Maryland free press., 1866-10-04


re.,,o .s.els ,MJLLIAMSPO
1 THE 4 CLEVELAND u E:sAASlIa ccsoNXENTloS: cs
presentation Ii n f'tt6 q tt6e aRsssofatiohsF and
ibDA Address to the p sident;-.hiss Re-
~, PiEdcb e uo1f n1uieg 1iod. 90 ye.ra,a
f'iqThe COMMITTEES appainied, bythe Soldiers and
1'Sailors' Convention recently held at Cleveland,
4 to proceed 10 Washington and present the Pres
ident With the official Copies of, the resolutions
iaud address Adopted by, that Ihod v; ,perforued
that dptn yesterday sfisfnoon, at three o'clock,
Upon the committee being .asisered Into the
presence.of the President, Geferal Granger. yas
chairman, Of the committee, read to him the pro-
Pseedihgs Of 'ths Conventibn.4 General sGraf1ger
penis h srea Ii y by remarking thntJt,er OBJ
! lect OF The convention, composed asfit had been
Of patriotic soldie ahhd saifors 4 h5 HAD 'foapt
solelyfor therestoration Of the lUDiore rwls ito
devise means for an early RESTORATION of conf
dence and good feeling among the whole people
| and a restoration ofronfidence and good feeling
among the " hole people, and restoration of the
Union not merely in theory, but in ftct q based
at Cleveland were men whose loyalty and love of
country had been tested on every battlefield of
the reppbliedp the rebellion, They were in-
spired by no other motive or ambition except the
national welfare. They met at Cleveland act,ia-
ted by the same motive which guided them in the
field: The result OF their deliberstions was su I'M
med up In the following fesolution:'giN oni:GTs
THAT our object in taking up arms to spp7
press the late rebellion was to defend and main
tain the supremacy of the Constitution, and TO
preserve the hioh, with all The dignity equality
ande'ights of the ssNeril STATES unimpairea and
in onv trif fnfc 4.
I'sire of conquest or subjdghion; and THAI When
ever there shall he any armed resistance to the
lawfully constituted, authority OF tie nation,
eitherin the South, III the North, in the East, ;, or
in the Vest, emulating: the sef-sacrificng patri-
otism OF our revolutionary foref,hers,, we, viii
again pledge to its support our lives our fortunes
and our srcrei llonors.',. f.;.{ s,r ..,..,... :,
In conclusion General Granger said he believ.
ed that in Proceedingsiof the convention were
reflected the sentiments of the great mass not on
ly of those who had borne arms in the cause of
the Union, but of patriotic men throughout the
whole land and expressed the hope that under
President Johnson's administration tn" Union
would be restored, and that it would DO as en-
dutni gias tinieg- .1Yllrli 1'4IGI sHfN%
To:j . rTHE PRESIDENTS REPLY.s .i.,,i,1. -.
I The President said in RESPONSE, Lhs.s NJ
Mr.. Chairman and gentleman of theCommttee
h i've ne formal reply to make, but The preseh-
tatien of the recorded proceedings of the Cleve-
land Convention is peculiarly acceptable to me.
To receive the encouragement and expression Iof
confidence. in me of gentlemen. so intelligent and
patriotic inspires me with Increased confidence TO
progress in the dischargdIef my-dnties in strictly
adhering to and maintaining the constitution Of
the country. You have performed your part In
the fieldY That has become part of the couR-
try's history; but after having done that there is
as you have just evinced, an equally important
part to perform as citizens That duty you are
l,,,,.
is equally important, iflrpt of superior moment
to that which you discharged as soldiers an sail
orS of'thc Union. III ioheia.Hl rEIf nJETrgs
While the war was q physical contest, connec-
ted, of corrsc, with intellect and intelligence as
far as thest'cace Of war wasr concerned, the
struggle now is purely ,qfa civil character fer the
establishment Of a basis upon which our institu-
lions nretorest hereafter. "ii .yu.ttj uuo.. .
The qLcry. high now. rises Is, ,whytler the
Oh tracter and genius of the nstion IS TO he sub
vcrte1 'or whether it is TO bo ssett.ed upon the
principle of the constitution To each and all { (
you is kntwlfhe part That have borne since this
civil war commenced both in the campaign and
apart from it. ! mnst re.er you to that as evil
dencc of,vhat my condpetYill he in, the fptnss. l
have been cooperating with you in every ca
pacity in which you have been engaged since the
struggle commenced c+,ry.ps,cIF s.. s,y.,-,t,,.y
| think we are now at the most important cri-
sis OF oT conhtrY's ifstory--when weshre to,iix
sa sNaudt Auu tl'kul w ilaslS upon ,MuSIi tile
inStitu tions of the country are TO rest We are
to return TO the constitutional linits-cstablislr-
ing the great fact that this is a government of
limitations-that it has written constifution
and that its boundaries are TO be- observed and
strictly guarded, iffree government is to exist
And coming out of rcbellioh, We ought To- de-
nIonstrate-t " mankind that o free government
cannot .ex list upon hatred and dislrust, and i'll
win, and that withus the time has come for
establishment ofaH the relations of tho States to
the federal government. Th isl look upon us
being 0feqpal Importance with any part Of thc
war, if not the most important part.
have said mere than Intended; b6tHI repeat
that the Encouragement, the eountennuce; and the
confidence given me, coming from the sonrce it
does, is peculiarly acceptable to me; and God
being willing, WILL. with your, help, pursue the
course'l have been pursuing iiL the effoFktd We
our government kgow it has been said that
the founders of government are entitled 10 the
mos conspicuous place in history but my. opii-
ion s that tha gsrnoyment should occupy the
most important page. Let ne all perform our
part aucorslinY to the theorysand genius of, the
government, and the .rtsLlt will b; the pr rcser-
vatior OF 0pri Institutions, md we will +ake the
! place to which history will assign us.
The members of the committee were then sew
rally introduced to the President and after q
pleasant interview they withdrew. !
l. .7h w 2At-4AAH-- .ss.- s----ai.l 81 J.r s.
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