Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1866-08-11
RECEPTION.
Serenade 10, and Speech OF Ex-POst'
master General DenniSOn. -
Ex-PostmasterG General Dennison arrived

Passing along Capitol Square about dusl
last evening, we heard the music of bant
at the West front of the State House. w
found the music was made by the Soldiers
Home Band, under the leadership of Capt
Lybrand. They were playing in fine style
evincing the great proficiency these Grip
pied and disabled soldiers have made dur
ing the short time they have been in train!
ing. rr.
While the band was playing, few per-
sons gathered on the steps of the Capitol
attracted apparently more by curiosity
than by any definite object. After two OF
three airs had been played, Dr.J. Williams,
of the State Auditors office, appeared on a
stone projection and stated that the object
of the present gathering was to tender a
serenade to Gov. Dennison at the residenca
of Mr.. r. E. Neil, on Third street, near the
corner of Third and Broad, whittier the
band and all others would Immediately re-
pair. Eve no ~ttr 0 UrHrt
The band and the small crowd following,
repaired accordingly to the place designa-
ted. Here the assembly was not much in-
creased, being still quite insignificant in
dimensions. After the band had played
once, q few voices called for Mr.. Dennison.
That gentleman appeared at the front door,
and gracefully bowling, thanked the crowd
for this welcome given him on his return
home to Columbus. a.rE3.
Mr.. Dennison then proceeded to deliver
one OF those long speeches for which he is
somewhat noted. He must have spoken
an hour and a half or longer. We
shall not attempt to give report Of
his speech, as we had no opportunity Of
taking notes. The main drift of his ad-
dress was an explanation of the causes
that induced him to resign the position of
Postmaster General. In doing this, he said
he had not resigned on account of any per-
sonal differences between himself and
President johnson, but solely on account
of their disagreement on great political
questions.
He began with the veto of the Freed
mems Bureau bill in February last and the
speech the President made two days there
after. The veto was not SO bad, tor Mr..
Dennison admitted that he himself had
sanctioned it, but the speech was an un-
fortunate one. Mr.. Dennison said that if
he had foreseen the consequences that fol-
lowed that veto, and how the Southerners
were induced by it to regard the President
as their friend, sooner than have given it
his sanction, he would have seen his right
arm withered from his shoulder.
Then came the veto of the Civil Rights
bill. This veto Mr.. Dennison disapproved
for, the bill gave their rights to four million
blacks in the South-the stay of the coun-
try in its darkest hour. Notwithstanding
this veto, Mr.. Dennison still remained in
the Cabinet, for he had yet hopes that
might be effected between
the President and the majority in Congress,
and that the former did not intend to cut
himself off from Mr.. Dennison's party.
Things went on quite smoothly till the
22d of June last, when the President sent
his message to Congress, disapproving of
the Constitutional Amendment resolution.
This message seems to have taken Mr..
Dennison by surprise. He was not prepar-
ed for it, and when it came, it determined
him at once to resign, for he felt that by
that act, President johnson had severed
the party. a
Mr.. Dennison, at this point, entered into
4 long argument, to show that the Presi-
dent had previously approved of all the
PROVISIONS in the Constitutional Amend
ment, except that clause which makes citi-
zens of all persons born or naturalized in
The United States. This. he did not assert,
hat the President had ever approved.
Mr.. Dennison said his reasons for resign
ing were set forth in his brief letter of re-
Iignation. They were simply two-frst,
hat he approved of the Constitutional
and secondly, that he dis
approved of the Philadelphia Convention.
There was an addendum to these reasons,
which was that he regarded the permanent
lscendency of his party in the Government,
Is essential to the salvation of the country.
AS the President simply accepted the
resignation and said nothing about Mr..
Dennison's reasons, or the appendix there
20, he (Mr. d. drew the inference that the
President did not approve of the Constitu-
,ional Amendment; that he was in favor of
,he Philadelphia Convention, and that he
lid not consider that the future welfare of
.he country depended upon the Republican
party having, for all time to come, sole con-
,rol of the Government.
Mr.. Dennison descanted upon the Phila-
lelphia Convention. His sole objection to it,
It least the only one he urged against it, was
hat it was designed by those who got it up,
o disrupt the Republican party. He said
he intention was, not to form third par
y, but to draw of as many as possible
rom the Republican party and consolidate
hem with the Democratic organization.
This was the sole cause of his grief about
he Philadelphia Convention.
Mr.. Dennison seemed to anticipate or
ear defeat of the Republican or Radical
,artY at the ensuing fall elections. They
the Radicals) had not only the Democrats
md their allies to contend with, but the
whole power and patronage OF the Admin
stration. This placed them in a worse
,redicament than they had been, or could
lave been at any time during the war, and
defeat now would be more disastrous TO
heir party than defeat at any time dur