Clarksville weekly chronicle. [volume] (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1865-1867, 1866-04-27
THE PRESIDENT ON THE
SITUATION.

SITUATION.
He Defends his Reconstruction Pol.
icy-.N0 Taxation without Repre-
sentatlOn.
WAsHISroN, April ls.-In reply to the
crowd Of soldiers and sailors, assembled at
the White House this evening to pay tn cir
respects TO the President, Mr.. johnson said :
In confess that. in the peculiar position oi
public affairs, your presence and address
give encouragement and confidence TO me in
my efforts to discharge the duties incumbent
upon me, as Chief Magistrate of the republic;
and in what have to say shall address you
in the character of citizens, sailors and
soldiers. [Applause.1
We are to-day involved In one Of the
most critical and trying situations that has
occurred since the Government came into
existence nation has still another test to
undergo; and that is to give evidence to the
nations Of the earth, and to its own citizens,
that II has power to restore internal unity
that IL has strength enough to put down
treachery and treason within its own borders.
[Cheers's.1 We have commenced q new
ordeal, and, trust in God, that we will pass
through it successfully. [Cheers.
feel complmented, by the allusion OF
one present, to the fact that in the Senate, in
1860 and 1861, when the nation was enter
ing on this ordeal. raised my hand against
treason, treachery, and traitors at home
[Cheers and cries Of good. stand here
to-day holding to and maintaining the same
position that then enunciated. TCheers. I
| stand here to-day opposing traitors and
treason, who ever they be, in the South or in
the North. [Cheers.
stand here to-day as ! then stood, using
all my powers, mental and physical, to pre-
serve the nation in passing through the
third phase of its existence. The organized
forces and combined powers that recently
stood arrayed against us are disbanded and
driven from the field; but II does not follow
that there are still no enemies against our
present form Of Government and our free
institutions. [Applause.
then stood in the Senate of the United
States denying the doctrine of separation
and secession. denied then, as do now,
that any State has the right of its own will
to separate itself from the other States and the
right to destroy the Union and break up the
Government. l think have given some
evidence that | have been sincere and in
earnest.
Now, want to know why it is that the
whole train of slanderers and calumniators
have been barking and swapping at my heels?
[Cheers.] Why is it that they have arrayed
themselves against me? Is it because
stand on the side of the people? and when
say the people include sailors and soldiers
[Cheers.] Why is It that they are arrayed
in traducing and villifying, and calumniatine
mel Where were they during the rebel.
lion? | answer, at home in bed
In the Senate raised my voice against
it, and when it was believed that it would
be to the interest of the nation and would
assist in putting down the rebellion, did
not leave my place in the Senate-a place Of
emolument, ease and distincton-and take
my position where the enemy could bt
reached, and where mems lives were in dan.
ger2 GCheers, and cries "Thats so."1
While thus exposed personally and pub.
licly, some of my present traducers and ca
lumipators were far removed from the foe
and were enjoying ease and comfort
[Cheers and laughter. But care not fol
them; care not that SANDER, the foul whelI
of sin, has been turned loose against me;
care not for all that, and let me tell you
here to-day, that although pretty well ad-
vanced in life, feel that | shall live long
enough to live down the whole pack of ira
ducers and slanderers. Applause.
They have turned the whole pack loose Ia
lower me in your estimation, ("ver'ly, they
can't do it," Tray, Blanche, and sweetheart
little dogs, and all, come along swapping and
snarling at my heels, but heed them not
rCheers.1 The American people, citizens
soldiers and sailors know that from my ad.
vent into public life to the present moment
! have always stood unwaveringAy the advo-
cate and defender Of their rights and inter.
ests. [Cheers
We are now in the nations third ordeal
We are not yet through; we denied tba,
States could go out of the Union; we denied
the doctrine of secession, and have demon
strated that we were right. We demonstra'
ted it by the strong arm; yes, the soldiers ant
the sailors, God bless them, have demonstrated
by their patriotism and strong arms thai
States have not the power to leave thu
Union. [Applause.]
The Confederate armies were ,overpowerec
and disbanded, and there was a willingness
on the part of the people of those States u
come back in obedience TO the law, and nc
kno wledgD the supremacy of the constitution
of our fathers.
For what have we passed thu ,ough thl
tried ordeal2 IT was to prove the principle
that no State had the power to break up thu
Government. 1t was TO put down the rebel
lion. The rebellion has been put down, ant
what for2 Was 1t to destroy the States
Verify, neyer For what have all thes'
lives been sacrificed, and all this treasur,
expended? Was it for the purpose Of des
troying the StatesY mol II was for thu
purporse of preserving the union Of th,
States. That Is what we have been con
tending for, and to establish the fact tina
the nation can lift itself above and beyont
internal wars and treason, and establish I
home. rH
When the rebellion in Massachusetts wa
put down, did that put Massachusetts, out o
the Union and destroy the State? When th'
rebellion in Pennsylvania was put down
did that destroy the State and put il out o
the Union So, when the recent great re
bellion was put down, and the constitution
and laws of the country restored, the State
engaged in the rebellion being crushed, tn
law restored and the constitution acknowl
edged in them, they stand in the Union
under the constitution, as part Of the glo
rous and bright galaxy of States. Lou
Cheers.]
In passing through this ordeal, what hs
been done In them under the direction 0
my lamented predecessor We commences
the work of repair. We succeeded, before
came here, in restoring the relations whic
had existed between Tennessee and the res
Of the Union, with one exception, and ths
was the representation.
came to Washington, and under extracI
diary circumstances succeeded 10 the Pres