The Conservative. (M'connelsville, Ohio) 1866-1871, 1866-08-24

tyranny ana uCBpOJlSm when mas Decn
exercised. As to myself, the elements
of my nature or the pursuits of my life
have not made me, either in my feel
ings or in my practice, aggressive; my
nature, on the contrary, is defensive in
its character but 1 will say, that hav-
ing taken my stand upon the broad
principles of liberty and the Constitu-
ton, there is not power enough on
earth to drive me from it, prolonged
chcoring.1
Having placed myself upon that
broad platform, | have not been awed,
dismayod or inundated by either
threats or encroachmen but have stood
there in conjunction with patriotic
spirits, sounding the tOcsin of alarm
whenever l deemed the citidol of liberty
in danger. IGreat applause. l said
on = previous occasion, and repeat now,
that all that was necessary in the great
struggle against tyrannyand d~espotism
was, that they should be sufficiently au-
diblc for the American people to hear
and understand. They did hear, and
looking on and seeing who the contes-
tants were, and what that struggle was
about, they determined that they would
settle this question on the side Of the
Constitution and Of principle. [Crios
of that's SOL
] proclaim hero to-day, as have on
other occasions, that my faith is abiding
in the great mass of the people. In the
darkest moment Of the struggle, when
clouds seemed to be most oSEring. my
faith, instead of giving way, looked up
through the dark clouds far beyond. /
saw that all would be safe in the end.
My countrymcn, we all know, that in
the language of Thomas Jefferson, "ty-
ranny and dcspotism even can be ex-
crcisod and executed more %citoctually
by the many than one.' We havcse seen
q Congress gradually encroach. step by
step, upon constitutional rights, and
violate, day after day and month after
month, the fundamental principles Of.
the Government. W3havc seen aeon
gross that seemed to forget that there
was a constitution, and that there was
q limit to the sphere and scope of legis-
Renewed cries Of that's So"
have seen Il Congress in n minority
assume to exercise powers which, if al
lowed to be carried out, would rcsultin
dcspotism, or monarchy itself.
This is truth, and because others rs
well rs myself have seen proper to APP
peal to the patriotism and the ropubli-
feeling of the country, we have
been denounced in the most severe
terms. SANDER upon SANDER, vitupcr-
alton upon vituperation, of the most
villainous character, has made its way
the public press. What, gen
tlcmen, has been your and my sin?
What has been the cause Of our offend
ing? l will tell you. Daring to stand
by the constitution of our fathers.
The President here approached the
spot where Senator Johnson was stand
and said:
l consider the proceedings of this
convention, sir, rs more important than
those Of any convention that ever as
jemblod in the United States. GGreat
.Dplauso.[
When Hook with mymind's cycupon
hat collection Of citizens, coming to-
voluntarily and sitting in ooun-
ell with ideas, with principles and views
commensurate with all the States and
,oeXtcnsivc with the whole people, and
contrast it with tho collection of gem
who + trying to destroy the
country, / regard it ms more important
any convention that sat, at least
1857. l think L may say, also,
hat the declarations that were there
made are equal with the Decl aration of
independence itself, and | here to-day
pronounce il q second Declaration Of
independence
Your address and declarations are
nothing More nor less than n reatiirma-
ton Of the constitution Of tho United
States. Yes, / will go further, and say
the declarations you have made,
the principleys owhave cnunciated
in you address, are n second %proclama-
ton Of emancipation to the people Of
the United States; for in proclaiming
and reproclaiming these great truths
you have laid down n constitutional
platform upon which all can make II
common cause, and stand together for
the restoration of the States and the
preservation Of the Government, with
out reference to party questions, which
only is the salvation Of the country, for
our country rises above all party con-
sidoratIons or influences.
How many are in the United States that
now require to be free2 that have the shackles
upon their limbs, nnd bound as rlgidly as
though they were in fact in slavery? | re-
peat, then, your doclar talon is the second
proclamation Of emancipation 10 tho people
OF the United States, and offers common
ground upon which all patriots can stand
Mr.. Chairman aud gentleman, let me in this
connection ask you what have | to gain more
than the advancement OF the public welfare?
| an q, much opposed to he indulgence OF
egotism us any one: but here, in a CONVEX sa-
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