Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1866-02-26
speech of Postmaster General
UAemmleOm.

Ia
speech of Postmaster General
AennIsOn.
The following Is the speech that Postmas-
ter General DENNIsoN made at the great
meeting held at Cooper Institute, New
York, on the night of February 22d, to in
dorse President JOHNSON:
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 ITO restore the COnstitu-
tional relations between the Federal Gov
ernment and all the States in the UniOn,"
as displayed In his proclamations to the
people, and in his messages to Congress. 1t
Is right, sir, that this great city should lose
no time In pronouncing its opinion upon
the political situation of the country, and
by its counsels contribute. as they must
largely contribute, to the relieving OF that
situation from the embarrassments that
NOW surround 1t. have not believed, and
do not now believe, that there is any neces-
lsitJ for permanent difference between the
President and the Union members of Con-
gress on any really practical legislation re-
latng to the States lately in rebellion, and
of New York who sustained the national
authority in the war against the rebellion"
as a most encouraging augury, that the
dangers which seem to threaten the Union
organization will soon pass away, and that
that great party, which in the field, on sea,
and at the ballot-boX has saved the nation,
will preserve its vigorous unity, and under
Providence, fully accomplish the great
work of its patriotic mission. Will it be
said that in this hope we are doomed to dis
appointment, because OF the recent act OF
the President in returning to Congress the
Freedmen's Bureau bill with his objections
to its becoming law? answer, no. What
does the President say in his veto messageg
Not that he is opposed to the extending OF
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 bill for the relief OF the
freedmcc and refugees, because he Is exc
cutting Ine existing law vigorously and in
good faith. What does he say in his mes
sage? Let me read few of the opening
paragraphs:
ITO the Senate Of the United States:
81 have examined with care the bill
which originated in the Senate, and has
been passed by the two Houses of Congress,
to amend an act entitled An act to es-
tablish Bureau for the Relief of Freedmen
and Refugees, and for other purposes
Having, with much regret, come to the con-
clusion that it would not be consistent with
the public welfare to give my approval to
the measure, return the bill TO the Senate
with my objections to its becoming law.
II might call to mind in advance of these
objections that there is no immediate neces-
sity for the proposed measure. The act to
establish bureau for the relief of freedmen
and refugees, which was approved in the
month of March last, has not yet expired.
1t was thought stringent and extern
sive enough for the purpose in view. Be-
fore it ceases to have effect, further eX-
perience may assist to guide us to wise
conclusion as to the policy to be adopted in
time of peace.
II have, with Congress, the strongest de-
sire to secure to the freedmen the full en-
joyment oftheir freedom and their property,
and their entire independence and equality
in making contracts for their labor"
Why then the veto? Let the message it
self answer the question. The bill before
me-" says the President, ''contains provis-
ions which. in nv opinion, are not war
ranted by the Constitution, and are not well
suited to accomplish the end in view."-
With these convictions, what else could the
President have done but to return the bill as
he did? Let me commend you, my fellow
citizens, to careful and dispassionate con-
sideration of the message itself Can it be,
that the President, who has never tailed to
signalize his devotion to the best interests
of the country as he has understood those
interests to be; who, from early manhood,
fought the cause of the rebellion in his un-
yielding opposition to the slave aristocracy
of the South; who fought treason, face to
face, in the Senate of the United States,
and in Tennessee, with heroism not ex-
celIed, il equalled byany other public char
acter; loho adopted and has eTecuted and is noto
erecsttinO, in good taitt, the essential features
Of his ndrtwed predecessors programme for
he reconstruction Of the iasurgent States, a
programme sanctioned By every member Of his
Cabinet; can it be, ask, that with such a
record and such character, the President
would now perform so grave an act as the
vetoing a bill approved by nearly all the
Union members of Congress, looking to
the immediate welfare of four millions of
Oyal people, unless impelled to do so by
the weightiest of reasons, and the profound
of duty? The answer leave to
the intelligence and the patriotism OF the
country. [Applause.]