Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1866-03-09
sPEECH OFG0YEBNoR DENNIsov
AT THE EQpPER IHaTITnTE.

The Chairman introduced Governor
Dennison, of Ohio, Postmaster General
4 OF the United States, who was greeted
with applause. He said
Mr.. Chairman and FeIE0l0- Citizens -
Il In responding to your friendly call, let
me express my qualification in seeing so
large an assemblage of the good people OF
this city to respond to the patriotic efforts
Of the President to restore the Constitu-
| tloual relations between the Federal Gov
ernment and all the Statesi in the Union, F."
as displayed in his proelamations to the
people and In his messages to Congress.
| (CheePs.) It is right, sir, that this great
city should lose ne time in pronOuncing
/ It's opinion upon the political situation Of
the country and by its counsels contri-
/ butte, as they must largely contribute to
/ the relieving of that situation from the
/ embarrassments that now surround it. I
| have not believed, and do not now believe
/ that there Is any necessity for permanent
/ difference between the President and the
/ Union members of Congress on any real
! y practical legislation relating to the
States lately IN rebellion; and [ regard
/ this meeting, composed "of citizens of
/ New I ork, who sustained the national
| authority IN the war against the rebel
! IIon, as a most encouraging augury that
| the dangers which seem to threaten the
| Union organization will soon pass away.
and that the great party which In the
Held, on the sea, and at the ballot box has
saved the nation, will preserve its vigor-
GUS unity, and under Providence. fully
accomp .Ish the great work Of its patriot
&c mission (Applause) Will it be said
that in this hope we are doomed to disap-
polntment because of the recent act of
the President IN returning to Congress
the Freedmen's Bureau bill with the OBJ
JectiOns to its being law? [ answer no.
w hat does the President say in his veto
message Not that he is opposed to ex-
tending protection to the freedmen and
refugees of the South, because he is now
doing that under existing law Not. that
he Is opposed to the principle of a bill
for the relief of the freedmen and refu-
gees, because he IS executing the existing
law vigorously and Ia good faith. zap
plause. A law, be it noted. which by its
terms, Is not limited in its continuance
to the war of the rebellion, nor to ex-
plre In few months as has been mad
yertently stated, but will continue In
force for one year after the close of the
rebellion, to date from the proclamation
OF the President, announcing the war at
an end, which has not been made or
law OF congress declaring that peace has
come, which has not been enacted thus
securing the continuance of the existing
law at least one year from this day, and
which may be thereafter extended. if
Congress shall find that the then condi
ton OF the freedmen and refugees need
longer special protection
What does the President saw in his
message Let me read the opening para
graph:
have examined with care the bill.
which originated In the Senate and has
been passed by the two houses of Con
gress, to amend an act entitled An act to
establish a Bureau for the Relief of
Freedmen and Refugees, and for other
purposes, Having with much regret |
come to the conclusion that it would not
be consistent with the public welfare to |
give my approval to the measure, l return |
the bill to the Senate with my objections |
to its becoming a law (Cheers.) II
might call to mind, in advance of these |
objections, that there is no Immediate |
necessity for the proposed measure. That |
act TO establish a bureau for the relief of
freedmen and refugees, which was an |
proved IN the month of March last, has |
not yet expired. 1t was thought stringent |
and extensive enough for the purpose in |
view. Before it ceases to have effect /
further experience may assist to guide us /
to a wise conclusion as TO the policy to be /
adopted in time of peace. [ have with |
Congress the strongest desire to secure to !
the freedmen the full enjoyment of their |
freedom and their property and their en- |
tire independence and equality In making |
contracts for their labor
Why, then, the veto ? Let the message /
itself answer the question. THE bill be- |
fore me, says the President contains !
provisions which, IN my opinion, are not |
warranted by the Constitution, and are |
not well suited to accomplish the end in /
view. (Applause) With these convic- J
tlons, my fellow citizens, what else could |
the President have done but to return the |
bill as he dldT Let me commend to you /
a careful and dispassionate consideration |
Of the message itself Can it be. that the |
President, who has never failed to signal |
lze his devotion to the best interests of !
his country, as he understood those in |
terests to be- who from early manhood |
fought the cause of the rebellion In his 4
unyleldIng opposition TO the slave aristoc- |
racy of the South who fought treason. |
face to face, IN the Senate of the United /
States, and In Tennessee, with a heroism /
not excelled, if equaled, by any other |
living public character; who adopted !
and has executed, and is now executing |
10 good faith, the essential features of his |
martyred predecessors programme for the /
restoration Of the insurgent States-a !
programme sanctioned by every member |
Of his Cabinet. (Applause.) Can it be. |
| ask, that, with such a record and such a |
character, the President would now per |
form so grave an act as the vetoing Of |
bill approved by nearly all the Union I
members Of Congress, looking to the inn /
mediate welfare of four millions of loyal /
people, unless lmpelled to do so by the |
weightiest reasons and the profoundest |
convictions Of dutY2 (Applause) The |
answer, my fellow-citizens, leave to the |
Intelligence and the patriotism of the /
country. cloud applause.)