Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1864-06-17
4aiIgS utelliarucpr
speech OF Andy JOhnsOn at Knox
VILE,

Speech OF Andy JOhnsOn at Knox
VILE.
We think the following extract from Mr..
Johnson's speech to his fellow citizens at
Knoxville, some time since, will be read
with new interest, now that his name 10
presented to the:people as a candidate for
the Office Of Vice President. For glowing
patriotism and thilling eloquence it is rare.
ly equalled: a.s
The time has arrived when treason must
be made odious, when traitors must be
Punished-impoVerished their property
taken from them whether It be their hoF-
ses, their lands, or their negroes, and given
to the innocent, the honest, the loyal, upon
whom the calamities Of this, unprovoked
and wicked rebellion have fallen with
crushing weight. 1t is easy to stand here
and declaim, but am not declaiming. It
is easy to utter mere bombsst, but I am
not uttering bombAst. You know me. You
know something of What'I have done for
you-for TenneSsee-for East Tennessee.
But WIN not speak Of that. 1fEhave made
sacrifices, If / have endured sutferiugs, If I
have undergone hardships, so,let it be, God
grant that l may have helped you, and that
| may help you again. But you must help
yourselves. You must join hands with me
and with one another, and swear to do
what have already told you must be done;
to make treason odious Cthis he said with
tremendous emphasis. and to make trail
tore suffer, as you ,heVe suffered, as your
wives and children have suffered, as your
country has suffered.
What has brought this war upon us7
Let me answer in one word; let me speak
1t so aoud that the desfest man in this
crowd can hear me-Slayery Hundreds
OF 7oices-"That's so; that's Gods
truth" Men talk about the Constitution
and state rights. They sneer at the eman-
clpatiou proclamation, and call 1t tyran.
nical assumption Of authority, despotic
usurpation of power. Listen to what
now say: All such talk is the language of
treason. But am not here to discuss the
unconstitutionality of slavery or the con-
sututionaiity of the Presidents proclama.
ton OF freedom. l am here to present
tactsi to address your intellec:s, to appeal
to your common sense. Here Is one fact
to which want you to attend: Why the
soil OF your beloved Tennessee-a soil as
rich as any in the world-so far behind
the States of the North in its productive
ness2 Why have you but few such farms,
but few such granaries as they have all
over Indiana and Ohio and Pennsylvania
Here is the explanation, and let me speak
It 80 loud that the deAfest man in this mul.
Htude can hear me-SlaveryI Thank
God that the people are beginning to see
that slave labor has impoverished the soil
OF Tennessee long enough. TCries OF
"Good good that's soI"1
Men sneer at the doctrine of emancipa.
tton. Let them sueer but this tell you
mark melt 10 the white man we propose
70 Omaneipate; iEiS the Jghils mAi that -is
even now being 0inaneip6ted; A1d may
heaven haSt6u II J work nf annnnoiDatf66.
and carry it on qptil all are fFee. ELdndI /
aud prolonged Rpt tlRuGe.
Thank God that can say these things
in Knoxville ! that can say these things
and be applauded! Thank God for free
speech and free press, and the prospect
of free countryl May he who is our Ma
ker, and who will be our Judge, break eve.
~ yoke, loose every shackle, open every
prison door, and let every bondman, white
and black, go freeI Loud applause.l
Sometimes the clouds appear dark and
oWering-sometimes confess TO q feeling
Of gloom but when remember that there
is God, am encouraged. Though not
as religious as l ought to be, I sometimes
walk by faith and have found it a con.
venieut way of walking when it is too dark
TO see. And on the whole, though our
suffering has been great, our blessedness
will be all the greater when the day of our
triumph shall comel
My conntrymenl my heart yearns toward
YOU love you; am one Of you. have
climbed yonder mountains that you have
climbed-yonder mountains, rock.ribbed
and glowing in the snnshine-in whose
gorges, in whose caVerns, your sons, hunt
ed like wild beasts, have fallen to rise no
more. do not speak Of these things to
draw your tears. 1t is not time for tears,
but for blows. I speak Of them that may
Ere your hearts with holy indignation, and
nerve your arms for unconquerable fight.
And speak Of them because the noun
tains seem to talk to me. My home is
among the mountains, and though it is not
far away cannot go to It. It is the place
where met her, and loved her, aud mar,
ried her who is the mother of my children.
Do not love the mountains, them And
II liberty 10 to expire. ii freedom is to
be destroyed, if my country, in all its
length and breadth, is to tremble beneath
the oppressOr's tread, let the flag, the dear
old flag, the last flag, be planted on yon
rocky heightsi and upon it let there be
this inscription: "Here is the end OF all
that is dear to the heart aud sacred to the
memory Of man."
But must not go in this strain. Why is
It thatthere is so much that is mournfnl In
the contemplation of this broad aud bean.
tiful country2 Who are the men that are to
be held responsible for the terrible war
whose rayages We see to-day wherever we
cast our eyes7 Jefferson Davis, Robert
Toombs, Yancey, Stephens-but will not
continue the hated list, You know them;
you have felt them. And for what cause
have they made us to suffer thus2 have
told you again and again. Shall repeat iti
We'll, II is slavery. What right have L what
right have you to hold a fellow man in
bondage except for crime2 What right have
you to use his labor without compensa.
tion7 to separate him from his wife and
children, and sell him, or them, like dumb