Cleveland daily leader. [volume] ([Cleveland, Ohio]) 1865-1873, 1866-04-11
SUPPORTING THE PRESIDENT"
A UniOn-JOhnsOn Meeting in Washing
t0n-G0Odtng, CoWan, Green Clay
Smith, DE, on "My POIicy"-DtslOy-
atty Rampant.
MAsH1NaroN. April I, 1866.

istration, which assembled on Louisianl
Avenue, in front of the City Hall, last
evening, to endorse the President and his
reconstruction policy. The music of the
band called together but a small number
to begin with, and I could see hesitation
in the action, and doubts in the fIces Of
the managers before the meeting was or
ganized, aud when the motion was put to
make Marshall D. S. Cooling chairman, ]
did not hear a vote, say aye. or no. The
chairman began to speak, and the number!
steadily increased uutil the assemblage
was q very respectable one in size. 1 did
notlike much that was said and done, and
1 must say here, what Marshall Gooding Ii
a Western, rough and tumble speaker
He proceeded to bury all the political
parties that have existed down to the
present, as he said that all have had
their day and were dead, and, of course,
all hat remained for them was to be
buried, leaving upon the mind Of
the hearer, the impression that a new
one was to be constructed. This question
of reconstructing the Union some thought
was a very difficult one, but he thoughtful
was a very easy one. All we had to do
in order to have "all the States running
on the track smoothly" to have Pvarv
and harmony throughout all of our do
main" was the little thing of admitting
The loyal men into Congress when they
came and asked it. he made the word
aloyar of doubtful signifcation.) Fur
Their, he said that Andrew johnson had
not abandoned the platform on which he
was elected. That did no promise
negro suffrage, and he argued con-
clusively that to do justice to the negro
you must break faith with the soldier.
He laid great stress on the matter OF
keeping faith with the soldier, his wife
and children, all of which in view of the
very extreme action of Congress for the
soldiers, is sheerly hoodwinking on his
part to cover up the dsformity OF his own
position.
Ex-Governor Johnston was the next
speaker. He evidently was a fossil-an
obsolete politician. He admitted that he
had been called out of retirement, and the
inference was clear that the prospect of a
little sap had galvanized him into the
exhibition of a mock life. aft 1 am
again to put on my political harness. he
said, which 1 had supposed 1 had taken
off altogether, and again stump my native
State l will do it with pleasure, to main
tain" &c, &c, sand above all the Con-
stitutional rights of the Executive of my
common country" That, I think, I hear
The reader say, will do. Johnston claimed
TO have been a radical, but yet he decried
radicalism in Congress.
After the reading of a dispatch from A.
W. Randall, Assistant Postmaster Gen
eral, endorsing without equivocation the
new policy of reconstruction, General
John L Swift was introduced. He pro-
ceeded first to establish his previous radi-
cal sentiments by saying thatin the Mass
achusetts Legislature he voted for both
Wilson and Sumner for Senators, and that
he had supported John P. Hale for Presi-
dent, and then proceeded to deride radi-
calism in the present Congress. This man,
TO speak the truth without compromise,
made an ass of himself. I heard him, not
more than three months ago, 1 should
think, in the Unitarian church, standing
but a few rods west from where he was
then speaking, make a speech before the
National Equal Suffrage Association, in
which he denounced to the extent of his
ability, the opposition of the people of this
District to Negro Suffrage. He said he
went to New Orleans with the purpose of
making it his home but the army officers
and all the Government authorities there
we're so much in the INTEREST," of the return
ed rebels that there was no protection to
Northern men, and the public sentiment
was so strong against them that it was IN
for him to stay there, and he had been
forced TO leave, and he was waiting to see
whether the Government would protect
Northern men before he decided TO re-
turn. Last evening he made a speech
eonstructively in direct opposition to the
Next came Senator Cowan, of P~ennsyl-
7ania- And here 1 want to say, if Cowan
,xemplfles in his manner and sentiment
md action the characteristics becoming
N American Senator, every American
hould blush for his rulers. At best, he is
n inferior looking man. He came for
ward and leaning forward his tall caunt
orm, and protruding a very large homely
lose, said allow are your There are a
.ood many of you down therel I have
zen expecting you for some time. What
id you come for 2" Beautiful utterances
re they not? Becoming a member OF
he Z. S. Senate are they not? Then con-
der his English. His speech was inter-
irded with such expressions as stuck
p" you ~fellers," That's US, we are
he f%ellers." Elegant, are they not? He
7as for bringing the "LoyaL' members
'om the South into Congress at once.
ONE said, how will you prevent rebels
ON being admitted as members? But
e would not ask Congress or the Presi-
ent to prevent that. If he came for ad-
lission he would get a warrant and have
i'm arrested, tried and punished for treas
a. he might have a pardon in his !
ocket when he camel This is rather :
mart for a Senator. :
Lastly came Gen. Green Clay Smith. ;
no made the only fair speech during the :
He wanted representation to 90
18th taxation, but he never would admit =,
rebel into Congress, or one who had been :
arms against the Government. E
With the exception of Gen. Smith, =
| the speakers derided both the active 2
ide awake men in Congress and the ne .
%. They all endorsed the President as :
g most sterling Of all patriots. I n
served that when any of them ventured /
run of a little to condemn traitors and .
e rebellion, there was no hearty ap- :
ause in the audience, while attempts to .
hitewash rebels called forth the most 7
thusiastic cheers. :
Public affairs look badly. Haste in the =
construction of the Union, and that n
conditions, it seems to me will 7
owe but the beginning of our national =
Don't be startled to learn at
y time that JEFF. Davis is released. 1 =
We never thought thst it was the inten- :
N of the authorities to punish treason. =
forgiveness will cur this, the worst eff I
ines, as the South has illustrated it, +
en- why not give the lie to all the ex- :
rience Of the world, and treat stealing. 7
common murderer, the midnight as I
IAN and all the other classes of criminals =
the same.way. Y
This is the most remarkable rumor- !,
locality in the Union. The :.
'st startling and senseless ones, are of a,
most daily occurrence here. So, large \
owances must be made for the question :,
le character of everything in that line (,
grated in this city. 1t is said that the =
binet Will be reconstructed as soon as =
ngress gets out of the way. This may -
so. Senator Doolittle is charged with -
ng after a place there. -
EQUAL RIGHTs.