American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1866-04-26
GREAT SPEECH OF
P r ESD ENT JOHNSON

>
: the crowd Of soldiers and sailors assen
bled at the White House this evening t
pay their respects to the President. Pres
ident johnson said /: confess that il
'he peculiar position of public affairs
your presence and address give encour
agement and confidence to me in my ef
forts to discharge the duties incumben
on me as Chief Magistrate Of the Re
public. and in what l have to say | shall
address you in the character Of citizens
sailors and soldiers. Applause W.
are to-day involved 10 one OF the mos
critical and trying situations that have &C.
Cured since the Government came into
existence. Our nation has another tes
still to undergo, and that is 10 give evi
dence to the nations of the earth, and tc
its own citizens. that it has strength
enough to put down treachery and trea.
son within its own borders. (Cheers.
We have commenced an ordeal. and
trust in God. we will pass through i!suc-
cesslully. (Cheers } feel compliment
ed by the allusiop Of one present to the
fact that in The Senate. in 1850 and l86
when the nation was entering on this or.
deal raised my hands against treason
treachery aud traitors. (Cheers and
cri s Of good.) l stand here to>day
holding to and maintaining the same pc
siion which then enuncialed {Cheers. }
stand here to day opposing traitors and
their treason. whoever they be, in the
South or in the North, loud cheers ]
stand here to-day as then stood, using
all nay powers, mental and physical. to
preserve the nation in going through the
third phase Of its existence. The organ
lied forces and combined powers that re-
Gently stood arrayed against you are dis
banded and driven from the field. But
it does not follow that there still no eneo
mics against our present form Of govern
ment and our free institutions applause. }
| then stood in the Senate Of the United
State, denying the doctrine Of separation
and secession. l denied hen as / do
now, that any State has the right of its
own will to separate itself from the other
States, and the right 10 destroy the Union
and break up the government. and /
think l have given some evidence that l
have been sincere aud in earnest. and
now l want to know why It is. that the
whole train of slarderers and culminalors
have been barking and swapping at my
heels (cheers)? Why is it they have
arrayed in ,radusing and falsifying, and
eliminating me Z? Where we're they du-
ring the rebellion just ended? | answer
at home in bed. (Laughter.) In the
Senate raised my voice against it, and
when it was believed that it would be 10
the interest of the nation and would as
sist in putting down the rebellion, did l
not leave my place 10 the Senate. a place
Of emolument, ease and distinction. and
take my position where the enemy could
be reached and where mems lives were
in danger? (Cbeers and cries of that's
So While was thus exposed, person
ally and publicly, some Of my present
traducers and calumniators were far re.
moved from the foe and we're enjoying
ease and comfort. (Cheers. All these
foul wbelps of sin have been turned loose
against me. care not for all that they
may tell you, sirs. tc>day. Although
pretty well advanced in life. l feel that l
shall live long enough to live down the
whole pack Of traducers and Infamous
slanderers. (Appiause.) They have
turned the whole pack loose to lower me
in your estimation. Verify they can't do
it. Tray, Blanche and Sweetheart, little
dogs and all, come along swapping and
snaring at my heels, but heed them not.
{ Cheers.) The American people. CHI
zengs, soldiers and sailors know that from
my advent in public life to the presen,. .
time, have always stood unwaveringly
the advocate and defender of their rights
and interests. (Cheers We are now
in the nations third ordeal. We are not
yet through. We denied the doctrine Of
secession and we have demonstrated that
we were ri ght. We demonstrated it by
the strong arm, Yes, the soldiers and
sailors, God bless hem. have demonstra-
ted by their patriotism aud strong arms
that S ates have not the power TO leave
the Union. [Applause. What follow
ed? The Confederate armies we're over
powered and disbanded. and there was q
wi ingneSs on The part Of the people Of
those States TO come back 10 obedience to
the Law. and ackno ledge the supremacy
Of the Constitution Of our fathers. For
what have we passed through this thir.
ordesl2 1t vas TO prove the principle
that no State had the power to break up
the Government twas to put down re