The Express.
London, England, 1866-05-03 00:00:00

AMERICA.

SPEECHES BY PRESIDENT JOHNSON.
At Washington on the evening of the 18th ult., a
procession of soldiers and sailors, and such of their
friends as sympathise with them in their acknow-
ledgments to the President for his order lately issued
directing the heads of departments to give prefer-
ence in appointments and promotions in the subor-
dinate offices to persons who have rendered honour-
able service in the army and navy, was formed, and
marched to the executive mansion, with the marine
band, to serenade President Johnson, who signi-
fied to the committee that he, would accept the
compliment.
President Johnson having taken his stand on
the coping of a wall, was addressed by one of the
soldiers, and proceeded in reply to speak at length
upon the trying ordeal through which the American
nation is at this moment passing—that of showing
to the world that it has strength enough to put
down treachery at home and treason within its
own borders. While he was exposed personally
and in every way during the rebellion, some of the
train of slanderers, calumniators and traducers now
barking and snapping at his heels, were far re-
moved from the foe enjoying peace and comfort.
All that was wanted to complete the great work of
restoration was the admission of Southern repre-
sentatives into congress, and the two houses could
easily provide that those representatives should be
loyal men. The consolidation of power at Wash-
ington he regarded as equally dangerous with the
separation of the States.
The one would totter us and might ran into anarchy,
while the other would concentrate and eventuate in
monarchy. (Cheers, and cries of " Can't do it!") Oh, but
there is an idea abroad that one man can be a despot, that
one man can be a usurper, but that a hundred or two
hundred men cannot. Mr. Jefferson, the apostle of
liberty, 'tells us, and so does common sense, that
tyranny and despotism can be exercised by many more
rigorously, more vigorously, and more tyranically
than by one. What power has your President 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 power ? (A voice, "To put down the nigger.")
(Laughter.) Who is your ('resident? (Several voices,
" Andy Johnson.") Is he not elected by the people
through the electoral colleges! The president is nothing
more than the tribune of the people. His office is tri-
bunal in its character. In olden times when tribunes
were first elected in the Roman republic, they stood
at the door of the Roman senate which was then en-
croaching on the popular rights and putting the heel of
power on the necks of the people. The people chose a
tribune, and placed him at the door of the Senate, so that
when that body ventured an oppressive act he was clothed
with power to say " Veto, I forbid." Your President
now is the tribune of the people. I thank God I am,
and I intend to assert the power which the people
have placed in me. (Cheers.) Your President, standing
here, day after day, and discharging his duty, is like a
horse on a treadwheel, and because he dares differ in
opinion in regard to public measures, he must be denounced
as a usurper and tyrant. Can he originate anything under
the power? I think the veto power is oonservative
in its character and affirmative; all that can be done by
the veto power is to say veto when legislation is improper,
hasty, unwise, unconstitutional—Stop action. Wait till
this can be submitted to the people, and let them
consider whether it is right or wrong. (Applause.) That
is all true, isn't it? Hence I say that tyranny and power
can be exercised somewhere else than by the Executive.

He is powerless. All that he can do is to check legislation,
to hold it in • state of abeyance till the people can consider
and understand what is being done then. What has been
done? I have done what I believe the constitution required
me to do. (Applause.) I have done what I believe my duty
and conscience required me to do. (Cheers.) So belie% :lig
I intend to stick to my position, relying on the judgment,
the integrity, and the intelligence of the masses of the
American people, the soldiers and sailors expressly.
(Cheers.) Then, for my life I cannot see where there is any
tyranny. It is very easy to impugn motives, and suspect the
purest and best acts of a man's life. If you come forward
and propose • certain thing your motives are suspected
and condemned. And if you withhold your opinion you
are regarded as being opposed to the matter; so that
it is very hard to move one way or the other so far as certain
persons are concerned on all questions pertaining to the
interests of the great masses of the American people ; for
inthemiamyhope forthe salvation of the country. I am with
you, citizen soldiers and sailors ! Who has sacrificed or
periled more than the humble individual who ad-
dresses you' Has not my all been put on it ?my life,
my property, everything sacred and dear to man has

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been stabled upon it. And can I now be sus- I
peMui of Miming at tie dose of this third ordeal of the ,
nation? Where fa he in public or private life who has
sacrificed more, or who has devoted more of his time and
IMIIITieI to the accomplishment of the great end than I
And I have done it from the promptings of my own heart
and conscience. I believe it was right ; and with your
hearts and your oountenanoe and your encouragement I
shall go through on that line. (Cheers and laughter.)
In conclusion the President said :
Let us rejoice that the relations of the States are about
being restored. Let us make every effort we can on proper
principles to restore the relations which existed between
the Federal Government and the States and I thank
God that peace is restored. I thank God that
our brave men can return to their families and homes,
and resume their peaceful avocations. I thank
God that the baleful planet of fire and blood which a
short time ago was in the ascendant, has been °hafted
away by the benignant star of peace. Now that
star of pesos is suspended in the heavens, let us
cultivate the earth and the relations of pesos—all those
associations which appertain to men in peace. The
time is not distant when we can have a political
millenium—political jubilee, and when we can pro-
claim to all the nations of the earth that we are
again a united people, and that we have triumphantly
panted through our third ordeal—have peace at home and
power to bid defiance to all the world. (Loud cheers.)
Remember one thing, gentlemen, that in my past life,
L though slanderers may misrepresent, none can say that I
ever deceived or betrayed him. It will be for you to see
in the future who will redeem all his promises, and who
l will be most faithful. I thank you, gentlemen, for the

compliment you have paid me.
The celebration of the emancipation of slavery in
the district of Columbia took place at Washington

on the 19th.

