The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-09-12

From, the Ne,o York Papers Of To-day.
An immense meeting was held at the Cooper
Institute last night, to welcome the delegates
from the Southern Loyalists' Convention.
Entrance of the Delegates.
At halt-past the travelling Southern dele
gates TO the Philadelphia Convention entered
tne hall and assembled the platform. As they
took their seats they were greeted with rounds
OF cheers. The applause was redoubled rs the
tall and trembling form OF ParsOn Brownlow
appeared As he walked across the stage to his
seat the. audience Cheered, threw up their hats,
and waved handkercheis without stint. A
number OF prominent citizens OF the city occu-
pied seats beside the delegates, among whom
were Peter Cooper, W. Il. Dodge, Horace
Greeley, Mr., Blunt, and Others whose names
are equally well known.
Colonel T. r. Van Buren, ca lied the meeting
to order, and nominated as Chairman Peter
Cooper, Esq, who was unanimously chosen,
and on taking the chair returned thanks for the
honor done him. and said that the Southern
loyallsts would state facts which must be taken
into consideration in our efforts to re tore unity
and harmony TO the country. He then intro
duced William E. Dodge, Esq, Who IN behalf
OF the Union League Club, welcomed the South
erners in a briet speech, IN the course OF which
he remarked that they would find wide differ
enCes of opinions among Republicans on the
subject of negro suffrage, but that they are all
agreed that the -four mi1Ous otlreedmen should
be placed In such a position that they might
educate and elevate and prepare themselves in
duties.
Colonel Rush G. HaH kins then read a list of
Presidents and Vce-Presluents ol the meeting,
who were unanimously elected.
The Chairman then introduced to the audience
PalsJn Brownlow, who seemed very feeble, and
spoke as lollows:-
Speech of ParsOn BrOwnlOw.
Citizens of New York when l addressed you
from this platform four years ago Tor two dread
tu hours (laughter), had the strength to do so
and the voice to make myself heard. | have
neither now, aud, therefore, ] must throw my
self upon your patience and kind indulgence. l
am not travelling ~ a speaker, for am not able
to speak. am travelling as one OF an expedition
going round and round again to try and wipe
out the moccasin tracks OF Andy johnson and
william IL. Seward aud not only the tracks OF
Johnson aud Seward, but also OF the untamed
and unmitlgated Copperheads who are ecawling
along III their wake. daughter and cheers.
My state is well represented IN chat expedition
and on this occasion, there being not less than
fifteen Tennessee delegates in the city at this tme
You see that am feeble, but even If / WeIe well
and able to make a speech, | should decline 70
do so on this ocCaS on. Ours is an ecctOneer-
ing expedition (ereat lauehter); and as the
Governor OF the 9reaG reconstructed State OF
Tennessee, must MAINTAIN the dignity OF the
Office Therefore lt does not become me to
dabble i'll politics. (Renewed laughter.) 1t
Will do for an accidental President, one who
has laid aside his robes and dignity of Office,
and who is quarrelllng with the people at Cleve-
land and at st. Louis, charging the New Orleans
butchery upon a gallant and loyal Congress, and
| invoking the mob to hang Thad. Stevens and
Wendell Phillips, better men than Ae ever was
| in his best days himself. l have been engaged
| in Tennessee for the last eighteen months IN
| battling in good and glorious cause For thirty
years prior to that mad been lighting the world,
! the flesh, and the devil but latterly most OF my
time has been occupied in lighting the devil,
! JEFF. Davis and Andy Johnson. (Laughter) In
| Tennessee less, than two years ago, we called a
| state Convention It was during the Rebellion
bnr1 No hQA cor m va h
! Vile, had captured and were holding Memphis,
| ard when glorious old Burnside, OF Rhode
| Island (cheers), crossed over the Kentucky
| mountains into Tennessee, and held Eastern
Tennessee, which contains nearly all the loyalt,
| of that State. At that time, | say, we called
| State Convention, and we called IL under tue
auspices OF our Military GoYernor-one John
| son. daughter Five hundred and twenty
tour delegates were present-good, Jned, loyal
| talented men, representing every county in tb
State, except one. They amended the Constitu
ton. They did not wait for Congress, or th
North, or any other part of the world, to cal
| upon them TO do il, but they SO amended th'
Constitution as TO abolish negro slavery forever
| (Applause.) Having done tnat, our Legislatur
convened and enacted a law giving the negr
his right to testify in court, allowing hin
to sue and be sued, and giving hum hi
tull rights before the courts OF the country
The same Legislature passed law called tn
| Franchise law. We had 10000 loyal votes il
Tennessee and so, 600 Rebel votes, and we dis
| trapchised the sc, 600 Rebel votes, and we ar
| now holding them back from the ballot-boX
and we intend, God willing, to keep them iron
the ballot-box. They say they intend TO hav
their rights, that they intend to vote and to rul
| roue -shod over us. They boast that they hav
Andrew johnson on their side, and | conced
| the fact. (Laugh,er.) But am North, maxim
| arrangements to procure arms and ammunition
We bave the boys al home; we have 80, 900 me
there who have been in the Federal arm!
, | (Cheers) We shall call out the militia an
arm them, ana lnluR Jhe next reN'
luton will in all probability commence in TeI
nessee. They ran me out once, and came u
| here among YOU as a refugee. | have dor
) fleeing TO the mountains OF Hepsidam Daughter
and l shall staud my ground hereafter, an'
with my noble Legislature and gallant troops,
| will FIGHT them and die in the last ditch (Grei
| cheerine.) Our Legislature, only few weet
AGO, ratified by vote of two-thirds Of bot
| houses the Constitutional Amendments! and on
| was the second State in the Union to do so, "
| Legislature has never seen the time since II W;
| first convened that a resolution could be passt
through either house naoIslag Andrew JON
son or his policy; but our Legislatu
is square up with the radical Oongre
of the United States (Applause,) Aud ougl
they not TO stand by Congress? (Crles
Yes, yes" "No, no.nl The ayes have Y
| lLauehter) "a voice, 'What about MameP
Maine is able to take care OF herself. tOheers
The most patriotic, talented, brave, and galla
BODY of men that ever convened in America
the loyal Congress of the United States; and I'll
= next best is the Tennessee Legislature. (Laug
- yer ana applause.) We have done eVerythl1
Ior the negro that could be done, except to e
nahchlse him, and when we meet next wlnt
we can do that without anv help from outsid
! ma mere at the North that you DO not nee
ana many OF you do not want negro suiirap
Se we at the south are not 80. We want TIE lol
pek iees 70 help usW woe do8pthe disloyal tr,