Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1866-08-24
THE PRESIDENTS SPEECH.
PHILADELPHIA CONVENTION ENDORSED.
CONGRESS A fSO-CALLED BODY.
THE RADICALS DENOUNCED AS ENEMIES
TO THE COUNTRY.
FAITH IN THE PEOPLE AND FIDELITY TO
THE CONSTITUTION.

FAITH IN THE PEOPLE AND FIDELITY TO
THE CONSTITUTION.
WASHINGTON, August 1S-There was a
great crowd to-day to hear the President in
response to Hon Reverdy johnson, who pre-
sentcd the official proceedings of the Conven-
ton. Referring with feeling to the scene
rcprcsented of South Carolina and Massa-
chusetts entering the Convention together,
he said he was overcome, and could not but
conclude that an overruling Providence was
directing us Alright He said: s'Our brave
men have performed their duties in the field,
and have won laurels imperishable, but Qurn
ING to General Grant, he continued there
are greater and more important duties to per-
form, and while we have had their co-opera-
ton in the field, we now need their efforts to
perpctuate peace Applause. 1.-The Elk
ccutive Department had tried to pour oil on
the wounds and restore the Union, but it
had not entirely succeeded We have seen,
he said, in one Department Of the Govern
ment, every effort to prevent the restoration
of peace and harmony in the Union. We
have seen hanging upon the verge of the
Government, as it were, body called, or
which assumes to be the Congress Of the
United States" while in fact it is Congress
of only part of the States We have seen
this Congress assume and pretend to be for
the Union, when its every step and act tended
to perpetuate disunion and make a disruption
of the States inevitable. Instead Of promot-
ing harmony and reconciliation its Legislation
has partaken of the character of penalties,
retaliation and revenge. This has been the
course and policy Of one portion Of your Gov
ernment The humble individual who is now
addressing you stands as the representative
of another Department of the Government.
The manner in which he was called upon to
occupy that position I, shall not allude to on
this occasion. Suffice it to say that he is
here under the Constitution Of the country,
and being here by virtue of its provisions,
he takes his stand upon that charter of liber-
ties as the great rampant of civil and religious
liberty Prolonged cheering Having been
taught in my early life to hold it sacred, and
having practiced upon it during my whole
public career [ shall ever continue to rever-
ence the Constitution of my fathers and to
make it my guide. Hearty applause.] The
President proceeded and denied the charge
that be had ever been tyranical or despot.
Such charges, he said, were simply to deceive
and delude the public mindinto the belieft that
there is some one in power who is usurping
and trampling upon rights secured by the
Constitution. 1t is done by those who make
such changes for the purpose of covering
their own acts. [.'That's 50" and applause.
have felt it my duty in vindieation of the
principles and Constitution Of my country to
call the attention Of my countrymen to these
proceedings. When we come to examine
who has been playing the tyrant, by whom
do we find despotism exercised AS to my
self, the elements ofmy nature, the pursuits
of my life have not made me either, in my
feelings, or in my practice oppressive. My
nature, on the contrary, is rather defensive
in its character. But, will say that having
taken my stand upon the broad principles Of
liberty and the Constitution, there is not
power enough on earth to drive me from it
Loud and prolonged applause. Having
placed myself upon that broad platform
have not been awed OF dismayed, or intimi-
dated, either by threats or Entertainments,
but have stood there in conjunction with pa
triotic spirits, sounding the tocsin of alarm
when I deemed the citidel of Liberty in dan
ger. Great applause
I said On previous occasion and repeat
now that all that was necessary in this
great struggle against despotism, was that
the struggle should be sufficiently audible
for the American people to hear and
properly understand. They did hear,
and looking on and seeing who the con-
testants were and what the struggle was
about, they determined that they would set
tie this question ON the side ofthe Constitu-
ton and Of principle. | proclaim here to-
day, as | have on previous occasions, that
my faith in the great mass Of the people in
the darkest hour Of this struggle, when the
clouds seemed to be most lowering, my faith,
instead of giving way, doomed up through
the cloud, beyond which, saw that all would
be well in the end
My countrymen, we all know that tyran-
ny and despotism in the language of Thomas
Jefferson, can be exercised and exerted more
effectively by the many than the one. We
have seen Congress gradually encroach step
by step, and violate day after day and month
after month, the constitutional rights and the
fundamental principles of the Government
We have seen a Congress in minority as
sumo to exercise power which, if allowed to
be carried out, would result in despotism and
monarchy itself. This is the truth, and be-
cause Others as well as myself, have seen
proper to appeal to the patriotism and Re-
publican feeling of the country, we have been
denounced in the severest terms. Slander
upon SANDER, vitupcration upon vituperation
of the most violent character has made its
way through the press. What, gentlemen,
has been your and my sin that has been the
cause of our offending? will tell you.-
Daring to stand by the Constitution of our
fathers!
consider the proceedings of this Conven-
ton moro important than those of any con-
vention that ever assembled in the United
States. Great applause. When | look
with nv minds eve uDOn that collection of