The new South. [volume] (Port Royal, S.C.) 1862-1867, 1866-08-25
Beaufort, S. c., Saturday, August 70, 1866.


Constitution of the country, and being
here by virtue Of its provisions he takes
his stand upon that charter Of our hber.
ties as tue great rampant of civil aud re-
ligious liberty. prolonged cheering.
Having been taught in my early life to
hold it sacred, and having Rractised up.
on it during my whole public career, l
shall ever continue to reverence the Con-
.tiiuiion of my fathers and make 1t my
q :ide. Hearty ~ plause. ..4.. p;
The President denied the charge that
he rad been tyran, ical or desp"t, but
said that such charges we've simply in-
t+ldsd to deceive aud delnde the pubic
mind into the belief that thers is some
ON. in power who is usurping and tram-
bling npon the rights Of the COnstitu.
ton. 1, il done by th ,se who make snch
charges for the purpose of covering their
own acts. THAT 3 10. and applause. l
have felt it my duty, in vlndication of
principle and the Constitution OF my
c, untiy, to call the attention Of my coun-
tlymen to these proceedings. When we
c,me to examine who has been playing
the tyrant, In whom do We find despot-
ism exercised? Az to myself, the ele-
ments Of my nature and the pursuits OF
my life, have not marie my practice
Oppressive. Ny nature, on the contrary,
is rather defensive in its character; but 1
will say that, having taken my stand
upon the br nd principles Of liberty and
the Constitution, there is not power
enough OH earth to drive me from it
loud and prolonged applause. Having
placed myself upon that broad platform,
have not been awed or diStnayed, or IN
Inundated by either threats or encroach-
meuts, but have stood there with patriotic
spirits sounding the tocsin OF ala, IN, when
deemed the citadel OF liberty IN danger.
lGreat applause. ."
I said OH previous occasion and repeat
1t now, that all that Was necessary In
this great struggle agairist tyranny and
deepu,ism was that the struggle should
be made sudible for the American peo-
pie to hear aud properly understand.
They did hear and seeing what the c,n.
testaiits were and what the struggle was
about, they deter aimed they would settle
this question on the side OF the Constitu.,
ton aud principle. Iproclsim here TO-
day, as / have on preyiOu, occasions,
that my faith is in the great mass OF the
people., In the darkest h.'ur Of this strug-
Ole, when the clouds seemed the most
lowering, my faith, instead Of giving
wav, loUmed UP through the cloud, be,
yoni which saw that I'll would be well
in the end. -,..,,,e ~ ~.
Nv countrymen, we all know That tyr.
amy anil .6espotisms in the iapgaege- OF
j, Il. Oh, cnl be exercised and e1erted
mor. .ffec.u:.lly by the many than the
one. We hive seen . Congress tisee
seemed 10 forget that there MAS q hlaif
to the sphere and scope OF legislation.
We have Keen u Congress in minority
assume TO exercise power which, II al-
lowed 70 be- carried ont, would result IN
despotismi or anarchy itself. GSss "
truth, and because others, as well M my ~
sell, have seen proper TO appeal to the
patriotism and republican feeling OF the
country, we. have been denouncedln the
seyeress terms. Slander and vitnpera-
ton of the most v,li.linGus character
have made their way through the press
We have seen Congress gradually en-
CT o..ch, step 10y step. and violate DAY
alter day, and mouth after month, coh'
stitu,iona. rights and Fundamental prin'
cip.es of the government What gen.
tlemen has been your and my Ans
What has, been the cause of our onend.
mgr l will tell you: Daring to stand
ny the Coustituti III OF our fathers. =
consider the'prcc.edings of this conven
s,pa, sir, ss ,uoye !moorrnt than IaeS'