The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1866-04-21
SPEECH By PRESIDENT JOHNSON
His Response to a Call Of the so'''''s
and sailors.

WASHINGTON. April 1s.--In reply 70 'ns
crowd OF soldiers end sailors assembled ~
the White House this evening, 70 p"J 80
respects to tho PRESIDENT, President '0AH'0"
said:
CONFESS tha. IN the peculiar pos.ure u
public affairs your presence gives atforts 70
mani and con6dsnce to me in my enoI.' W
discharge the duties incumbent upon Mo %
chief "a ae;strste of the republic, ana ~ m .
I have TO saw shall address you ID 'u' 0N~'
actsr of citizens. 1oe-a "a.
Sailors and soldiers, [applause We s1o &c. 20,
day involved in one of the most 'lis; tL;.
trying struggles that has occurred T TlI0o .u.'
government came into existence. Auie sos'
ernment has still another trial to 60 'uiousu:
and that is to give evidence TO the hA.'caI y.
the earth, and to its own citizens, 'nAs ~ na'
power enough to put down trsacaefy S ~ .oG
and treason within its own borders lonooi'
We have commenced that ordesi' ano
trust in God we will pass through 0ao'. .a
fully. Cheers I feel compllmsnsea w . VIC
sllusion of your representative 70 1 .os i 80
stood in the senate in 1860 and lo0i' Mnon
the nation was turning 70 this thru osoesi
and raised my voice and hand sgsinss 'fess,
on and treachery at home. lonsel'' ana
cries of "Good," l stand here so'dsy' no,o-
ing and maintaining the same pIiuoip.o0
which 1 then enunciatsd. / stand mere To-
day opposing traitors and treason "ne'ne5
they be in the south or north. Louo oneefsl
/ stand here to-day, as I then ssooo' using
all my powers, mental and physical 70 pre-
serve this nation in passing through .ne
third phase of its existence. The organized
and com bined powers that recently s'oou NJ
rayed against US are abandoned ana driven
from the field, but it does noa foilo" snas
there are no enemies against our presens
form of government and free lnstituoons.
then stood in the senate of the United states
denying the doctrine of secession. oenieo
then as do now that any state mas tne Ilgnt
of its own free will TO separate itself from
the other states, and thereby destroy tne IN
ion and break up the government ana tnink
I have given some evidence that have oeen
sincere and in earnest, and l now want 10
know why it is that the whole tram OF sian
ders and caluminators and traducers have
been barking and swapping at my heels e
[Chsers.
Why 10 il that they array themselves
against me? Is it because stand ON the
side of the people ?-and, when l say people,
include the soldiers and sailors. Cheers
Why is they are arryaed in traduclng, and vii
flying and eliminating me? Where were
they during the rebellion? A voice, AT home
in bed" Laughter. In the senate | raised
my voice against it, and, when 1t was believ-
ed that it would be to the interest of the ma
ton and assist IN putting down the ressllion,
did not leave my place In the senate-a
place of emolument, ease and distinction
and take my position where the enemy could
be reached, and where mems lives were in
danger. Cheers, and cries of That's SOL
l was opposed personally and publicly by
some of my present traducers and cslumins-
ators who were far removed from the foe, and
who were enjoying ease and comfort
Cheers But care not for them [ care
not that slsndsr-the foul whslp of sin-has
been let loose against me. | care not for all
that, and let me tell you here to day, that,
although pretty well advanced in life, / feel
that shall live long enough to live down the
whole pack of traduosrs and slanderers.-
| Applause. They have turned the whole
pack loose to lower me in your Estimation
| A voics, "They can't do It," Tray,
Sweetheart and all the little dogs
come along swapping at my heals, but heed
them not. [Cheers.
The American people-citizens, soldiers
and saifors-know that, from my advent into
public life to the present moment, l have al
ways stood unyieldlngly and unwayeringly
and unwsveringly the defender of their rights
and interests.
We are now in the nations. third ordeal ::
we are not yet through it. We said that
states could not 90 out of the Union we de-
MED the doctrine of secession, and we have
been instructed that we are right. We dem.
onstrated it by the strong arm-yes, the sol
dlers and the sailors, God bless them have
demonstrated by their patriotic hearts and
strong arms that states have not the power
to leave the Union What followed? The
confederate armies were overpowsred and
and there was a Willingness on
the part of the people Of these states to come
back, be obedient to the laws and acknowl-
edge the supremacy of the constitution of
our fathers. For what have we passed thro'
this third ordeal? 1t was to establish the
principle that no state had the power to
break up this government. What have all
these lives been sacrificed and all this treas
are expended for? Was it for the purpose
IF destroying states? No, it was for the pur
pose of preserving the states and the Union
IF the states. That is what we have been
for, and to establish the fact that
he Union can lift itself above and bevond
Intestine foes. and treason and traitors At
nome. When the rebellion in Massachusetts
was put down, did that put Massacbusetts
tut of the Union and destroy the state?--
When the rebellion in Pennsylvania was mt
Town, did that destroy the state and mt IL
nut of the Union? So, when the recent great
rebellion was put down, and the constitution
md laws of the country were restored the
tates engaged in the rebellion being crushed
he law was restored and the constitution NO.
in those states, and, CONSTITUTING
part of the glorious Union, they were re-.
tored.
In passing through this war for the Union.
great deal was done in Tennessee under the
Erection of my lamented predecessor. We
commenced the work together. We succeed
d, before came here, in restoring the rela.
ions which had existed between Tennessee
nd the rest of the Union, with one execution
nd that was the one relative to representa-.
on. l came to Washington, and, under ex.
aordinary circumstances, succeeded to the
residential chair. What then :? The con.
ress of the United States adjourned without
any plan. then proceeded, as
had done in my own state, under the direo-
ID of the government, to restore the other
ates and how did we begin? We found
at the people had no courts, and we said to
9 judges, district attorneys and marshals.
10 down and hold your courts people need |
a xr;huuala of iust;oo 90 10 onorol1, W..