The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1866-09-05

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Tt.re var 6 sesat sfaaI aJty 90 hse - a
f..t Ir response 30 Isete.1y johnson e#g Pc
.euteI the uasest proceedings of iiF sateate.-
..iI bal -gIrFuee IsffH trrIu-| to ta sHeHe et t#F
f.sraseuf.Niyes 81 ssa8ta Carolina aHd Nee .ehsatt
entering r,r convention together tlaE h# sa@ eyer
come nnd could H0t hat conclude taat aH ohNtt#tM5
Providence was a0et8iiue us Alright lle stidt our
lr,ye mon have performed thgir duties III HE Held
and have won laarcls imperishablc Turning TO ten
Grant De continued. But there are eteaief ava
more important duties 10 perform, and while We have
seen their eoaperatioR n the field we now need their
ge,r-s an ueruettate peace Applause THE ex-
ccutive department bad aimed to pour oil on the
wounds no restore tile Union, but II had not entirely
succeeded We have seen, be said, m one department
DO the government every effort % prevent tHe rrsora-
ton OF peace aud harmony IN the Union we nave
seen hanging OF the verge of government MS It were,
a b8ly called or which assumed to bc the congress OF
lc United States while 10 fact Is congress OF only
n mart Of tbe States. We have seen this congress
assume and pretend 10 be for the Union, when u.s.
every STOP and aet tend 10 porpctata as0aion aud
make % disruption Of tbc states inevitable instead oil
pr8motug reconciliation aud harmony It's legisia-
ton has paItikeu Of the character Of penalties feia-
ljva % revenge. This has been Che course ANA thc
uolieg OF one portion OF your government The num-
he individual who Is now addressing yua stands as the
representative of another department Of the govern
meEt The manner In which he was called to occupy
thar position shall not allule 10 on this occasion.
Sufficient TO say that hc is here under the constitution
Of c country. and being here by virtue OF It's pro-
visions De takes lis stand upon that charter OF our
liberties as the great rampant OF civil aul religious
liberty. Prolonged cheers, Having been taught
III I'M carly life to huI Il sacred, and having pruc-
,icei agoait daiag my whole public career, shall
ever continue g adhere 70 thc constitution 0i my
fathers and make it my guide
'Ft, frasiapstt slraseelpl aud denial H. H. lad
ever been tgssuae4 or despot hul said such charges
were simply intended % deceive aud deiass The pab-
BE mind into tie belief that there Is some one iH
power Who i usaphs and iamp.ng upon BE rights
uf die constitution. " This is done lF those who
make such charges for the purpose OF covering their
own acts That's 80, aud applause, have ielt u
my duty iii yndication Of the principles and cors
tuition Of my country, to call the attention of my
countrwncn to these proceedings. Having placed
@ myself upon that broad platform, l have not been
awed or dismayed or iHtmidatcd, by either threats
or eucroachments, but have stood there in coaiunc-
ton with patriotic statesmen, sounding the tocsin of
alarm when deemed the citadel in danger. Great
applause | said, and repeat it now, that all that
necessary in this great struggle against tyranny
and despotsm was that the struggle should be sult
GENTLY audible for the American people to hear and
perfectly understand They did hear, and looking on
see who the contestants and what the struggle
was about determined that they should settle this on
the side of the constitution and principle. | pro-
claim here to-day, as | have previous occasions,
that my faith is III the great mass of the people. In
5 the darkest hour of this struggle when the cloud
seemed to be most lowering, my iajth instead Of Civ
, which saw that all would be well in the end that
r tyranny and despotism in the language of Thomas
Jefferson, be exercised and executed eAcctu-
ally by tie many than the one. We have seen a con
t gress gradually cncroach step by step, and violate
day after day and month after month the constitution
and fundamental principles of government. We have
seen congress that seemed to forget that there was
# a Limit to the sphere and scope OF legislation We
# have seen congress in majority and eXcr-
r else power which, if allowed to be carried out would
Y result in despotism or anarchy ITSELF This is the
# TRUTH and because Others well myself have seen
proper to appeal to the patriotic and republican feel
ings Of the country have been denounced in the
{, severest TERMS SANDER upon SANDER, yituperation
upon vituperation of the most yllanous character
IS has made Its way through the press. What gentle
q men, has been the cause of our being offended?
r, will tell YOU Daring to stand by the constitution OF
our fathers consider the proceedings of this con
$ yenon more important than those Of any convention
3 ever assembled in the United States. Great appaus
Is When look with my mind upon that collection OF
citizens coming together voluntarily and sitting in
c council with ideas, with principles and views to com
l. muucate with all the States and the whole people
and with the collection Of persons who trying to
n destroy the country, regard it important
than any convention that has sat at least since 1887
: Renewed applause. l tbnI; may also say that the
It declarations that there made equal to the
# declaration Of independence. Cries Of glorious
9 and most enthusiastic and prolonged applause. our
It address and declarations are nothing more nor less
It States Yes, will 20 further and say that the de-
carations you have made that the principles you have
announced in your address, second proclamation
o of emancipation to the people of the United States
t Renewed applause For in proclaiming the great
J truths YOU have laid down constitutional platform
upon which all eau make common cause and stand
united together for the restoration of the States and
o preservation Of the government without reference to
party The only question is The salvation Of the
country for our country rises above all party consd
Grafton or influence. How many are there in the
United States that now require to be free They have
tile shaekles upon their limbs bound as riSidly as
though they were IN slavery. repeat then, that
your declaration the second proclamation of eman-
cpation to the people Of the United States and offers
@ common ground upon which all parties can stand.
. Applause. Mr. Chairman and gentlemen, let me, in
this connection, ask what have to gain more than
! the advancement Of the public welfare. am as much
opposed to the Indulgence Of cgotisn; but here in a
+ conversational manner, while formally receiving the
proceedings OF this convention, / may be permitted
to ask What have to gain by consulting human am
bton more than have gained except in one thing
my race is nearly rum have been placed in the high
Office which occupy under the constitution of the
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