Two regiments of coloured troops, and various
coloured civic associations, with many other
coloured citizens, assembled in front of the Execu-
tive Mansion, making a dense mass of coloured
faces, relieved here and there by a few white ones.
After the firing of cannon and the playing of
several national airs, three cheers were given for
the President of the united States, who having
been escorted to a prominent position, addressed

the assemblage as follows :
My Coloured Friends : I have nothing more to say to you
on this occasion than to thank you for this compliment you
have paid in presenting yourselves before me on this your
day of oelebration. I come forward for the purpose of in-
dicating my approbation and manifesting my appreciation
of the respect thus offered or conferred. I thank you for the
compliment, and I mean what I say—and I will remark
in this connection, that the time will come, and that too
before a great while, when the coloured population of the
United States will find out who have selected
them as a hobby and a pretence by which
they can be successful in obtaining and main-
taining power, and who have been their truest Mends
and wanted them to participate in and enjoy the blessings
of freedom. The time will come when it will be known who
contributed as much as any other man, and who, without
being considered egotistical, I may say, contributed
more in procuring the great national guarantee of the
abolition of slavery in all the States, by the rati-
fication of the amendment to the constitution of the
United States, git:ng a national guarantee that slavery
shall no longer be permitted to exist or be re-esta-
blished in the jurisdiction of the United States.
I know how easy it is to cater to prejudice, and
how easy it is to excite feelings of prejudice and
unkindness. I care not for that; I have been en-
gaged in this work, in which my life has been pe-
riled. I was not engaged in it as a hobby, nor did I
ride the coloured men for the sake of gaining power.
What I did was for the purpose of establishing the
great principle of freedom ; and, thank God, I feel
and know it to be so, that my efforts have contributed
as much, if not more, in accomplishing this great national
guarantee than those of any living man in the United
States. (Enthusiastic applause.) It is very easy for
coloured men to have pretended friends ensconced in high
places, and far removed from danger, whose eyes have
only abstractedly gazed on freedom, who have never ex-
posed their limbs or property, and who never contributed
a sixpence in furtherance of the great cause, while another
periled his all, and put everything sacred and dear to
man, and those whom he raised, and who lived with him,
now enjoy his property, with his consent, and receive
his aid and assistance. Yet some assume to be, and others
who have done nothing are considered, the great defenders
and protectors of the coloured man. I repeat, my coloured
friends here to-day, the time will come, and that not far
distant, when it will be proved who is practically your best
Mends. My friendship, as far as it has gone, has not been
for place or power, for I had these already. It has been s
principle with me, and I thank God the great principle has
been established, that whenever any individual, in the lan-
guage of a distinguished orator, treads 'American soil,
" his soul swells :thin him, in appreciation of the
great truth he stands forth redeemed, regenerat.:d and
disenthrallod by the genius of universal emancipation."
(Applause.) Then let me mingle with you in celebration
of the day which commenced your freedom. I do it in
sincerity and truth, and trust in God the blessings which
have been conferred may be appreciated and enjoyed by
you, and that you may give them a proper direction.
There is something for all to do. Yon have high and
solemn duties to perform, and you ought to re-
member that freedom is not a mere idea. It
must be reduced to practical reality. Men in being free
h ive to deny themselves many things which seem to be
embraced in the idea of universal freedom. It is with you
to give evidence to the world and the people of the United
States whether you are going to appreciate this great boon
as it should be, and that you are worthy of being freemen.
Then let me thank you with sincerity for the compliment
you have paid me by pwaing through here to-day and pay-
ing your respects to me. I repeat again, that the time will
come when you will know who have been your best friends,
awl who have not been your friends from mercenary con-
siderations. Accept my thanks.
The President remained some time after his
speech, shaking hands with several of the coloured
people.
The celebration was closed with religious ser-
vices and the delivery of addresses in Franklin-
square, in the presence of a vast multitude. The
stand on the south side of the square was calcu-
lated to seat about 100 persons, and was hand-
somely decorated, a large national flag being dis-
played on either side, and one hanging in festoons
at the front corners, with one in front on which
was a message of President Lincoln as follows :
Fellow citizens of the Senate and House of Representa-
tives,—The act entitled " An act for the release of certain
persons held to service in the district of Columbia," has
this day been approved and signed. A. lancronn.
April 16, 1882.
Over the top of this stand was the inscription :
" Lincoln, the liberator of millions. His great work is
done, and he sleeps in pesos in the great prairies of the
West. We are loyal to God and to our country. This is
, the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes." Also,
"We have received our civil rights. Give us the right
of suffrage and the work is done."
Besides the largo flags about this stand there
were a profusion of small ones. On the left of
speakers' stand another stand was erected for the
musicians. Rev. Henry Highland Garland, co-
loured, made the opening speech, and read a series
of resolutions expressive of the views of the assem-
blage, and approving the course of Congress.
Senator Trumbull, of Illinois (the author of the
Civil Rights Bill), spoke at length, tracing the pro-
gress of emancipation, and alluding to other mat-
ters in that connexion.
Senator Wilson, of Massachusetts (the author of
the bill for the abolition of slavery in the district
of Columbia), next addressed the meeting. He
said that he had been informed that the President
in his speech had remarked that the coloured popu-
lation would very soon discover who were their
real friends. He was not here to dispute
the President's claim to be called their friend.
The President was placed in the Executive
chair by the votes of anti-slavery men, and they
only asked him to exercise his high functions for