Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1865-1869, 1866-02-26
THE GREAT POLIrIcaL DEMONSTRATION
NEW YORk.
Outpouring of the Conservative M~usses-Senti-
mems of the M~eeting-Speeches OF Secretary
Seward and Others-The President Sustained.

OulDOuIluE U u III
ments of the Meeting-Speeches OF secretary
Seward and O~thers-The President Sustained.
In pursuance of a call signed by William c,
Bryant, George Opdyke, Thurlow Weed, and othel
leading members Of the National Union party, d
public meeting was held at the Cooper Institute, on
Thursday night, (the 22nd,) Of 1.-THE citizens oil Ne"
York, who sustained the national authority IN the
war against the rebellion, who approved the general
principles announced by the President IN his amman
message to Congress, and also in hs recent veto
message, and who earnestly desire to promote mar
mony III the public councils of the country, 10 Tue
end that full constitutional relations between The
Federal Government and all the States in the Union
may be speedily and happily established Thou,
sands responded to this call, and manifested great
enthusiasm. Secretary Seward was present by
special invitation.
The Hon. +. b. Cutting presided over the meeting,
assisted by q large number OF prominent citizens as
vice-presidentS. The meeting was very enthusiastic.
David Dudley Field presented an address 10 the
people of New York, and resolutions. The address
is to the effect that the first question before the peo'
pie is the great one Of paciiicatiOn, and what the
country needs Is repOse. The conflict Of arms has
ceased, and the conflict of passions, which led TO
that of aims, should cease also. Our heroic soldiers
cherish no enmities the only element of disturbance
is the political condition OF the freedmen.
There is no substantial disagreement amongst
loval men respecting their civil rights. We all agree
that they must have the civil rights ofany other class
of citizens. The right of person and property; TO
sue and be sued. and to ccTtify-in short, equnllty
before the law: but whether they shall also have
the suffrage is a pending question. There can. how
ever, be no question whatever that, under teIsn-
stitution, the power of determining who SHAH or
shall not enjoy the elective franchise belongs eSchl-
sively to the respective States. New York ~ no
more right to say who shall or shall not vote N 'lr-
ginia than Virginia has to say who shall or shaii not
vote in New York. The elective franchise Is not a
natural right, but a political trust. 1t is even true
that every person who is subjected to the laws Is ell
titled to 4 part in making them; then every So
journer amongst us, every foreigner, the moment he
lands, is entitled 10 vote.
Because blacks have fought for the country that
does not necessarily give them the right to govern
it, or to participate in the government lit were
otherwise. every brave boy from sixteen to twenty
one who fought in the Union ranks should have 4
vote, without waiting for years TO participate in the
government to which he is subjected.
The blacks fought for a country and they have
it; they fought for freedom and they have it we
should welcome our emancipated brother to the
rights of manhood, but when we are asked TO give all
men of his race, at the moment OF their emancipation,
the right to participate in the government, We must
answer in the words of one OF their own number,
more intelligent than many Others, white or black,
1.-THE able bodied only bear arms, the able minded
only should vote" The address commends the Presi-
dents veto, and says that the exclusion as represent
atives from eleven States now unreprcsented IN Con-
gress, of loyal men, who were fairly elected and can
take the oath, is Il manifest usurpatiOn. IL con-
cludes by expressing confidence in the integrity aud
fidelity of Andrew Johnson TO the principles in refer
ence 10 which he was elected, and hearty commenda-
ton of the general doctrines of his two messages, and
readiness to support him in all constitutional meas
ures for the public welfare.
The resolutions are to the same effect, and in ad-
dition approve the action of Senator Morgan and
Representatives Raymond and Darling, in sustain
ing the Presidents veto.
The last resolution reads as follows:
d" ReSOLucd, That the Constitution is at once our
charter and defense no magistrate can go beyond
il; no department of government, however power
full, legislative or executive, is permitted to tram
scend it. and however benevolent. or otherwise
meritoriOus a measure may be, if it be not within
the powers granted by the Constitution, il cannot be
adopted, and we insist that every one of our public
servants shall conform to the will of the whole
people, as manifested in the great organic act which
is antecedent, and superior to the Government it.
self"
The reading of the address and resolutions was
frequently interrupted by cheers and other manifesto
tons of approval. especially at those points com.
mending President Johnson's policy for restoring
the Union, and his veto of the Freedmen's Bureau
bill.
SECRETARY SEWARD INTRODUCED.
