Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1866-09-14
The Presidents Speech at Columbus Ohio.

DIS du eAHe, ull'cI lfOu luc DUIucIS VI Aif 80
State to seek refuge elsewhere am grateful
for the cordial welcome [ received by the reo-
at that time come to-day as the Chlef Nag
istrate to receive similar welcome. But how
different :are= things now from what they were
then Our Government was involved in civil
way which we have just passed through, IN
which blood has been she'd lives sacrificed, and
money expended; but, thank God, alter all
that has teen done, il is in my power to pro-
claim to YOU to-day that leace has neen made,
and we now come with the country Tag, con-
taiuing thirty~six and not with only. twenty,
five stars. Then what is our condition now !?
When | was in your midst as an exile what was
my language and my appeal? That | Was in
favor of the preservation Of the Union OF these
States and sustaining the Constitution Of my
country; in fact, that was my business l
stand where | did then, vlndcating the Con-
stitulon Of my country, and | appeal to the
people to maintain the principals | then and
now advocate. | then urgued and urged that
the Union could not be broken. | then con,
tended there was 10 power or constitutional
right for any one Or more States to secedc or
disnember this Union. s...st.
Congress declared, by solemn resolution, that
the war ought to be prosecuted for the sup
preston of the rebellion, and when this was
of money should cease. We now find that the
war has ceased, and peace has succeeded, and
now the Union under the Constitution stands
as it did before the rebellion commenced. But,
coming out Of the rebellion, we found many of
the States in disOrganiZed condition, and
without State governments, they having been
suspended for time
After, however the rebellion had been sup
messed: after their armies had been dispersed
by your gallant officers and brave soldiers and
sailors, on the land, the ocean, aud inland seas,
we come to another period, and the question
occurred, what was the duty of the executive
department OF the Government? We looked
to the South, and found eleven States without
State governments, and we took the regular
steps to give them aid. They organized and
called conventions, and summoned their Legs
laturcs, and ratified the constitutional amend,
ment abolishing slavery, not only throughout
their own States, but the entire jurisdiction OF
the United States,
In doing this we obtained an additional guar
antec that slavery should no longer cxlest in
their own limits
The emancipation proclamation was war
measure, and the question with some was
whether the courts Of the United States would
not decide it unconstitutional. But to place
| the matter beyond doubt, and give a consttu-
| tional guarantee for all time that slavery was
abolished, the amendmet was submitted and
ratified, thus making 1t part OF the organic
| law Of the land. Theu we found that the great
apple of discord had SO far been removed and
| taken away. When came into power the qucs-
ton was presented, what shall be done? We
initiated and took steps to restore the States TO
all their authority and privileges, and to their
former relations to the Federal Governments
We found blockade Of commerce. This was
removed. The custom houses acd courts were
re-opcncd, and collectors, judges, marshals,
district attorneys, aud other officers appointed.
Postal facilities were also restored to all the
States These things being done, the qucstlon
was narrowed to a single point, in order to make
the restoration of the union of the States COM
| pctc. 1t was to restore the principle Of repre-
sentation-a great principle Tor which our
revolutionary fathers contended, when they
pcrillcd thcirlv in separating from the crown
OF Great Britain, and put at jeopardy all they
held sacred and dear, in order TO achieve the
independence which you and | enjoy. Cheers.
They insisted on the great principle that the
people should rot be taxed without representa-,
ton. We have gone on imposing taxes, and
these Southern States come up and say to Con
Cress and the nation that they ought to be re,
presented. Why should they not be represent
ed by loyal members of Congress? The ques-
ton recurs whether or not this Government
shall restore the great principle esta blishcd by
our fathers, that representation and taxation
should 90 hand in hand And now, my coun-
trymen, let NE say to you that Congress, which
once declared that these States could not 90
out OF the Union, and had 10 right TO secede
and withdraw from the Union, now turn around
and declare they have withdrawn and form no
part of the Confederacy, therefore they should
have no representation in Congress. Owing to
the efforts made by the Executive to restore these
| States, the charge has gone forth that | am
guilty of usurpation. Congress was rot in session
at the close of the rebellion. The Sothem States
we're in chaotic condition, and therefore the
Executive took all proper steps to restore the
Union IF what / did was wrong, and Con-
gress had power to form that work, why did
they not submit some project. Or scheme, or
plan tor that purpose?
Why, [ ask, did they not present their
scheme? They we're eight mouths in session,
making charges against the Executive Of ty-
ranny and usurpalion but where is their mca-
sure? l wish had q clarion voice to extend
to the remotest cabin, to ask where Is the
measure they introduced to restore the union
of the States, and to reconcile a distracted and
divided people! linen It is 10 DC inferred that,
if they introduced nothing, what | did was
right. And because | have adopted policy
calculated to restore the Union have been
charged with turning traitor and rebel, to-
gcther with Secretaries Seward and Welles,
aud long list Of others, while Congress, who
proposed nothing, assume to be the onl y pa
tliots in the land.
The President noticed another charge against
hin, with rnfnrcnce I'm the Frendmnn's Rurnau
bill, and asked even the most fastidious to
place his finger on the slightest departure from
the platform on which he was nominated and
elected. If this could not be shown he had
the right to say he had maintained the princi-
Piles therein asserted. Could his listeners find
in that platform anything about the Freed
mems Bureau? lie proceeded to explain
what Il was, and said he had labored zeaIously
and earestly to effect the emancipation of the
slaves of the South, wanting TO give them
fair chance in the race of life. Because we