Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1866-08-22

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What gentlemen, has been your and my sin?
wha. has been the cause Of our ofending7 I
wiil:tell you: Da,:ug to stand bsthe Constitution
of cur 4ashersz eonsidorths pros, -dinss of THIS
Convention, sir, as moro important tnan those Of
any .consention:that ever assembled in the United
sta.es. EGreasapplnuse.l =
When looNMiih my mind upon that collection
of citizens, coming together voluntarily and sit
tingin conncilzuith ideas, with principles and
views commensurate with all the States ard CO.
extensive with the whole people, and contrast it
with the collection of persons who are trying to
destroy the country, regard it as more important
than any Convention that has sat, ut least since
1871. [Renewed applause.l Think I-may also.-,
say that tho declarations that yere there made are
equal to the Declaration ofIpdepspdcncs of ITSELF Z
and here to-day pronounce. them second Dec
laration of Independence. fcries Of GLORIOUS"
and most enthusiastic ind prolonged applause.l
Your address, and declarations are nothing
more nor loss than are-afirmation of:the Consti-
tuition of the United States. Yes, will gofarther,
and say that the declarations yOn bnye made, !:
that the principles you have enunciated in your
address are second proclamation Of emancipa-
ton to the people o! the Vnited States, Erenewed
applausc,l for in proclaiming and re-proclaiming
these great truths, you have laid down consti-
tutonal platform upon which all can make COM
mon cause and stand united together for The re-
storatien of the States, and the preservation Of
the Government without reference to party. The
question only is the salvation of the country, for
our country rises above all party consideration.
or Influences How many arc there nthe UnitSdl
States that NOW require to be free? Fhey have
the shackles upon their limbs, and are bound rs :
r;gidly as though they were in fact in slavery.
repeat, then, that your declaration is tho second
proclamation of emapciRat: IN to thepeoplo of the
United States, and offers common ground upon
which all patriots can stand. [Applause. > e
Mr.. Chairman and gentlemen, let me, in this
connection, ask What have to gain moro than
the advancement of the public welfare? 1ama
much opposed to. the indulgence Of egotism as
any one, but here, in conversational manner,
ahile formally receiving the proceedings OF this
Convention, may bc permitted again to ask
what have I 10 gain, consulh1g human ambition,
more than have gained, except in one thing2
Ny race is nearly run. have held, from the
owest to the highest, almost every, position to
which man may attain in our Government, aud
surely, gentlemen, this should be enough to'graii-
| fy a reasonable ambition.
If wanted authority, or If wished to per-
petuate my own power, bow easy it would have
necn to hold, land with that which was placed IN
my hands by the measure called the Freesmcns
Bureau bill. daughter and npplausc.l Withan
army which it placed at my discretion, could
have remained at the capital OF the nation and
with fifty or sixty millions Of appropriation az
my disposal, with the machinery to b, worked
by my satrops and dependents in every town and
village, and then, with the Civil Rights bill fol-
lowing as IN auxiliary, Laughter in connection
with nl the other appliances of the Government,
1 could have proclaimed myself Dictator But,
gentlemen, my pride and my ambition have been to
occupy that position which retains all power in
the hands of tho people. lis upon that have
always relied. 1t isupo that rely now, and
repcat that neither the laurels nor the jeers Of
| u
can drive me from my purpose [Great applause.l
I acknowledge no superior except my God, the
Authorsof my existence, and the people Of tho
United States" Prolonged and enthusiastic
cheeriag.] For the one try to obey all Ills
counsels as best can, compatible with my poor
humanity; for the other, in political and rep
resentative sense, the high behcsts of the people
have always been respected and obeycd by lae.
[Applause.]
Mr.. Chairman, L have said moro than had
intended to coy. For the kind alusion to myself
contained in your address, and in the resolutions
in this crisis and at the present period of my
public life, hold, above oil price, and shall:eyer
recur with feelings Of profound qualification to
the last resolution, containing the endorsement
.f Convention, emanating spontaneously from
the great mass Of the people. l trust and hope
tina. my future action MAY be such that you, and
the Convention you represent, may not regret the
assurance of confidence you have experienced.
Before separating, my friends, one and all,
please accept my sincere thanks for the kind
manifestations Of regard and respect you have
exhibited on this occasion. repeat that shall
slways continue to be guided by conscientious
conviction of duty, and tha. always gives one
courage under tho Constitution which have
made my guide.
At'the conclusion Of the Presidents remarks
hree enthusiastic cheers were given for Andrew
johnson and threo more for Oen. Grant The
President then took a position. near the door
opening into tho hall, with Gen. Grant by his
side, where, ns the gsntlemen of the committee
and members of the cuavent:on passed out he
grasped each by the hand and had asmile or a
cheering wose:ii.r AZ !; after which they passed
on, to take Ger. Grant blythe hand.
THE LANE MunDER.-We learn from the
Columbia papers that Newberry negro was
on Wednesday hroughtfrom Petersburg, wire
he was captured under the following circum-
stances. Disappearing shortly after the mur.
der of Mr.. Lane the first announcement of
his whereabouts came from himself in let
ter written TO his mother and enclosing
picture. The letter was dated at Petersburg,