Mr.. Cutting then Introduced Mr.. Seward, amidst
the most d~eafening applause. In doing so, MI. Cut
ting said: ~ tell the majority in Congress that if
they proceed to haggle and bargain for other and
better terms, instead of Fastening 10 make peace,
they will be displaced by almost the unanimous
voice of the country"
SECRETARY Stewards SPEECH.
Mr.. Seward said, after u few words of introduce
ton:
What shall | speak of or abOutl The call Of
your meeting specifies the subject. But first let me
say am not here As an alarmIst. am not here to
say that the nation is in peril or in danger IN peril
-l-.e .L.- rtRa .Rna nr In taRfl N trAu faInaf
them - in peril if you adopt the views OF the appar-
et or real majority OF Congress, or if you reject
them it is not in peril any way nor do think the
cause of liberty aud human freedom, the cause Of
progress and amelioration or civilization, the cause
of national aggrandiZement, present or future, ma
terial or moral, is in danger of being long arrested,
whether you adopt one set OF political opinions or
another.
." The Union, that is to say, the nation, has been
rescued from all its perils. The noble ship has passed
from tempest and pillows into the verge of u safe
harbor, and is now securely riding into her ancient
moorings without a broken spar or a leak, starboard
and larbOard, fore and aft. There are some small
reefs yet to pass rs she approaches these moorings.
One pilot says she may safely enter directly through
them the other says that she must back, and, by
lowering sail, take time to 90 around them. II Is
merely a difference Of opinion between the pilots. |
think them both sincere and honest, but the vessel
will go in safely one way or the other.
The worst that can happen will be that by taking
the wrong instead OF the night passage, or even TAX
ing the right passage and avoiding the wrong one,
the vessel may roll a little, and some honest, capa.
BILE and even deserving political statesman, Presi-
dent, or even Congressman may get washed over
board. If this cannot be helped IT can be borne. If
| am one of the uniortunateS lot no friend be con-
cerned ON that account. As honest, as good or ca
pable politicians, statesmen VI President Will make
their appearance hereafter faster than will lie needed
to command the ship rs well and As wisely as any
that have heretofore stalked their hour on deck. Al
though do not think we are in Il crisis, the ques-
ton to-day is worthy of deliberate examination and
consideration
There was, he said, a difference of opinion that re-
veals itself but too clearly between the executive adj.
ministration of the President and the legislative
counsellOrs of the nation. The President, as VIC all
see, is a man OF decided convictions; the legislative
leaders, if We may judge from their resolutions, are
trying to decide, not coincide, with him in opinion.
They have appealed to us, outsiders As We are, to
pronounce between them.
Mr.. Seward proceeded with a happy illustration Of
the situation derived from the play of the - Nervous
Man and the Man of Nerve" The marriage they had
secretly planned between their children had been
effected clandestinely by tho latter, through a run
away match, but the nervous man was incOnsolable
since, though having his own way, lie had not his
own way Of having il.
Both have got the Union restored as they eTigi-
nally planned it should be, They have got il 10.
stored, not with slavery, but without it AOi y
secession, fragrant or latent, but withoutr '!th
compensation for emancipation, but not WIN
with compromise, but without" 'ithout ~ NOT
States or representative" -. not win tlsioyai
representatives ID, but with loyal States and
them: no, not with rebel debts, but without
sn-- with exemption from our own debts for
.ypressing the rebellion, but with equal Liabilities
upon the rebels and the loyal men; not with freed
men and refugees abandoned to suffering and perSe-
cution, but with the freedmen employed in produc-
tive, self.sustaining industry, with refugees under
the protection of law and order. The man of nerve
sees that it has come out right at last, and he ac-
cepts the situation. He does not forget that in this
troublous world Of ours the most 10 be secured by
anybody is to have things come out right. Nobody
can ever expect to have them broughto out altogether
in his own way. The nervous men, on the other
hand, hesitate, delay, debate and agonize-not be-
cause il has not come out right, but because they
have not individually had their own way in bring
ing it to that happy termination"
There never was and never can be any successful
process for the restoration OF union and harmony
among the States, except the one with which the
President has avowed himself satisfied. Grant il
that the rebellion is dispersed, ended and exhausted
dead even ut the rOot-then il follows necessarily
that the States sooner or later must be organized by
loyal men in accordance with the change in ouI
fundamental law, and that, being so organized, they
should come by loyal representatives and resume
the places in the family circle which, in a fit of Ca
price and passion, they rebelliously vacated. All
the rebel States but Texas have done just that thing,
and Texas is doing the same thing just now as fast
as possible. The President is in harmony with all
the States that were in rebellion. Every executive