Cleveland daily leader. [volume] ([Cleveland, Ohio]) 1865-1873, 1866-03-09
A LOYAL GOVERNORS OPINION.
Speech of Governor OgIesby, of IL
linOis, on the Presidents Veto Mes
sage and WashinstOn's Birthday
Address.

AAuVA-S On the veto Mes
sage and washinstOn's birthday
Address.
We extract the following from a vsr5a-
tim report in the Chicago Tribune of the
address of Governor Oglesby of Illinois, at
the mass-meeting in Springfield, Ill, on
Monday evening, February 2eth, held for
the purpose OF sustaining Congress:
At the very crisis of this newborn
hope, in the midst of this returning glory,
at an hour when all true hearts were full
of joy Abraham Lincoln, the nations best
loved man, the peoples President, was
slain by the red hand of a rebel iend; his
office descended TO Andrew johnson, but
his mattel no man wears. [Sensation.
Again, did not Andrew johnson saw to
the eolOred people before his election to
the Vice Presidency, and his accession to
the Presidency of the United States, that
he would be their Moses to lead them from
slavery to the blessed land of liberty ?
Did he not in that speech, which l have
not before me, make such promises to
them as to excite in them the strongest
hopes, and fix in US the strongest belief
thai he would stand by them in the hour
Of victory and see them safely landed in
the haven of perfect equality before the
law. The trouble about this magnani-
nous and gracious promise is that We
have only to remember that God placed
upon this earth but one Moses and suffered
to live one Judas Iscariot. Applause
But worse than all, though just 10 come
out, we have been compelled to endure
another infection of his affection for the
people, another recitation of his griefs
and woes, another parade of his sores and
sacrifices, another harangue delivered at
the Capital of the Nation to a swagger-
ing, screaming crowd, who are to be af-
fe~ctionately called friends Upon that
occasion the mar whom you and | assisted
in e%lecting Vice President of this nation,
instead of deporting himself as the we'll
poised, prudent, thoughtful Chief Magis-
trate of the United States, in serious times
ike these, frought with peril to the coun-
Try over which he presides, ought TO have
done, if speak he must-a mortified ma
ton stands dumb al the exhibition of i'll
temper, wounded pride, low vanity and
indeeorum, such as no Chief Magistrate,
or petty magistrate in this world (cer-
tsinly not in this Republic ever exhibit
ted before. We must be plain, fellow
citizens, our old friend, the new friend of
his old enemies laughter has appealed to
us; he has appealed to the people he
seeks our opinion, and demands u crit.
cisms. One dose we could hardly afford
to bear this pOmpous REPETITION, delivered
in some soberness, interspersed with low
Jokes, vulgar illusions and unmeaning wit
cannot be borne without a just and prompt
rebuke from that people to whom be loves
so much to appeal. . a
What? Thaddeus Stevens a traitor, a
man who has lost thousands by the war,
where Mr.. johnson has not lost hundreds;
a man steadfast and firm through every
hour of the fearful conflict, bold and
reliant, wise and fearless, as he will con-
tinue to be to the very last, and who now
stands as the representative of the loyal
people of one State against Andrew John
son, who declares himself the representa-
tive of eleven rebel States, loud and long
continued cheering, carefully weighing
and faithfully trying to know what NAV
best be done TO cement and secure the
national honor and the national Union
against any further threads from insidious
treason or impudent traitors2 This old
patriot, who never boasts of his ~irrepara-
BILE losses as stock in trade to arouse con-
sclous people to an appreciation of his
virtues this man, whatever his speciali-
ties may be-this man. a ~traitor2 This
man who is still the friend of the colored
free man, as he was of the colored slave
who has not turned his back upon him at
the hour when he required a true friend;
this man who believes that if we do not
do justice to the negro soldier, justice will
go weeping to the grave a traitor +? TGreat
applause
Such men as Charles Sumner and Thad-
deus Stevens are not to be called traitors
in this country by the President of the
United States with impunity. TEnthusi-
astic cheers 1t is a national insult.
Traitors, because they are not willing to
rush headlong into the arms of traitors
with Andrew johnson. Traitors because
they are unwilling to readmit into the
councils of the nation rebels whose gar
ments are soaking with the blood of the
sons Of freedom-the defenders of our
nation, and through whose blood alone,
thank God, we have a national Congress
for even rebels to strive with unbecoming
to re-enterl A Congress from which
any rebel who ever bore arms against it
should forever be excluded, with or with
out an oath, with or without loyalty to the
Union, with or without the support, con-
nivanee or threats of Andrew johnson.
Loud and enthusiastic cheers How
could Andrew johnson compare the dc-
of such men to the treason Of Jeff
Davis, and in the same speech pretend to
declare that he honestly desired the pun
ishment of the law Indicted upon h.n?
Cheers.
The Congress of the United States is a
body IN which we all, 1 believe, have great
respect. 1t is not controlled by any
directory, and I hope viii never be bv any
President. (Tumultuous a~pplause.1 It i
he medium through which the people
peak and act in all matters affecting the
latienal interest, and ought not to be
lightly spoken of, nor denounced as a
tumbling block by either of the other de-
'artments of the Government. TCheers1