but what they have done. Here is ineir itoiicy peiore us, mul wo are now to Judge It. Now, gentlemen, let us see what this elicmo of reconstruction means, viewed from tho practical point of view. First, u i us sou wiint, accoriiiug io tne cen-tis, the populations of tho-o Stntos with which reconstruction is coneered, are: In ISiitl the populations wero as follows: IIViiVc.'. J Hacks. Alabama, .)i),l:)l, 1:17,770. Arkan-as, 1121,1111. II Linn. Lotlslaua, :7,(l!!l. Illfi.SS). n. i, ...... i ....' .'ii i itipi, ;i.i;j,;ioi, 4117, 1UI South Carolina, ?.)1,:18S. -1 1 li,UiiU, Minn enroll nn, isll.KlO. ;liil,u22. Florida, 77,7 17. fi'.',077. Georgia, SOI, .'Sri. Ml, ail'. Texa-, ll!l,2!M. IH2,'.yi. Virginia, 1,1117,111. 5IS,IH)7. Tho State of Virginia, however, was divided hy authority of an Act of Con gress lof Iwii!) ami a new State was formed called West Virginia, which has taken from that State n Ilttlo loss thnu one-third of its population ; and iu that j portion oi Virginia included in the .New State, the preponderance of the whites over thu blacks, is still greater than in the old State. You see from tho-o flrrnros. r-onlloiunn the relative proportions of whites audi niacKs who iiihalilt those several Slates. Now how stand the registrations whicli have been taken in thoso States? In tho Stato of Louslana the enumeration Is closed nnd hIiukIs, whites, 11,7:12; blacks, 82.WJ7. There, Is a Stato which by tho census shows a majority of while population, mid yet under tlio registra tion of voters, thonumbersstntid 11,000 to s.2,000. In other words thero is a reg-i-tered negro voting population, quafi. lied to sit upon juries of 8 1,000, while tho number of white Inhabitants qualified as voterw and Jurymen, Is but 11,000, In thoStatuof South Carolina tho reg-1-tratlon Is whites, l!l,17fi, blacks, Jfi.OllI In Virginia whites, n.5,167 5 blacks, 101,100. In Georgia whites, 05,8t)a blacks, 0.1,417. In .MI-sNslppi, white-, 32,151; blacks, 70,010; and In North Carolina, whiles, -14,50-3 ; blacks, 10,005. In Florida, whites 2,5x3; blacks, 0,07s ; and In Alabama whites, 72,717; blacks, 8S.2IS. I bolluvo that comprises nil ex. copl Texas and Arkansrs, from whicli wo havo 110 rrport. Thu luevltablo conclusion to wlilch wu mtistcimo is (Ids: (bat iu nearly all (he-o States which uru to bo recon structed under thesu laws of Congncns tho blacks are mado to control and dom inate tho elections which aro to bo held. Tuku the euu of Inislaiia with mi ex cess of whlto population, and yet by military manipulation the numbers are not only reversed, but tho black veto is mado to exceed tho white, In tlio pro l orllon or two to one; and In ull tho other Status, with thu exception of two or Ui rte there is mado out an execs, of black voting population over tho whlto. And in theexceptional States so nearly is the scale balanced Dint 11 few ambi tious ui' worthless, persons' in thowhitu population uniting with thu black for their own purposes either of private gain or ambition will glvotheiucontrol. What then must wo coiicludur Not that wo aro to huvu what we wero told lu Congress nud eUewhero wo would havo u fair participation by the negroes lu the reorgiiulzatlon of theso Statin lu tho South, put woiirw to havo iiU-oluto control by them established In all or nearly all of those States, lu thuwfuw lu which It Is doubtful, there Is a baso voto coming from ri class well known as tliu mean whites" which will doubt less glvcthescnlon preponderance In tho sauio direction; and this result Is pro duced by the most tiiireasouubluand un scrupulous dlsfnincliiinent of tho whlto population to tho extent doubtless or more than a quarter of u million alto gether iu all thoseStatcs. I might read from 11 pamphlet that 1 havo here from the Governor of Texas oxhlhltlmr tin. details of inllltr.rv administration In that Stale (o show how llieso registra tions nro made up ; but I shall not do tain you by doing so. How Is it Possible, that such an liilnul. tv as this registration in I.oiilslnnn could bo perpetrated? We can con celvu how It could occur. General Sherldaii.tmskllled In civil llfe.imtniin ed In political contests, an officer frank and gallant no doubt, goes to thoeitv of New Orleans andlsbrought Into connec tion thero With n few sliani politicians nnd radicals Ilko T. J. Durant nnd H. Rush Plnmley. who havo his ear. Hu makes his appointments' 011 their recom mendation, not knowing thu people, ho being a new and stmniru titan sent thorn for his military prowess In the war. Thoy get Ids ear. Jfo makes for them tiio ap pointments of tlio persons who take these registrations. At their lintanco lio removes Governor Wells; he re moves Judge Abell ; both of whom were Fnlon men. nnd. sn fiir n u-.. know, behaving themselves properly at thu time. Tho truth Is hu falls into tho hands of perhaps tho most desnlcablu set, politically speaking, that aro to bo iiiunii in our country, ami tney perrorm this work : their appointees take theso registrations, nnd hence tills result comes ; and eventually when we hold up this iniquity what do tho political majority do? Answer the facts ? show that this registration Is honest ? Show that even the harsh, hard, bitter laws asseo py uingressnre none-tiy adiiilu--tered ? No. They take shelter be hind General Sheridan, and talk as if wo were as-ailing him and nerseouUiiL' him. Ho is but nn incident ; hu Is but an Individual in all this case. Here Is 11 question all'ectinga vast body of Amer- can citizens in a statu ami the policy or tlio Federal government ; and nro our mouths to ho closed, is our indignation to lie restrained becau-o a gallant olllcer has been untile an Instrument in tills in itiuitv and lias been overreached bv artful and uiiscrupulousmen? No! wo 11111-t denounce tho Iniquity even while we -eek to oxcu-e the General iu com mand upon tliu ground that distraining Id-life and pursuits had notqualilled mm lor 1110 dunes to which ho was n i- signed and for resisting tho arts nnd In llttenco of evil men. Theru is an additional point in tills connection whicli I desire to state, anil that is, the question of expense. Now tho whole cost of (his system of recon struction in tho South Is charged upon tno Treasury 01 mo unneu states. 