Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1866-04-30
QDblo Statesnra::rIro... i.
tT [From the N. Y. Heraldlt ,pe l.,.a
MONSTER JOHNSON MEETING in
80 .a,.,. BROOKLYN ..-'r 10 '39 ..,... =, 1,
"The Reconstruction Of the Union
the First business in Order"

"Ihe Reconstruction OF the Union
Iher First business in Order"
-Ianmui rr .r .e" JOB lryf.
THE PRESUDENT,s POLICY ENTHU-
a SlASTlCALLX IN NDOhSED. r...... .
SPEECH OF GENERAL ROUSSEAU.
..'a 'Ir -rW ' .H .. 1ug ..
A Union mass meeting washeld last even
ing at the Academy of Music, Brooklyn,
called under the auspices of the Andrew
johnson Club of Kings county, a new polit-
ical organization, which has enrolled in its
ranks many of the leading men OF Brooklyn,
and has enlisted the sympathies oft the mass
es of the people of the city and county in
It's object-the sustentatiOn of President
johnson in his reconstruction policy and in
his efforts for the Union of all the States,
as opposed to the disuniOn policy of the
Radicals in Congress. The Academy was
filled to OOvertiowing long before the hour
called for the opening OF the proceedings,
which were unaccountably delayed, result
ing afterwards in keeping the meeting to-
gether until half-past eleven o'clock, There
was, however, an excellent band in attend
ance-the Brooklyn Washington Brass
Band-which treated the expectant aud
ience to some excellent music and caused
them the more patiently to await the ap-
pearance of the speakers.
AT half-past eight the meeting was called
to order by the appointmentasc chairman of
j. ID. Mckenzie, who briefly stated the
purpose and object of the meeting.
At the close of the chairman's remarks
series of resolutions we're read and unani-
mously adopted. A letter was read from
General Dix excusing his unavoidable
absence from the meeting.
SPEECH OF GENERAL ROUSSEAU.
General Rousseau was then introduced
and was received by tremendous applause,
the band playing "Hail to the Chief" When
silence was restored the General proceeded
to address the assemblage. He said: Fell
low citizens, thank your President for the
complimentary manner in which he has in
troduced me to you, and you for the cordial
manner in which you have received me !;
but more especially / thank you for the
compliment to my native State OF Kentucky.
Kentucky, fellow citizens, has been sub
iected to denunciation for some years past
by the stay-at-hOme politicians, while the
noble sons of Kentucky were in the field
battling for the Union and the Constitution.
Therefore, thank you from my heart for
the compliment you paid my native State.
AS said on the floor of Congress on one
occasion, as fling was made at my native
State by pitiable politician from Iowa.
[Hisses.l You will excuse me for giving
his name; but believe it was one Grinnell.
| Laughter told him that he could make
mis- fling at Kentucky, for that no man in
the State cared for what he said but that
he could not point his finger at man who
had been born on her soil who had ever
turned his back upon danger, let him be in
the rebel or in the federal army. Cheers
and cries of Bully for Kentucky.l Fell
low citizens, l am stranger to you, and
you strangers to me, but understand, how
| ever, that this is an Andrew johnson meet
| ing. Cheers. A Voice-"That's what's
the matterp And am free tosay that wher-
ever | find an Andrew johnson meeting
feel perfectly at home. [Cheers and cries
of Good, General! ~ do nat care ,1hdt
mag hare been your past course II yOu are right
nov. thankyOu for it, and am ready to
60 with you. [Cheers.l Fellow citizens,
we-are just out of five years. war, and
during that struggle the most hopeful and
patriotic feared that when the war ended
peace and harmony would not come !;
| that perhaps more than one generation
would pass away before we would 90 back
to the Old fraternal feelings that existed be-
| fore the war. During all that war, and
while we felt so much anxiety for the end,
no loyal or patriotic man ever thought that
when it did come, from his side any inn
pediments would be thrown in the way of
restoration. None then ever thought that
| loyal men wanted this war from any love of
| blOOdshed, from any desire of conquest or
subjugation, butto save the Governmental
our fOrefathers. 1t was this prompted me
| ~ Xuou frNnn oil I hold nOct 6aor IN
earth-home, friends and kindred-to place
myself under that glorious old banner with
| its friends, no matter from whence they
came. never dreamed when all that was
claimed was granted, when peace was de-
clared, when the rebellion was suppressed
and when the enemies of the Government
were at our feet, disarmed and helpless,
| that then those loyal men would come and
say that all we fought for, though the VIC
tory was won, was lost, and that very thing
the rebels sought to do, but failed, these
| loyal men now endeavor to accomplish
that is, the dissolution of the Union.
[Cheersl. But, strange to say, the men who
declared, and solemnly declared, up to the
surrender of Lee and Johnston, that the
Union must be preserved, tell us now that
in fact the Union is dissolved. Those men
who said that the Union could not and
should not be dissolved, and who got the
nation to put out its whole strength in a
struggle which cost us half a million of
lives and four hundred millions
of dollars, now tell us, after all our sacri-
fees, that the Union is dissolved. A
strange doctrine that to come from those
who have conteDded through the whole
war, and, in fact. through all their lives, fol
am opposite doctrine. Those ,ctO noto sag
that the Union cannot be dtssOlUed, and lodS MOI
lissolued are denounced as traitors. That
because we will not run away from the Con-
stitution of our forefathers and take uE
with that of Thaddeus Stevens we are
traitors to the country. Kisses You
may we'll hiss, my countrymen, at the men,
tfon of that name. /. wish had the Ian
guage Tonight to denounce that man as l
feel towards him. A man, my countrymen
who comes forward now in this day and de-
clares that reconstruction shall not take
plaee--who now, after declaring that wher
the South laid down its arms, the severa
i States should take their place in the Union
with all their relations to the General Gov
ernnlent recognized as they were before thu
war. now places himself between the Soutf
and the restoration to the Union, because
ashe saws. il. the Union were restored The
Republican party would go down. l say
that man is a niiscreant, and / cannot fine
words tonight to express my disgust anC
: contempt for, him. tCheers.l For fue
uears past the theory and practice Of he Repub
Ican Edttv haze been contrary 70 the position :