The Portland daily press., 1866-02-24

before Judge Underwood's Comt-the pro-
ceedings were stayed by the Presidents own
order. Says he: sa-----=-sz.----
81 know there has been great deal said
about the exercise of the pardoning power so
far as your Executive is concerned. There is
no one who has labored with more earnest
ness than myself to have the principal, intelil-
gent and conscious traitors brought to justice,
the law vindicated and the great fact judicial
ly established that treason is crime.
To the following extract we invite speciai
attention:
"When those who rebelled comply with the
Constitution when they give suhicient evil
dence of LOYALTY: when they show that they
can be trusted when they yield obedience to
the law that you and acknowledge obedience
TO. l saw extend to them the right hand Of fell
Iowship, and let peace and union be restored.
ITremendous applause.) fought traitors and
treason in the South; opposed the Davises,
the Toombs', the Slidells' and long list of
others which you can readily fill without my
repeating the names; now when l turn round
and at the other end OF the line find men-I
care not by what name you call them-who
still stand opposed to the restoration of the
Union OF these States, am free to say to you
that am still in the field. Great applause.)
am still tor the preservation Of the Union. l
am still in favor of this great government OF
ours going on and filling out its destiny. (Great
applause. Hla1m N ~
voccs.-HGive us the names at the other
end" .. ..........' ........ ,.-..
The President am not called upon to
name their acts at the other end ofthe line.
am talking to my friends and fellow citizens
who are interested with me in this Govern
ment, and presume am free to mention to
you the names of those whom l look upon
as being opposed to the fundamental princi-
pies of this Government, and who are labor
ing to prevent and destroy it. .l a,,,
Voices-'Name themI Who are they?"
The President-You ask me who they are.
1 say Thaddeus Stevens of Pennsylvania, is
one; l say Mr.. Sumner of the Senate, is anoth-
er; and Wendell Phillips is another. Long
continued applause.)
Voices-"Give it to Forneyr' i'a
The President.-In reply to that will SIM
ply say do not waste my ammunition upon
dead ducks. (Great applause and laughter.) l
stand for my country. 1 stand for the Consti-
tuition. There have always placed my feet
from my advent into public life. They may
traduce, they may SANDER, they may vituper-
ate me, but let me say to you all this has no
influence upon me. (Great applause.) Let me,
say further that do not intend to be over
awed by real or pretended friends, nor do I
mean to be bullied by my enemies. (Tremen-
dOus applause.p -.
1t is charitable to believe when such low,
insulting, undignifed language was used by
the President of the United States language
some of it eminently worthy of the potl0 puse
that its author was under Ne same infu-
ence that SO unpleasantly disturbed his equiii-
brium on the day of his Inauguration. No man
in his calm, sober senses, undisturbed in his
mind and clear in his head, occupying the Exc
cutiye chair of the nation, would everlet himself
down to so low level, or SO lose sight of the
proprieties of the occasion, as to use the names
of distinguished senators and representatives
in an odious and offensive sense. The Ian
guage is disgraceful in the highest degree, and
its rebound will do more to destroy the good
name of its author than life time Of contri-
ton can do by way of atonement.
A great deal of this speech is made up of
selfglorfication and egotism, Of which the fol-
lowing is fair sample: ...is p
i, Il know it may be said-"You are Presi-
dent, and you must not talk about these
things" But, my fellow-citizens, intend to
talk the truth, and when principle is involved
when the existence ofmy country is in per-
i'll hold it to be my duty to speak what /
think and what feel, as l have always done
on former occasions. (Great applause.) Il
have said it has been declared elsewhere that
l was guilty of usurpation, which would have
cost King his head, and in another place 1
have been denounced for embarrassing"
When and where did ever whitewash any,
thing or anybody? / have been an Alder
man of town, have been in both branches
of the Legislature of my State, have been in
both Houses ofthe National Congress, have
been at the head of the Executive department
OF my State, i have been Vice President of the
United States, and l am now in the position
which l occupy before you; and during this
career where is the man, and what portion of
the people is there, who can say that Andrew
johnson ever made pledge which he did not
redeem, or that he ever made promise which
he violated? Nonel Mcneil Point me to
the man who can say that Andrew johnson
ever acted with infidelity to the great mass of
the people. (Great applause.) -..t.
The following intimating that his life is in
danger from assassination, is simply infamous:
Men may talk about beheading and about |
usurpation, but when 1 am beheaded want |
the American people to be the witness. do not |
want it by inuendoes and indirect remarks in |
high places, to be suggested to men who have |
brooding in their bosoms.- |
aTnere is fit subject"-others have eXclaim- |
ed-"The Presidential obstacles must be got |
ten out of Che way" What is that but-to |
make use of strong words-inciting to assas-
sinatiOn? No doubt, say, the intention was |
to incite to assassination, SO that the obstacle |
which the people had placed here could be got |
out Of the way Are the opponents of this |
Government not yet satisfied? Are those |
who want to destroy our institutions, and to-
change the character of the Government not |
satisfied with the quantity of blood that has
martyr in this place? Does not the blood of |
Lincoln appease their vengeance and their
wrath? Is the thirst still mslacked? Do
they still want more blood? Have they not |
honor and courage enough to seek to attain
the end otherwise than through and by the
hand of an assassin? / am not afraid of an
assassin attacking me where one brave and
courage GUS man will attack another. I only
Tread him when in disguise, and where his
ootstep is noiseless. If they want blood let
hem have the courage to strike like men.
know they are willing to wound, but afraid to
strike. 1t my blood is to be shed because I
indicate the Union, and insist upon the pres
ervation of this Government in its original
purity, let it be shed: r&
President johnson is not the kind of man
whom the assassin's knife seeks out. Men
who prove false to their friends, and false to
,he great principles upon which they have been
lifted into high places of honor, or who make
heir beds with the enemies of their country,
ire seldom in danger of assassination. 1t is
he just and true men whom the evil-minded
eek to smite down. Such was Lincoln. Such
me of the men whom Mr.. johnson brands
IS traitor, when he fell beneath the uplifted
'ludgeon Of the Sonth Carolina bully on the
loor of the Senate Chamber. President
Johnson need have no fear. He has made
IS paace with the assassins, and his speech of