The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1866-08-20

to disregard the attempt an assumed
or actual foreign power TO enforce an
illegal blockade, caused loud and con-
t1nued cheering. When Mr.. Johnson
had concluded, the President said:
Mr.. Chairman, and gentlemen of the
Committee, language is inadequate to
express the emotion and feelings pro-
dnced by this occasion. Perhaps I
could express more by permitting si-
lence to speak, and you to infer what 1
ought to say. l confess that notwith-
standing the experience have had in
Pnbnc life, and the audiences have adj
dressed, this occasion, and this assem-
blage, are well calculated to, and do,
overwhelmn me. As said, have not
Language to convey adequately my
feelings and emotions. In listening to
the address which your eloquent and
distinguished chairman has just deliY-
cred, the proceedings of the Conven-
vention as they transpired, required to
my mind. Seemingly, partook of the
inspiration that prevailed in the Con-
Ventton. When received a dispatch
by two OF its distinguished members,
conveying in terms the scene which has
tust beS0 described of South Carolina
and Massachusetts arm in arm march,
ing into that vast assem- blage and thus
giving evidence that the extremes
had Ioome together, and that for the
future they were united, as they had
been in the past, for the preservation of
the Union. When the dispatch inform
ed me that in that vast body of men,
distinguished for intellect and wisdom,
every eye was suffused with tears
on beholding the scene, could not
finish reading the dispatch to one asso-
ciated with me in the office, for my own
feelings overcame me. [Cheers.l
think we may justly conclude we are
moving under a proper inspiration, and
that we need not be mistaken that the
finger of an overrnling and unerring
Providence is in this matter. loud
cheers. The nation is in peril. We
have just passed through mighty, a
bloody, monstrous ordeal, yet we do
not find ourselves far from the difficult
ties and dangers that at first surrounded
US. While our brave men have perform
ed their duties, both officers and men,
turning to Gen. Grant who stood at his
right, while they have won laurels i'm
perishable, there are still greater and
more important duties to perform; and
while we have had their cooperation in
the held, we now need their support in
our effort to perpetuate peace. loud
cheers. So far as the Executive De-
partment of the Government Is con-
cerned, the effort has been made to re-
store the Union, to heal the breach, to
pour oil into the wounds which were
consequent upon the struggle, and to
speak in common phrase, to prepare
as the learned and wise physician
would, plaster healing in char
acter and co-eXtensive with the
wound. loud cheers.l We thought
and yet think that we had
partially succeeded, but as the work
progresses, as reconciliation seemed to
be taking place and the country be-
coming united, we found a disturbing
and warning element opposing us.
But / will say that having taken my
stand upon the broad principles of the
Constitution there is not power enough
on earth to drive me from it. PRO
longed Cheers.l Having placed my
self upon that broad platform I have
not been awed, dismayed or intimida-
ted by either threats or encroachments,
but have stood there in conjunction
with patriotic men, and will sound the
tocsin whenever deem the citidal in
danger. [Great applause.1 Ihave said
before, and repeat now, that all that
was necessary in the great struggle
against tyranny and despotism was
that the struggle should be sufficiently
audible for the American people to hear
and properly understand. They did
hear and looking on and seeing who the
combatants were and what that
struggle was about they determin-
ed they would settle this question
on the side of the Constitution
and of principle. ECries of "that's
SoY and applante. proclaim here
to-day as havoc other occasions, that
my faith Isl as abiding In the great mass
of the people in the darkest moment of
the struggle as when the clouds seemed
to be most lowering; my faith instead of
giving. way doomed up through the
dark clouds, saw that all would be
safe in2the end. My countrymen, we
all know that in the language of
Thomas Jefferson, Tyranny and des-
poti SIN even can be exercised and ex-
erted more etfectually by the many than
the one" We have seen Congress
gradually encroa CHI step by step on CON
stitutional rights, and violate month
after month fundamental principles of
government. We have seen Congress
that seemed to forget that there was a
constitution and limit to the scope of
legislation. [Cries, that's SOL We
have seen a Congress in a minority as
sumo to exercise power which, If al
lowed to be ca rrfed out, would
result in despotism. [Cries of that's
so-enthusiastic cheers for the Presi-
dent.l This Is truth, and because 9TH
ers as well as myself have seen proper
to appeal to the patriotism of the coun-
try we have been denounced in most
severe terms. SANDER upon SANDER
Vttuperation upon vituperation of the
most villianous character has made its
way through the public mind. What,
What has been the cause of offending?
1 will tell you. Daring to stand by the
Constitution of our fathers, TIJoud
.cheers.1 The President here approach
ed the spot where Senator johnson was
standing and said: consider the pro-
ceedings more important than those of
any Convention that ever assembled
in the United States. [Great applause
When 1 look with "my minds eve"
upon that collection of citizens, coming
together voluntarily and sitting in
council with ideas, with principles and
views with all the States and co-exten-
sive with the whole people, and con-
trast it with the collection of gentlemen
who are trying to destroy the country,
vention that has set at least
since 1877. The .declarations that
were there made are equal with the De-
claration OF Independence itself, and
here1 pronounced the second Declara-
ton of Independence. [Cries of Glori-
GUS and most enthusiastic and pro-
Islonged applause. Your address is not
ton of the Constitution of the United
States. [Good and Cheers.1 And /
will go further and say that the declar-
alton you have made and the princl-
pies that you have enunciRted in your
address are second proclamation OF
emancipation to the people of the Unit
ted States. tReneweds applause.1 For
in proclaiming and reproclaiming these
great truths you have laid down con-
stitutional platform upon which we all.
make common cause and stand to-
gether for the restoration of the States
andthe preservation of the government
without reference to party. The ques-
ton only is the salvation of the coun-
try--for our country rises above all
sl,,.l H.