11 is of course impossible for ustonscertain tho amount exactly or oven tn approach it very cioeiy oy estimate. 1 nave seen it stated in tho National Intelligencer and the Louisville Journal, (and they allege that their statement Is based nit on an examination of particulars,) (hat tno expense 01 mo military nuministra tion will amount to fl5.ooo,ooo. What ever tho fact may be, it is clear that thu expenditure must bo very large, must bu in inci enormous ior mo mere support of tho officers and soldiers who are re quired to hold mllitnry ocetipationlnthe southern country and control this reor ganization or tho stales. 1 hen agnin, there Is an enormous expenditure hi ta xing tneiregistraiions, mccausotiiey ex tend into cverylocalcommunitytli rough out tho wholo of the ten States) and In holding conventions, and in holding elections subsequently for tho purposu of voting upon the Constitutions, In the Reconstruction act of March wo vo ted .V)0,000 to this department of out lay. At tho latu July session an esti mate from General Sickles was sub mitted to Congress asking for ."oo,0u0 additional for tho States of North Caro lina mid South Carolina alone, and a bill was introduced for over $l,tiOO,0(H) additional. It was reduced on mv mo tion to 11,000,000, and then was pas-ed, a bill appropriating fl,00o,0oo nihil tlonal for Iho civil expenses of recon struction. Of cour-u these appropriations have nothing to do with tliu milltary expeiidlture-, becau-o they are covens I by the general appropriations for the army oftho United States, which have been enormous, unexampled, and, l doubt not, mod for this Mr. Stanton is very much accountable,) profligate also. These enormous expenditures will in duo tinio appear, after they are incurred ami when it will beiuipo iblu to limit them or to throw oil' tlio bur dens which they impo-o upon tho people of the United States. Wo aro paying all this for what purpose? To givo tho Republican Party control often additional States ami to (lcba.-esull'rago to the level at whicli they propo-u to put it. Under this head of uxpenso th ro should be Included also Uiooxpeudltuiu for tho Freedmen's Huivnu, an institu tion of n very peculiar character and ut very peculiar action. Tlio amount of the cost 0ftl1aiHur.au 1 quite imknou n 10 1110 people, t wo se-sion- ago, lien. Howard, who Is at tho head'of li, a.Uod for an appropriation of about f 1 1,000,1 Kin. How much money has been c.iotut -t for Unit Hureau, nnd how much will u expended herosiltor. no one can toll, lu I due time, when Ills too lalo perhaps, wo sunn a.-eertiun tno amount, isut the maiuolllce ami function of that Hureau, and Intended so, during the pr"-ent year, has been to organize the elections In tho South. Hundreds nml hundreds of ngents having control of tho negro population and disbursing money from tlio Treasury oftho United States, sup plying them with food and clothing, havemarshalledthemtothercglstrations will marshal them to thu elections and givo direction to thu reorganization of tlioso States. So far as my knowledgo and belief oxtend, thero Is not ono man in tho employment of .that Hureau, cither at ashington or In tho Southern States, who Is not a strong Radical party mun selecled for that reason, nnd Hold ing his place upon condition of being such, and doing thu work for which ho was selected. That Hureau asked us for ll,oo0,ooo in one iippropriatlon.and thu money is poured out oftho Trea-ury bounteously by a political majority who ask nothing in return for tho public money expended except political power for themselves nnd tho accompll-hmeiit of the policy which they support In tho government oftho United States. What Is to come next ? Tho soveral measure- proposed by thu majority iu Congre-s, as I stated before, havo been acquiesced In by tho country, or wero acqule-ccd in down to tho present year. And why? What was tliu great rea son V Although tho war was over, and although thu people desired reunion, desired concord, desired peace and tho restoration of constitutional rule mid all the i olltlcal blessings which they formerly enjoyed, yet they acquiesced lu one thing after another supposing each would bo the last. They worn asked toas-ent to this, that, anil the other proposition or law, mid they did o up on tho plea that biich a-si'iit was uivis nary to pewo, to make an end of dis putes ; and now again thu argument that we hear for thu Africanization of one-third of our country, and that, too, without any aent of the pcoplu any where -they have taken a snap Judg ment ; thvy lijvo never submitted this subject to the Judgment of tho people anywhere Is, that thereby we will end tho negro question. Wu aru now as' id I ONMSl Ml UN 101 ttrit .'AOI'