Daily union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1865-1866, 1866-08-21
WIN. II. SEWARD,
ecretary of State.
REPLY OF PRESIDENT JOHNSON
TO THE COMMITTEE OF THE Ma
TIONAL CONSTITUTIONAL UNION
CONVENTION.


Mr.. Chairman and Gentlemen of the Con-
reHtjOn: Language is inadequate to ex-
press the emotions and feelings produced by
this occasion. Perhaps l could express
more by permitting silence to speak and you
to infer what l ought to say. | confess that
notwithstanding the experience l have
had in public life, the words / hear ad-
dressed on this occasion to this as
semblage are well calculated to and do over
whelm me. As | have said, have not Ian
guage to convey adequately my present feel
ings and emotions. In listening to the address
which your eloquent and distinguished chair
man has just delivered. l partook of the
inspiration that prevailed in the Convention
when l received dispatch from two of its
distinguished members, conveying in the
terms which havs just been described, the
gratifying intelligence that South Carolina
and Massachusetts marched arm in arm
into that vast assemblage, thus giving evil
dence that the extremes had come to-
gether, and that for the future they were
united as they had been in the past, for the
preservation of the Union. When the dis
patch informed me that in that vast body of
men, distinguished for intellect and wisdom,
every eye was sufused with tears on be-
holding the scene, could not finish reading
the dispatch to one associated with me in
the Office, for my own feelings overcame me.
CHEERS think we may Justly conclude
that we are moving under a proper inspfra-
ton, and that we need not be mistaken, and
that the finger of an over-ruling and uner-
ring Providence is in this matter Loud
cheers.
The nation is in peril. We have Just
passed through a mighty, a bloody, a
momentOus ordeal, yet do not find ourselves
free from the difficulties and dangers that at
first surrounded US. While our brave men
have performed their duties, both officers and
men turning to Gen. GRANT who stood at
his right while they have won laurelsi i'm
perishable, there are still greater and more
important duties to perform; and, while we
have had their support to our efforts to
peace, so far as the Executive
Department of the Government is concern
ed, the effort has been made to restore the
Union; to heal the breach; to pour oil
into the wounds which were consequent up
on the struggle, and to speak in common
phrase, to prepare, as they learned and as
wise physician would, a plaster healing in
character and co-extensiye with the
wound. loud cheers We thought, and vet
think, that we had partially sue
ceeded, but as the work progressed,
rs reconciliation seemed to be taking place.
and the country becoming united, we found |
a disturbing and marring element, oppos-
ed us.
Abiding to that element l shall 90 no |
further than did your Convention, and the |
distinguished gentleman who has delivered |
% me the report Of its proceedings. l shall |
make no reference to it that | do not believe |
he time and the occasion justify, but [ will
'ay that, having taken my stand on the
broad principles Of liberty and the Consti-
ution, there is not power enough on earth
o drive me from it. Prolonged cheers
We have witnessed in one department Of
he Government every effort, as it were, to
prevent the restoration of peace and har-
nony in the Union; we have seen hanging
lpon the verge of the Government. as il
we're, body called or which assumed to be
he Congress Of the United States. and in fact
Congress Of only part of the States.
It's legislation has partaken of the charac-
er OF penalties retaliation and revenge.
This has been the course, and specially of
ne department Of our Government. The
tumble individual who is now addressing
on stands the representative Of another de-
of the Government. The manner
d which he was called upon to occupy that
osition 1 shall not allude to on this occasion.
uftice it 10 say that he is here under the |
constitution Of the country, and being here,
Y the virtue Of its provisions. he takes this
and upon the charter Of our liberties. as /
he great and important right Of civil and
eligious liberty. Prolonged cheering.
LAYING been taught in my early life to hold
sacred, and having practiced upon it dur
& my whole public career, / shall ever
lntinue to reverence that Constitution, the !
onStitution Of the fathers Of our country, ]
nd TO make it my guide. Enthusiastic {
leers. (
| know it has been said, and I must be !
armitted TO indulge in a remark in regard '
it, that the Executive Department has ]
zen tyranical; but let me ask this audience a
distinguished gentleman around me here, I {
point to a single vote l ever gave, to I
eech | ever made, or a single act Of my a
iblic life, that has not been against tyranny C
"a despotism. As to myself the elements 5
my nature, the pursuits Of my life. have I
It made me, either in my feelings or in my a
actice, aggressive. My nature, on the n
ntrary, is that such a state Of things is at
lr with the genius OF cur Government, in A
nsistent with every idea Of political free n
m, and most perilous 10 the safety Of the G
untry, no rejecting man can fail to be- p
We.
Having placed myself upon that broad
ltform, / have not been awed, dismayed, q
inundated by either threats or encroach- Il
snts, but have stood there in conjunction q
III the patriotic spirits around me, sound !.
I the alarm whenever l deemed the cita- Il
OF liberty in danger. [Great applause. p
aid On a f1ravious occasion and rausek "a / r.