Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1866-03-02

AN EXTRAORDINARY SPEECH FROM THE PRES
rDENT-We have already said that the Washing.
ton meeting to approve the veto seems to hav,
been controlled mainly by Democrats. The speak
ers were S. S. Cox. Dem. !; Montgomery Blair,
Repub Senator Hendricks, Dem Green Clay
Smith, Of Ky, Repub. A. J. Rogers, Dem NJ
Strouse, Dem; Senator Wiley, Of West Vir.
ginia, Repub, and Senator McDougall, of Cali
fornia, Dem, and generally drunk. There were
two other speakers, men unknown to US. We
have been liberal in applying the word " Repub., 81
for we doubt if there was an unblomished Repub-
lican among them all, and by that we mean that
these men were not in full accord with the Repub-
lican party. The absence of every noted man in
Congress, Democrats excepted, is remarkable.
Now we have to say that the representatives of a
meeting with such orators, waited upon the Presi-
dent and were addressed by him in a speech, from
which quote the portion pertinent to the Presi-
dents disagreement with Congress;
We find, in fact, an irresponsible central
dietatorial power assumed, not even consult
ing the legislative or Executive department OF
the Government, and resolutions reported by
a committee on and in whom the legislative
power Of the Government is to be merged,
and that great principle in the Constitution
which authorizes and empowers the Senate
and House Of Representatives each to be the
judge OF the elections, qu .li6cations and re-
turns OF its members, virtually taken away
and conferred on Committee WHO really made
report to Congress against the members from
the South taking their seats until so author
lied by an act OF legislation. You have strug-
gled for four years to put down the rebellion
you said the Southern States had no right to
secede. The issue has been made and set
tied that no state has the power or right to
90 out OF the Union, and when this has been
settled by the military and the public judg-
ment, you turn round and assume that they
are out Of the Union ard shall not come in.
| Inn free to say to you as your Executive,
am not prepared to take such position.
said in the Senate, in anticipation Of the re-
bellion, that these States had no right to 60
out The question has been settled can
not turn round and give the lie direct. say,
when they comply with the Constitution and
give sufficient evidence of loyalty, and can be
trusted and yield obedience to law, will
take by the right hand Of fellowship and let
peace and the Union be restored. AS one
who.has swayed round the circle, have op-
posed the Dayses and the Toombses and the
Slidels, and now when turn round the other
end Of the line | fad men--I care not by
what name you call them-opposed to the
u nion Of States but ! am now as heretofore,
for the representation OF these Sta es and the
restoration Of the Union, and am in favor Of
this Government. A voice in the crowd said
something not clearly audible to the reporter,
to which the President replied. | mignE
mention great names, and | suppose may be
called upon, as the President or as citizen,
TO say who are the most prominent in labor
ing to destroy The Government. ] mention
threo Of them--Thaddeus Stevens, of Penn.
sylvanla, Charles Sumner. Of the Senate, and
Wendell Phillips. | stand by my country. !
stand by the Constitution, where placed my
foot when | entered into public life. and no
traducing aud slander and vituperation shall
influence ms future conduct. In addition to
this, do not intend to be oyerawed by real
or pretended friends, nor do intend to be
bulled by my enemies for expressing an hon
est conviction Of my judgment in reference to
anne ndments to the Cons titution. 1t was not
only insinuated but said directly in high
place, that If such an usurpation of power had
been exercised about two hundred years ago
by sovereign in England, be would have
lost his head. What usufpation has Andrew
Johnson been guilty Of, The only usurpa-
ton Of which be is guilty is standing between
the people and encroachments Of power-and
because dared say in a conversation with a
Senator that was opposed to them because
the original instrument might thus be weak
ened if not destroyed, ! was charged with an
usurpstion OF power such as would have cost