The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1866-02-24
0he':Gafellig(en

Mass Meeting to Sustain the Presi-
dent.-ResoIutions Presented to the
PresIdent.--.HIs Response.-.-He De-
nounces stevens, Phillips and sum
ner as Traitors---EEis Only Ambition
20 Restore the Union.
WASHINGTON, Feb. %, 1866.
There was mass meeting at Growers
| ident's policy, The edifice was crowded
to its fullest capacity. A large num-
Der ofpersons were addressed from out
side the stand. Among the speakers
were Montgomery Blair, s. S. Cox,
Judge Kenney, Representatives Smith
and Trimble. of Kentucky, Rogers, OF
| New Jersey, and Senator'S Hendricks,
meeting was presided over by p. A.
| Kendall, the oldest member of the
Washington bar. "A series of resolu-
tions were passed strongly approving
the course adopted by the President,
and calling upon the citizens of every
State, of every shade of political opin-
ion, to stand by tlse PoiiGy a1opteu -
him. iGAt the close of the meeting, q
procession was formed and proceeded
to the open spacein front of the north
portico of the Executive mansion, and
| the committee delivered to the Presi-
|
meeting. The President soon made his
appearance, and met with an enthusias-
| tic reception. He addressed the assem-
bIage as follows: .
FELLOW CITIZENS: For I presume 1
have the right to address you as such,
to the committee who have conducted
| and organized this meeting SO far,
have toItender my sincere thanks for
| the compliment and-the appreciation
they have manifested in their personal
| address to myself, and in the resolu-
tIons they have adopted. L am free to
say to you on this occasion, that it is
extremely gratifying to me to know
thatIso large portion of my fellow-cite
liens approve and indorse the policy
that has been adopted, and is intended
to be carried out. That policy has been
one which was intended to restore the
glorious Union of States and their orig
| inal relations to the government of the
United States. This seems to be day
peculiarly appropriate for such man
ifestation-the day that gave birth to
him who founded this government, the
Father of his Country-of him who
stood at the head of this government.
Then; all these States entered into this
Union. This day, say, is peculiarly
appropriate to fndorse the restoration
OF the Union of these States, founded
by the father of his country, Washing
ton Washington, whose name this
CITY bears, is embalmed in the hearts of
all who love free government; WASH
| ington, who was first in peace, first in
war. first in the hearts of his country
men. No people can claim, no nation
can appropriate him. His reputation
and life is the common inheritance OF
| all wholove free government. Ito-day
had the pleasure of attending the Ma
tional Washington Monument Associa-
ton, which is directing its efforts to
complete the monument erected TO ms
| memory. 1 was glad to meet them and,
so far as could, give them my hum
BILE influence. The monument is being
| erected within n stones throw of the
spot from which address you. Let It
| be completed. Let the pledges which
all the State associations and State cor
porations have placed in that monu-
| inent of their faith and love for this
| Union be preserved, let it be compile
| ted. and in this connection let me refer
| to this motto upon the stone sent from
nv own State. God bless State that
has struggled for the preservation OF
the Union in the field and in the coun-
ellis Of the nation. A motto is inscrib-
ed on that stone. stand by that SEN
timent, and she is willing to stand by
| II, 1t was the sentiment! enunciated by
the immortal Andrew Jackson--"The
Federal Union-it must and shall be
| preserved"
| say Euub gNLGIl luees6 EoL&4IG5 SOhlPAJ
with the constitution, when they have
given sufficient evidence of their loyal
| ", and that they can be trusted when
| they yield obedience to the law, say
extend to them the right hand of fell
lowship, and let peace and Union be
restored. But these, gentlemen, as we
swing round their circle, / have fought
traitors and treason in the South; /
opposed the Dayises and Toombses, the
Sifdels, and a long list of others whose
names I need not repeat, and now when
turn round at the other end of the
line find men, care not by what
name you call them A voice-"Call
them traitors, who still stand opposed
to the restoration of the Union of these
States, and am free to say to you that
| am still for the preservation of this
compact; am still for the restoration
\ of this Union; lam still in favor of thus
| great government of ours going on and
following out its destiny. a voice
| "Give us the naines.n sAgentleman
4 calls for their names; well, suppose
should give them. IA Avoice-"We know
| them. look upon themj Irepeat II,
as President or citizen, as mnch OPP
| posed to the fundamental principles of
! this government, and believe they are
as much laboring topervert or destroy
them, as we're the men who fought
against US. a voice-"What are the
names ~ i say Thaddeus Stevens, of
Pennsylvania fgreat applausel; I say
| Charles Sumner Cgreatapplausel; say
Wendell Phillips, and Others of the
same stripe,a all amongst them. "A voice
-aGlve it to Forney.p1 Some gentle
man in the crowd says "give 1t to II or-
ney." have only just to say that / do
not waste my ammunition upon dead,
ducks. .tLanghter andapplause 1stand
for my country. / stand for the con-
stitution where I placed my feet from
my entrance into public life. They
may traduce me; they mny slander;
they NAV vituperate; but let me say
to You that it has no effect upon me.
| rCheers.l And let me say in addition
that do not intend to be bullted by
enemies. TApplause, and a cry "the
people will sustain you'll know, my
countrymen, that it has been iusinua-
I.ted, and not only insinuated but said
idfrectly-the intimation has been given
|. in high pIaces-that If such a usurpa-
ton Of power, had been, exercised two
hundred years ago in particular reign
4 lit would have cost the individual his
head. What tusurpation has Andrew
! johnson been guilty of? None; nonel
4 The usurpation have been guilty of
Ihas always been standing between the
llpeople and the eencroachmentso of power,
4 and because dared to say in a conver-
| sation with fellow-citizen, and a Sem
| ator too, that I thought amendments to
4 the constitution ought not to be SO fire.
| oueI,t: that their effect would be that
| Il would lose all its dignity; that the
old instrument would be lost sight of
I In n short time,@because happened to
| saw that If it was amended such and
such amendments should be adopted, it
was an usurpation of power that would
| have cost King his head at a certain
Itime. Laughter and applause.l And
I -. Inn with this Snhfeni If was