Daily union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1865-1866, 1866-09-19
THE SOLDIERS CONVENTION
OF CLEVELAND.
OPENING PROCEEDINGS.
SPEECHES BY GENERALS WOOL AND
EWING.


ton, at night.
Our telegraphie dispatches yesterday were
cut off in the midst of the remarks Of Gen.
WooI, the temporary Chairman Of the great
Soldiers and Sailors Convention, now in
session at Cleveland After stating that the
Radical partisans we're feeking another war
Of blood and desolation, he proceeded:
If they should succeed in inflicting on the
country another war, it would be more ter
rible than the one from which we have Just
emerged. 1t could not be confined to the
Southern States, but extend itself over the
length aud breadth of the United States, and
only close with the overthrow Of the best
government, and destruction of the finest
country, on the face of the globe.
II such should be tke fate Of our great repub-
licdR empire, the cause must not be sought for an
our military camps, bit IN the forum, dsronged
with infonundtoTy orators and aspiring dead-
gogues, nth souls dead 10 their eOuRtTys honor,
and spotted NTH corruption.
need not tell this great assemblage of
officers, soldiers and sailors, most of whom
have been engaged in many perilous battles
defending their country and their country's
honor, that war is great evil, and the great
est that can befall any country or people. 1t
has ever been the curse of nations and the
cause Of all the oppression imposed on the
people of Europe. If you would guard
your once free, happy and prosperous coun-
try from oppression and oppressive taxes,
beware how you encourage war. Heed not
demagogues who, to crafty ambition or re-
venge, will drench their country in blood.
The loss of liberty commences with oppreS-
sion and oppressive war. The United States,
as conquerors, can afford to be Just and mag.
unanimous The brave are always merciful
and generous As President JOHNSON said:
1--WE have had war enough; let there be
peace" Recollect that the recent rebellion,
engendered by Radical abolitionists and
shareholders, leaves the Northern States with
more than hundred thousand pensioners,
besides thousands and tens Of thousands OF
widows and orphans to weep over the graves
of their protectors and the defenders of the
| United States.
Yet there are those among US who are not
sufficiently satisfied with blood and plumber,
and cry for more war.
In conclusion, 1 would call upon you, OIL
GERS, soldiers and sailors, to stand by the
Union, which, in a war Of four years, when
blood flowed in torrents, by your gallantry
and indomitable perseverance and courage
| you saved from ruin and destruction. / en-
treat you to spare no efforts to preserve this
republic intact, the last hope of the Cypress
ed of the world.
With confident expectations that you will
as heretofore, prove yourselves the saviors
Of your country, again gratefully thank
you for the honor you have this day confer,
| cd MA fl,, q
will ever be with you in the defense of oul
| glorious Union.
Gen. THOMAS EWING, jr., of Kansas, was
called out, and delivered a speech of re
markable clearness and power, only synop
sis of which follows:
He said they hadassembled TO consulta as t.
their duty and action in the impending po
litical conflict, and offered allegiance to ne
political party but to the country and laws
Before the war many of them had been Re
publicans and many of them Democrats
with varying opinions on the question o
slavery. That question was decided in the
contest of 1860.
AT the close of the contest eleven State
withdrew from the Union. The Presiden
called upon the people to come forward anC
suppress the revolt. The call was promptly
responded TO by the Democrats, Republican,
and BELL and EVERETT men; and after fou
years of war the rebellion was suppressed
What bound us together in that conflict 0
arms was not hatred Of slavery, for on tina
question we differed; not love of war; for W,
all desired peace; no. hatred of the Southern
people, for they were our countrymen. No
1t was the sentiment of nationality. Thu
determination that the Union should be pre-
served and made perpetual. That was tn,
only purpose Of the war known or recognized
by the army and navy Of the United States
That was the sentiment that raised all on
armies, and the soul of them all. Neithe
army nor navy nor people had any othe
purpose. LINCOLN adhered Throughout tn,
war to that purpose.
When it was seen that the rebellion wa
staggering and about to fall, the Radical
began to consider how the contest would b
wound up so as to perpetuate their pOwel
and promote their sectional theories and in
terests. A month after the amnesty procla
nation of Mr.. LINCOLN, they presented thei
plan of reconstruction through Hon. HENRI,
WINTER DAVIS, declaring the Southeri
States Tnnihilated, and requiring their re
admission the same as territories.
Mr.. LINCOLN refused to sign it, and the,
then opened an assault on him the same a
now upon Mr.. JOHNSON, and for precisel,
the same reason.
A Convention was called at Cleveland t.
denounce Mr.. LINCoLN's plan 1.-THE Spelke
here read the call for that Convention
which he said sounds like blast from tn
bugle of GREELEY or FoRNEY.1 At tn
present day the same men are now threaten
ing to impeach Mr.. JOHNSON, and the sam
men who stood by Mr.. LINCOLN then stant
by Mr.. JOHNSON now, with the single ex
ception Of Mr.. LANE, of Indiana.
The Presidential canvass came on, an,
the party that had carried on tho war met il
Convention at Baltimore and re-nominate,
Mr.. LINCOLN by reclamation; and tina
Convention passed a resolution, drawn By
Hon. HENRY J. RAYMOND, declaring tn
only condition Of peace and restoration wer
the surrender Of the rebel army and the re
turn of the Southern people to their allie
glance The Radicals hung on the skirts o
the party, and thereby secured their re
election; but nothing daunted, they renewe'
their onslaught on the President.
In the light Of this recital, is it JoHNsol
or Congress that has turned traitor to tn
principles on which he and LINCOLN ans
Congress were elected Congress still wishe
to blow the embers Of war, while JOHNsol
desires peace. They will have no peace ex
cept on terms which secure party and sec
tional domination while JOHNSON desire
Union on the basis of the Constitution.
The secessionists drove the States into re
bellion by the dreaded cry of abolitionist
while the Radicals keep the Union separates
by the still more dreaded cry of traitor
That cry had no terror to the soldiers. Thei
oath taken on entering the army bound then
to preserve the Union by every means il
their power. They owed allegiance rattle
to the Constitutions than to philanthropy
theories, however right. To save that Con
stitution they were ready 10 strike hand
with the Democratic party, and labor witt
il so long as it remained true to the Union
The speaker discussed at length the ques
ton of the Constitutional amendment, hold
ing that we will look in vain for the Soutl
to vote 10 degrade 200, 900 Of theirable men
or 10 surrender one-fourth their representa-
ton as a penalty for refusing suffrage to III
negro. etIfE5H
The Louisiana Convention intended Il
make rulers Of negroes and slaves Of tn
whites; and when it reassembles it vii
probably do it. If so, the army with yhiol
GRANT split the Coniederacy in two woul'
not be able 10 preserve order, and anarch!
would ensue, and probably another civi
war, whose ashes will cover the foundation