Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1866-09-13

BESET BY BLACKGUA RDS.
He Gives Them the Rough Side CT His
Tongue.

The following is the Presidents speech
at Cleveland on Monday night:
FELLOW CIT1zENs-It is not for the pur-
pose OF making speech that ] now appear
before you. am aware Of the great curl
osity which prevails to see strangers who
have notoriety and distinction in all coun-
tries. know large number of you desire
to see Gen. Grant and to hear what he has
to say; a voice. Three cheers for Gen
Grant - but you cannot see him tonight
he is extremely i'll. I repeat, I am not be-
fore you now to make a speech, but simply
to make your acquaintance, to say ''How
are you ?" and to bid you good bye. We are
On our way to Chicago to participate in or
witness the laying of the corner stone of a
monument to the memory Of n distin-
guished fellowcitizen who is no more it
is not necessary for me to mention the
name of Stephen A. Douglas to the people
of Ohio. I am free to say that am flat
tered by the demonstrations I have wit
messed !; and being fattered, I don't mean
to think it personal, but an evidence of
what is pervading the public mind; and
this demonstration is nothing more nor less
than an indication of the latent sentiment
or feeling of the great masses of the people
with regard to the proper settlement of this
great question. l came before you as an
American citizen simply, and not as the
Chief Magistrate, clothed in the insignia
and paraphernalia of State-being an in
habitant of State Of this Union.
l know it has been said that / am an alien,
laughter, and that I did not reside in one
of the States of the Union, and therefore
could not be the Chief Magistrate, though
the Constitution declares that [ must be
citizen to occupy that Office. Therefore,
all that was necessary was to declare the
office vacant, or under preteXt TO prefer
articles OF impeachment 4; and thus the in
dlvldual who occupies the Chief Magistracy
was to be disposed of and driven from power.
But short time since you had ticket be-
fore you for the Presidency [ was placed
upon that ticket with distinguished fell
low-citizen, who is now no more. A voice
sc Unfortunately Yes unfortunately
for some that God rules on high, and deals
in right. Cheers] Yes, unfortunately,
the ways of Providence are mysterious and
lncomprehensible, controlling those who
exclaim Unfortunate !" Bully for
you Notwithstanding the subsidized
gang of hirlings aud traducers, have dis
charged all my duties and fulfilled all my
pledges, and say here tonight, that if my
predecessor had lived, the walls of wrath
would have been poured out upon him
[Cries of "Never three cheers fer the
Congress of the United States.
Who can come and place his finger on
one pledge [ ever violated, or on one prin-
cipal I ever proved false to A voice
g How about New Orleans o. Another voice
sc Hang Jeff. Davis hang Jeff. Davis
Why don't you hang him ?" Cries of
"Give us the opportunity. Have not
you got the court Have not you got the
your Chief Justice who has refused to sit
upon the trial ?'' Cheers. am not the
Chief Justice. I an, not the pros cutting
attorney. Cheers. am not the jury.
[ will tell you what did do I called up
on your Congress that is trying to break up
the Government. [Cheers, mingled with
hisses. Great confusion. Don't get
mad, Andy."] Well, will tell you who is
mad. Whom the gods wish to destroy they
first make mad. Did your Congress order
any of them to be tried ? Three cheers
for Congress-, Then, fellow-citizens, we
might as we'll allay our passions and permit
reason to resume her sphere and prevail
[Cheers.
In this assembly here tonight the re-
mark has been made, "Traitor," 60 trai-
tor" My countrymen, will you hear me,
shouts of Yes >" and will you hear me
for my cause and for the Constitution of
my country Applause. Iwant to know
when, or where, or under what circum
stances Andrew johnson, not only as Chief
Magistrate, but in any capacity, ever de-
serted any principle or violated the Consti-
tuition of his country? Cries of Never" "
Let me ask this large and intelligent audi
ence if your Secretary of State, who served
four years under Mr.. Lincoln, and who was
placed upon the butchers block as it were,
and hacked to pieces and scared by the
assassin's knife, ever turned traitor
Cries of "Never''l If were disposed to
play the orator and deal in defamation to-
night, would initiate one of the ancient
tragedians, and would take William H.
Seward and bring him before you, and
point you to the hacks and scars upon his
person. A voice. God bless him. - L
would exhibit the bloody garments satura-
ted with gore from his gushing wounds
Then I would ask you, Why not hang Thad.
my countrymen, [ have been fighting the
South, and they have been whipped and
crushed, and they acknowledge their de-
feat and accept the terms of the Constitu-
ton and now, as go round the circle,
having fought traitors at the South [ am
prepared to fight traitors at the North
TCheersl God willing, with your help, we
will do it. (Cries of eve won't.')
It will be crushed North and South
This glorious Union of ours will be pre-
served. [Cheers. do not come here as
the Chief Magistrate of twenty-five States
out of thirty-six. [Cheers. [ come here
tonight with the flag of my country and
the Constitution of thirty-six States unfair
nished. Are you for dividing this country?
[Cries of No."] Then I am President,
and am President of the whole United
States. Cheers. I will tell you one other
thing. I understand the discordant notes
in this crowd tonight. He who is opposed
to the restoration of this Government and
the reunion of the States is as great trait
or as jeff Davis or Wendell Phillips
Loud cheers. am against both. Cries
of .'Give it to them. " Some of you talk
about traitors at the South, who have not
courage enough to get away from your
homes to fight them. Laughter and
cheers. The courageous men, Grant,
Sherman, Farragut, and the long list of
the distinguished sons of the Union, were
in the field and led on their gallant hosts
to conquer and to victory, while you re-
mained cowardly at nome. [Applause.-I
A" Bully."] Now, when these brave men