The Portland daily press., 1866-05-25
The Serenade to the President.
Especial Dispatch to the Boston Journal.

liE 'i"'9 WASHINGTON, May %, 1866.
The "fumigation serenade," apparently got
ten up by the officeholders' johnson Club for
the purpose of smoking out the political opn-
ions of the Cabinet officers, came off tonight.
About a thousand tralnped around from house
to house, listening to the same tunes from the
marine band at each halting place, and hear
ing nothing new or strange. /" {ligaE Dl.
President johnson, very wisely, said but a
few words of thanks. Mr.. Fred Seward brief
ly apologized for the absence of, the Secretary
of State. Secretary McCulloch was the only
one who evidently said what he meant and
meant what he said-as he assailed Congress
squarely and fairly. Postmaster General
Dennison INDUCED in hopes of reunion be-
tween the President and Congress. Secretary
Stanton stood between two flaring candles,
and read his confession of faith, which was
SO made up of extracts from the Presidents
messages ana his own views, that it was diff
cult to say which was which, or what the Sec
retary's real views are. Messrs. Harlan and
Speed lodged spcech-making, but wrote letters
OF apology--that of the Secretary OF the In
terror showing clearly that he is not an in
dorser OF the policy OF the President Taken
all in all, the serenade was failure.
SPEECH OF PRESIDENT JOHNSON. =.
Fellow Citizens: In appearing before you
this evening, it is simply tor the purpose of
rendering to you my thanks-lny sincere
thanks-for this demonstration, and for the
appreciation which you have manifested on
this occasion and on many occasions before.
Such appreciation is peculiarly gratifying and
encouraging to me under existing circum
stances. All that will be necessary is to per-
sist in the support and maintainance of cor
rect principles, and the day is not distant
when the American people will be satisfied
Al As,xr
right, as it will so prove in the end. (Cheers.
repeat my thanks for your appreciation of
my conduct as a public man and public SER
want. ..5ifrlng IS. -osoulih s'9faea Z
The President then retired amid hearty ap-
plause. 9.f .frss 10 III saas,sos rI = si.ay
MR.. sTANToN's SPEECH. q., s,li
Gentlemen: On the afternoon of Thursday,
the 18th of this month, received note from
the Secretary of the National Union johnson
Club, telling me it was the design Of the Asso-
citation to serenade the President and his Cab
met, and that would be called upon at my
residence. Immediately on the receipt of this
note, reply was semitic theSecretary express
ing my thanks for the compliment and declin-
ing the honor of a serenade. A similar COM
pliment by the patriotic Association Of the
Soldiers and Sailors League had previously
been declined. Two reasons induced my ac-
from this spot in answer to a serenade, was
the night of Friday the 14th day Of April,
1865. AT that moment, when we were rejoic-
ing over the downfall of the rebellion one Of
its instruments was numbering Mr.. Lincoln
You will not think it strange that a comph-
mentary occasion fraught with such associa-
tions should not be coveted. Besides, as the
head of department, my public duties have
been simply executive, and it always. has been
my aim to avoid touching upon duties devolv-
ed upon others, and to avoid mischief by pre-
mature discussion of matters intrusted to the
legislative branch of the government, and un-
der its consideration. But the call OF this ev-
ening relieves me of any imputation of intrud-
ing my opinions upon you. | shall therefore
declare them briefly and plainly, to the end
that they may,b be neither accidentally misun-
derstood nor wilfully misrepresented.
Besides the steps taken by the Executive to
restore the Constitutional relations OF the
States, his annual message called the attention
of Congress to the necessity OF ensullns the
security of the freedmen, reminding Congress
that while he had no doubt that the General
Government could not extend the elective
franchise. it is equally clear that good faith re-
ouires the security Of the freedmen in their
liberty and their property, their right to labor
and their right to clam the just return for their
labor: and observing further that the country
is in need of labor and that the freedmen are
in need of employment, culture and protec
tion, These views OF the President in relation to
tlre freedmen received and continue to receive
nv hearty concurrence. They have guided
tbe action of the War Department. and were
substantially advocated in its annual report
In what | believe an honest desire to conform
to them bill was passed by Congress regulat-
ing the Freedmen's Bureau, but the provisions
OF the bill did not meet the Presidents ap-
proval, because he believed the powers confer