Shreveport semi-weekly news. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1865-18??, 1866-05-08
Speech Of President johnson.

<ARiAA ASH'y
to the crowd Of soldiers and sailors
assembled at the White House this
evening to pay their respects to the
the President, Prssid mt johnson
said. confess that in the peculi al
position of public affairs. your pres
ence and address give encouragement
and confidence to me in my efforts
to discharge the duties encumben'
on me MS Chief Magistrate Of the
Rep ,blic, and in what l have to say
shall address you in the character
of citizens, sailors and soldiers. Gap
plaus..) We are to-day involved III
one of the most critical and tryin.
situations that have occurred since
the Government came into existence
Our nation has another test still to
undergo, and that is to give evidence
to the nations of the earth, and to its
own citizens, that it has tue power
to restore internal peace. that 1t has
strength enough to put down treach-
cry and treason within it's own Dor
drrs. We hav. commenced an or
deal, and trust in God, we will pass
through it successfully. Cheers
feel complim-nted by the allusion
of one present to the fact that III the
Senate, in 1850 and 1861, when the
nation was entering on this ordeal l
raised my hands against treason.
:r.achery aud traitors. CHEERS and
cries of good) l stand here to-day
opposing traitors and their treason,
whoever they be, in the South or in
the North. l stand here to-day AS
:hen stood. using all my powers,
mental and physical, to preserve the
nation in going through the third
phase of it's existence. The organ
lied forces and combined powers ,ha,
recently stood arrayed against you
are disbanded and driven from tn.
field. But it does not follow that
there are still no enemies aga ust our
present fonn of Cove. nment and our
free institutions. (Applasse.) then
stood in the Senate of the United
States, denying the doctrine of sep
aration and secession. ld.nied then
as ! do now, that any State has the
right Of it's own will to separate it.
self from the other States, and the
right to destroy Tie Union and break
up the government, and ! think l
have given some evidence that l
have been sincere and in earnest,
and now l want to know why it Is.
that the whole train of sland-r-rs
and calumniators have been barking
and Swapping at my heels 2 (cheers.)
Why is it they have arrayrd them
selves agains, mel Is it because l
stand on the side of tn. people and
when say tn. people, l include sail
ors and soldiers. (chevrs.) Why is it
that they are arraycd in iraducins
and ialsitying and catumniating me!
Where We're they during the REBEL
ion jus, ended7 answer ut home
in bed. QLaughtrr.y In til. SENATE
raised my voice against it, and
when it Was believed that it would be
t." the interest Of the nation and
would assist in putting down The r--
b.liion, did l not leave my place in
the Senate, plac. of .inoluncnf,
ease and distinction, and take my po-
sition where the enemy could be
IchSIitu anu " IeIc ltN'o "Si'
danger CHEERS and cries OF that's
so) While 1 was thus exposed. per-
sonally and publicly. some of my
y -s.nt traducrrS and Unniators
were far removed from the foe and
were enjoying case and comfort
All these foul wheips of sin have
been turned loose against me. | care
not for all that they may tell you,
s, to-day. Although pretty we'll
advanced IN life, feel that shall
live long enough to live down the
whole pack OF traduc-rs andinfamous
s.auderers. (Applause.) They hay"
turned the whole pack loose to lower
me in your estimation. Verify they
can't do il. Tray, Blanche and Sweet
heart, little dogs and all come along
swapping and snarlinS at my heels,
bu, l heed them not. (Chr.rs.) The
American people, citizens, soldiers
and sailors know that from my ad-
vent in public life to the present
time, l have always stood unwaver-
ingly til. advocate and defender Of
their rights and interests. We a.-
now III INC ilhlIDU tIutui. w =
are not ye, through. We denied that
States could go out of the Union
We denied the doctrine of secession
and we have demonstrated that We
were right. We demonstrated it by
the strong arm. Yes. the soldiers
and the sailors, God bless them. hav,
demonstrated by their patriotism and
strong arms that States have not tn,
power to leave the Union. APPLAUSE.
What followed The Coufederat.
armies Were overpowered and dis
banded, and there was willingness.
on the part of the people of thos'
States to come back in obedience t
the law, and acknowledge the su
pre,nacy of the Constitution OF GU
fathers. For what have we passe'
through this third ordeal 1t wa