The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1866-08-20
PORTLAND MONDAY MORNING, AUGUST 90 1866

tlemen who are trying to DESTROY the countrv
l regard 1t as more important than any con
venIion that has sat, at least since 1857.
Inn ttllnA may also state that the declarations
sla. were enere made, are equal with the dec
iaratlon OF independence. Your addresses and
ueciIaratiops is are nothing more or less than q
States. ~ 7, ~ 80 "'' - '-.' - :,
Yes, viii go further, and say that the decla-
ratlons that you have made, that the principles
you nave enunciated in your address, are a
second proclamation of emancipation to the
people OF the United States For in proclaim
ilg ing an! reproclalming these great truths you
nave i';eL iao DOWN constitutional platform upou
stand together for the restoration of the States
ana preservation of the government, without
reference to party. The question only is the
salvation OF the country, for the country rises
apoye all party considerations or influences.
Many are there in the United States that
now require to be free, that have the shackles
upon their limbs and are bound as srieidly as
though they were in fact in slavery. 1 repeat
then, that your declaration is the second proc
ialia1on la ol emancipation to the people of the
Oulteo states, and offers a common ground
upon which all patriots can stand.
MI. CHAIRMAN and gentlemen, let me, in this
co1nec1ion, ask you, what have / to gain more
than the advancement of the public welfare ?
am as much opposed to the indulgence of eg-
otlsm as any one; but here in a conversational
manner, while formally reviewing the proceed
lngs OF this convention, may be permitted
again to ask, what am to gain by consulting
human ambitdon, more than have gained?
Except in one thing my race is nearly run I
have been placed in the high office which / oc-
cupy under the Constitution of the country.
and l may say have held from the lowest to
the nlgnest, almost every position to which a
man may attain i'll our government. 1 have
passed through every position from an alder
man OF village to the Presidency of the States:
and SuTelV. Oauflamnn this CHI lo. IL
to crafty reasonable ambition. If wanted
authority, or If wished to perpetuate nv own
power, how easy it would have been to hold
ana wield that which was placed in my hands
py the measures called the Freedmen's Bureau
DILL With an army that it placed at nv dis
cretion, Ioould have remained at the capitol of
the United States, and with its appropriations
at my disposal, with the machinery to be work
ed by my own hands, with my satraps in every
town and village, and then with the civil rights
with all the other appliances Of the government.
could paye proclaimed myself dictator. But,
gentlemen, my pride and my ambition have
been to occupy that position which retains All
power IN the hands Of the people. 1t is upon
tnat l nave always rehed 1t is upon that re-
~ now; and repeat that neither the taunts
nor the jeers of Congress, nor of a subsidized
calun1niahng press can drive me from NV mr.
pose. 1 acknowledge no superior excei,t INV
God, the Greater of my existence, and the peo-
PIC VI 1Ho oiuUcu OtdGeS ~FOr the one, i trV to
obey al his commands as best can, compati-
bic with my poor humanity; for the other, in
a political and representative sense, the high
behests of the people have always been respect
ed and ebeyed byme. sl-aa Ia'Rsera ffgI t
Mr. Chairman, have said more than I in
tended to say. For the kind illusions to nv
self contained in your address, and in the reso-
lutions adopted by the convention, let me re-
mark that in this crisis, and at this period of
my public life, shall hold above all price. and
shall ever recur with feelings of profound graf
lhcation to the last resolution containing the
endorsement of the convention, emanating
spontaneously from the great mass of the peo.
ple.A Il trust and hope that my future action
may be such that you and the convention may
not regret the assurance of confidence you have
expressed in me.
Before separating, my friends, we and all the
committee and strangers, please accept my sim
cere thanks for the kind manifestations of re!
gard you have exhibited on, this occasion i
repeat shall always continue to be guided by
a firm and conscientious conviction of duty
that always gives me courage under the Con-
stitution, which make my guide 6 08s ~ !
AT the conclusion of the Presidents remarks
three cheers were enthusiastically given for
Andrew Johnson and three more for General
The President and Gen Grant then retired
arm in arm, and the committee and the audi
ence eo1hrienssd to disperse.