Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1866-09-17
THE PRESIDENT AT PITTSBURG
Not Allowed to speak Ruffian
ism Triumphant.

| The President approached the front o.
the platform, and waved his hat as if tc
command silence. This effort was some
what successful, when the President
| commenced his remarks as follows:
FELLow-cIrIzEys Permit me, through
your honored Chairman, 10 tender my
sincere thanks to the people and citizens
of Pittsburg for the welcome which they
have given me, and those who accom-.
pany me, on this occasion. Cheers, and
| cries of silence in the crowd below, as
well as on the platform.
/ feel honored in receiving this wei
come, more especially as it emanates
from the people-the people on whom |
have always relied who have rendered
it TO me under peculiar circumstances,
in defiance of those who here hold power
and authority. Shouts, groans, and
cries of Johnson, go on. A welcome
to Pittsburg by the people, the masters
of those who refused welcome TO a
fellow-citizen, and to the chief magis-
traie, welcome from their masters,
repeat, is peculiarly gratifying to me.
The noise below continued. And in
being here tonight, | will say in the
few words to which / intend to give ut
terance, that ] came, being welcomed by
the people as fellow-ctizen, and the
chief magistrate of not twenty-five, but
of thirty six States. Immense cheering.
come as the chief magistrate of, as
inscribed there (pointing TO the words
in gas light on the front of the hotel,
The whole Union, and not part of
the Union, and, as has been eloquently
alluded TO here TO night, with reference
to this Union and the opening of the
Mississippi river, | would ask, were any
people more interested in these than are
the people of Pittsburg? Cheers. II,
for instance. the attempt to separate the
Union had been successful, let me call
attention to the influence 1t would have
had on the commerce, trade, and manu-
features of Pittsburg
And now, being fo- the whole Union,
| feel and think am for the individual
interests of every man who stands before
me here tonight [Cheers and confused
cries in the crowd
| am for the restoration of these
States, and as something has been said
by some one in the crowd as 10 my pol
icy, will state that my policy is TO re-
store this Union cheers and groans and
TO bring about peace and reconciliation,
and concord between the American peo-
pie
| will submit one single proposition.
Ny countrymen, let me suppose case
to this people Suppose the eleven
Southern States lay outside Of the juris
diction Of this government-belonged to
some foreign power-and proposed an
nexation to twenty-five States Of this
Union, with all their resources and fer
tility of soil, and with a demand for
manufactured articles, where is the man
who would say they should not become
a part of this confederacy? A voice,
t" JEFF Davis
We look to the West and Southwest,
and want an outlet for this great city, |
and where is the man who would object |
to make an accession of this kind? A
voice: Tell US about New Orleans.
The disorder, mingled and confused
cries, continued.
In coming here tonight and accept |
ing the welcome [cries everywhere of |
order | come presenting the flag
of my .country-not with twenty-five, but
with thirty-six stars lit Applause.
The President here paused, the noise |
was so great be could not be heard A
large procession from the Northern Lib |
critics was coming in with bands Of
music He waved his hat, as if to secure
silence. the crowd clamored for Grant |
The President resumed, remarking
+" have only few more words to utter
There we're renewed cries for Grant,
when the President beckoned to General
Grant, who stood near him, TO come TO |
the front of the platform. Grant did so
and bowed TO the clamoring multitude, |
few moments, then bowed |
and retired There were screenings. |
hurrahs, whstling and groans, mingled |
with cries for Farragut, who appeared,
and received the plaudits of the people |
Finding it impossible TO secure a fur |
Their hearing, the President merely said, |
" bid you good night, and withdrew.
Three cheers were then given for the /
President By part Of the crowd, and |
three cheers followed for Grant and Far
ragut
Inc crown continued BIOdus anu Il
shouts for more than an hour, when Grant |
on the balcony and told the
people that they had better dispense to
their houses that they had seen every
thing, and should retire quietly. He en-
to speak further, and waved
his hat to the crowd in a deprecatory
bat the noise was so great that
be could not proceed, and was obliged to
retire
After this, shouts Of various kinds were
continued. Cries for johnson were
mingled with groans and cheers for every
prominent political character, including
Beecher and Tying
The display Of flags that were obnOxi-
Jus to the crowd, elected considerable
eering and hooting, but altogether the
,rowd was peaceably disposed, and, with
he exception of a few small fights and
several sudden dispersiOns, did not pro
iced to any serious acts After Grants
-emarks it commenced 10 thin out, and
low and then seemed to acquire new
7itality, and continued to announce its /
presence with considerable loudness