The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1866-08-24
ADDRESS OF PRESIDENT JOHNSON,

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ADDRESS OF PRESIDENT JOHNSON.
The follwing arc tho remarks made BY
President johnson TO a committoe OF tho
Philadelphia Convention chosen to wait on
him:
.Mfr. Chairman and Gentlemen OF tie Com.
miiise Language isinadequate to express the
emotion and feelings produced by this COCA
sion. Perhaps ieould express more BY per.
hitting silence to speak and you to infer what
ought to say. l confess that Notwithstanding
the experience I have had In public life. and
the audiences have addressed, this occasion
aud this ssssmblsge are yell calculated to and
do overwhslm mo, As have said, have not
language to convey adequately my present
feelings and emotions. In listening to the I'D
dress which your eloquent and distinguished
Of the convention - they transpired REQUIRED
to my mind. Seemingly, psrtook Of the In
spiration which prevailed Ia the convention.
When received q dispatch sent by two OF Its
distinguished members conveying In terms the
scene which has just been described, OF South
Carolina and Massachusetts, arm In arm, march.
ing into that vast assemblage, thus giving ev-
idence that the two extremes had come togeth-
or, and that for the future they were united rs
they had been In the past for the preservation
of the Union when the dispatch Informed me
that In that vast body Of men, distinguished for
their intelligence, intellect and wisdom, every
eye was suifuscd with tears on beholding the
scene, could not finish reading the dispatch
to one associated with me In the Office. for my
own feelings overcame me. think We may
justly conclude We arc moving under proper
Inspiration, aRd that We are not To be mistak-
en- that the finger Of an overriding and un-
erring Providence Is In this matter. The ma
ton Is In peril. We have Just passed through
O mighty, q bloody, 0 monenteous ordeal, yet
do not find themselves free from the difficulties
and dangers that at first surrounded Us. While
our brave men have performed their duties,
both officers and men. while they have won
lsurels imperlshable, there are still greater and
more important duties to perform and while
We have had their cooperation In the held, We
now need their support In our Efforts to per
petuatc speech. So far As the Executive DEPART
ment OF the Government Is concerned. the e.
fort has been made to restore the Union, to
heal the breach. to pour oil into the wounds
which were consequent upon the strnggic,-so
TO speak In common phrase, Ito prepare rs the
learned and wise hysician would plaster. heal.
Ing In character and co.extensive with the
wonnd We thought, and we think, that We
had partially succeeded but As the work pro
place and the country becoming united, we
found disturbing and warning element oppo-
sing US. In alluding to that element l shall go
no father than did your convention and the
distinguished gentlemen who have delivered to
rue the report Of the proceedings. | shall make
no reference to Il that do not believe the time
and occasion do justify. We have witnessed
10 one department Of the Government every Ell.
fort as IL were,to prevent the restoring OF
peace and harmony In the Union. We have
seen hanging upon the verge Of the Govern
ment as Il were, body Of called, or what as.
sumed to be, the Congress Of the United States
but In fact Congress of only part OF the States.
We have seen this Congress assume and pre-
tend 70 be for the Union when It's very step and
act tended to perpetuate disunion and make n
disruption Of the States inevitable. Instead OF
legislation has partaken OF the character OF
penalties, retaliation and revenge. This has
BEEN the course and policy Of one department
Of your Government. The humble individual
who Is now nddressiug you stands the repre-
sentative Of another department OF the Gov
eminent. The manner In which he was called
upon to occupy the position, shall not allu,lc
to on this occasion. Suffice II to say that he is
here under the Constitution Of the country,
and being here by virtue Of Its provisions, he
'akes his stand upon the charter Of our liber- |
ties as the great rampant Of civil and religious
liberty. Having been taught In early life to |
hold Il sacred, AMI having practiced upon II |
during my whole public career, shall ever |
continue to reverence that Constitution, the |
Constitution of the fathers Of the country and |
10 make Il my guide. know II has been said
and must be permitted to indulge In the re |
mark that the Executive Department Of the
Government has been tyrannical. Let me ask
his audience ofdstinguished gentlemen around |
ar IN lav mol N n II
speech ever made, to single act OF my whole
public life, that has not been against tyranny |
ind despotism. What position have ever 90
,upied, what ground have ever assumed where
/ can be truthfully charged that failed to ad
Tocate the amelioratiOn and elevation OF The
great masses Of my countrymen. So far rs the
,harges Of this kind are concerned. will say
hat they are simply intended to deceive and
lelude the public mind into the belief tina!
here Il one In power who Is usurping and
upon the rights and pcrverting the
principles Of the Constitution. 1t Is done by
hose who make such charges for the purpose
" covering their own acts.
have felt Il my duty In vindication Of prin-
,iple and the Constitution of my country to call
to these proceedings. When We come
% examine who has been playing the tyrant,
,y whom do we find that disposition has been
As to myself. the elements Of my
nature and the persuits Of my life have not
made me in my feelings or In my practice ag-
yressiye. My nature on the contrary Is rather
defensive in its character, but | will say, that,
having taken my stand upon the brosd princi-
pies Of liberty and the Constitution, there Is
not power enough on earth to drive me from
{. Having placed myself upon that platform,
have not been awed, discouraged or intimi-
lated by either threats or encroachments. but
have stood there in conjunction with patriotic
'perits, sounding the t0csin Of alarm whenever
deemed the citadel Of liberty In danger.
aid on previous occasion. and repeat II now,
hat all that was necessary In the great strug-
gle against tyranny and despotism, was. that
he struggle should he sufficiently audible for
he American people to hear aud properly IN.
lerstaud. They did hear, and. looking on and
eeing where their constituents were, aud what
hat struggle was about. they were determined
hat they would settle this question on the
tide Of the Constitution and Of principle.
proclaim here to day, a. have on other occa-
,i.ns, that my faith isabiding in the great mass
" the people. la the darkest moment OF the
struggle. when the cloud seemed to be most
lowering, my faith. instead OF giving way.
doomed up through the dark cloud. Far be-
yond. saw that all would be safe In the end.
My country men. we all know, that In the Ian
guage Of Thomas Jefferson tyranny and des:
|,Otism ever can DO exercised and EXTENDED
more sfectually by the many than the one
We have seen Congress gradually encroach
step by step upon Constitutional rights. and
violate day amer day the fundamental princi.
Piles Of the Cover nment. We have seen Con-
gress that seemed to forget that there was
Constitution Of the united States, and that
there was limit to the sphere and scope at
legislation. We have seen Congress, Ia q mi |
nority, assume to exercise powers which II al |
lowed to be carried out, would result In des-
potism or monarchy itself This Is the truth
and because others as well as myself, have
seen proper to appeal to the patriotism and re-
publican feeling VI the country, We have been |
In the most severe terms, SANDER
upon Islander, imputation upon i'nputation OF