Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1861-06-27
GNOreester 4aiIp Spp.
SPEECH OF ANDREW JOHNSON.

come from the mayor of that city. His recep-
ton was very enthusiastic, and his speech, as
will be seen, patriotic, spirited, and defiant.
He said;
SECESSION HEREsY.
know that there has been much said about
the north, much said about the south. | am
proud, here, to day, TO hear the sentiments
ana the language which have been uttered in
reference TO the north and south, and the rela.
tons that exist between these two sections.
Applause. | am glad TO hear it said in such
a place as this that the pending dificulties-I
might say the existing war-whch are now
upon this country do not grow out of any ami
mostly TO the local institution of any section.
(Applause.) l am glad to be assured that it
grows out of determination to maintain the
glorious principles upon which the govern.
ment itself rests-the principles contained in
the consttution-and at the same time TO re-
buke and to bring back as far may be prac-
ticable, within the pale OF the constitution,
those individuals, or states even, who have
taken it upon themselves to exercise prInci-
pie and doctrine at war with all government,
with all association-poltical, moral and re-
ligous. (Applause.) l mean the doctrine Of
secession tchich neither more nor less than her.
esy-d Fundamental error-a political dbSurdity,
coming in conflict Nth all organised government,
with everything that tends to preserve law and
order in the United States, or wherever else
the odious and abominable doctrine may be
attempted to be exercised. | look upon the
doctrine of secession as coming in conflict with
all organism moral and social. | repeat with
out regard to the peculiar institutions of the
respective states composing this contederacy,
without regard to any government that may
be found in the future, or exist in the present,
this odiouS doctrine Of secession should be crushed
out, destroyed and totally annihlated. No gov
eminent can stand, no religious, or moral, or
social organization can stand where this doe
trine is tolerated. Applause.l 1t is disin-
tegration - universal dissolyement - making
war upon everything that has tendency to
promote and ameliorate the condition of the
mass OF mankind. Appause.l Therefore
repeat, that this odious and abominabe doc
trine-you must pardon me for using a strong
expression-ld do not say it in proiane sense
but this doctrine / conceive to be hell.born
and hell bound and which will carry every
thing in its train, until it is arrested and crush
ed out of our midst.
MIR. JoHNsoN's POSITION.
While / am before you, my countrymen,
am in hopes it will not be considered out of
place for me to make single remark or two
in reference to myself as connected with the
present crisis. My position in the'congress OF
the United States during its last session is, l
suppose, familiar to N lst if not all of you. You
know the doctrine | laid down then, end | can
safely say that the opinions / entertain now
on the great questions of the day are just as
they were then. | have not changed them.
j have seen no reason to change them. | be
lieve that government without the power to
nforce its laws made in conformity with the
constitution is no government at all. ZAP
plause. We have arrived at that point or
that period in our national history at which it
has become necessary for this government to
say TO the civilized as well as to the pagan
world whether it is in reality a government
or whether it is bat pretext for a govern
ment. If it has power to preserve its exist
ence and to maintain the principles OF the con-
stitution and the laws, that tine has now ar
rived Ii it is government, that authority
should be asserted l say, then, let the ciUilized
,Corld see that We haze a government. Let us dis
pei the delusion under which we have been
laboring since the Inauguration of the govern
ment III 1888; let us see that it is not an ephem.
eral institution that we have not imagined we
had government, and when the test came
that the government trittered away between
our fingers and quickly faded in the distance.
(Applause.) The time has come when the
government reared by our fathers should as
sert ITSELF and give conclusive proof to the civ
ilized world that it is reality and perpetui
ty. (Applause.) Let us show to other
tons that this doctrine of secession is here
sy; that states coming into the contederacy,
that individuals living in the confederacy, I'M
der the constitution have no right or authority,
upon their own volition, to set the laws and
the constitution aside, and to bid defiance to
the authority of the government under which
they live. Appause.)
THE STRUGGLE OF PARTIES.
In this connection, l may be permitted to
remark that, during our last struggle for the
presidency, all parties commended for the pres
ervaton of the Union. Without going fur
ther back, what was that struggle! Senator
Douglas of the state OF Illinois was candi-
date. His friends presented him as the best
Union man. l shall speak upon this subject
in reference to my position. Mr. Breckin.
ridges friends presented him to the people as
the best Union candidate | was one Of Mr..
Breckinridge's friends. The Bell men pre-
scented the claims of the Hon. John Bell of
Tennessee tor the presidency, upon the ground
that he was the best Union candidate. The
Republican party, so tar as understand them
have always been in favor of the Union.
Then here was the contest between four can
didates presented to the consideration of the
people OF the United States. And the great
struggle between them and their advocates
was who was entitled to pre- eminence as a
man in favor OF the preservation of the Union
of these states. Now where do we find our
selves? In times gone by you know we had
our discussions and our quarrelS. 1t was
bank and auti.bank questions, tariff and anti
tariff internal Improvement and antiinternal
improvement or the distribution of the money
derived from the sale OF public lands among
the several states. Such measures as these
we presented to the people, and the aim in
the solution OF all was how best to preserve
the Union of these states. One party favored
the measures as calculated to promote the
welfare OF our common country another op-
posed them, to bring about the same result
Then what was the former contest Bring
ing it down to the present times, there has
been no disagreement between republicans,
Bell men, Douglas men, and Breckenridge
men, as regards the preservation of the Union
of these states. Now, however, these meas
ures are all laid aside-all these party ques
lions are left out of consideration, and the
great question comes up whether the constitu-
ton, as adopted by the old articles of conted-
Grafton, and afterward re.athrmed in the adop.
ton of the Constitution OF the United States
Il say now, when the great question arises,
involving the preservation and existence OF
the government of the United States, am
proud to meet this vast concourse OF people,
and hear them say that they are willing to lay
aside all party measures-ail party considera-
tons, and come up to join in one fraternal
hug to sustain the bright stars and broad
stripes of our glorious Union--all willing to
unite, repeat, in one traternal hug-all will
ing to co operate for the consummation of a
sublime purpose, without regard TO former
party differences--that we are all determined
TO stand fast by the Union OF these states
lAppause.J
THE CONSPIRACY IN TENNESSEE.
With the facts i'll relation to the contest
which took place recently in the state OF Ten