, 1866-02-24
ANDREW JOHNSON'S SPEECH.
Delivered to nelea AL Cop]erAeea
mob, In WaAh1uslon, Feb. 22. 1865.

FEILoW-cIT1xESs, for presume have
right to address yon as such, come 10 tender
to you my sincere thanks for the appreciation
expressed by your committee In their per
sona1 addresses, and In ths resolutions sub
mittcd " them as having been adopted bT
the meeting which has been held in this city
Thssc resolutions, "a 7 understand them, are
complimentary to the policy which has been
adopted by the admins ttatlon, and has been
steadily pursncd since it came into power.
I am trec to nay to you On this occasion that u
iarre a poriiSn Of my te11oW-ci citizens approve
and inilorse the policy which has been adopt
ed. and which 1t Is my intention shall b. car
red out. EGreat applause.l That policy Is
on which Is intended to restore al the States
to their original relations to the Federal Gov
ernment OF the United States Rencwed aP-
plause.l This seems to be day peculiarly
apnropriate for such manifestation: 1t Is the
day that gave birth to that man who, more
perhaps than any other, founded this Govern
ment 1t Is the day that gave birth TO tne
father of our country; 1t Is the day shat gave
birth to him who presided over TINT BODY
which formed the Constitution nndcr Which
ali the States entered into this glorious con-
federacy. Such day j. peculiarly appropri.
object is the restoration Of the Union Of
the States rs it. was designed by tho father
Of bis country. (Applausc.[ Washington,
whose name this city bcnrs, Is embalmcd
II the hearts Of al VINO love rec government
Washington. IN tec iangoase Oh Ms cniosl;t,
was hrst II waE, nEst IN peace and afst N me
claim him. No nation can appropriate him.
His reputation Is commensurate with the
civilized world, and his name Is the common
property Of all those who love trce govern
ment. To-day had the pleasure o. visiting
az association who have neen @ aeVotmS Ineis s
e%Ior1s % 20 tae eemptei1on 2! Luz monument u.
rnn9 - ge. eaf thssa ond ~ ~ ~ co1,d -
Pfoua 70 meet tnsm, anu, 20 MT Us ! eoua, 70
give them my lnauenee and conatenance 10
aid Of the work they have undestaSe1. That
monument Mhich = 9elng eteeted 10 MN WAC,
may say, iounueo ene gosetumTnI, alMost
W'tnn ths ,afow o, ssoae ~ - o. ~ sne spos atom
Whlcn adaeeSs you. LEE ~ os coMpGtea.
Appianse.l ~ % ta9se sas1oas as, osoeSs aa "mea
ana corpofauohs nave pnI ~. M .4as T1i monuncnt
As Pleases o. the'f iose los t1is ~ unon, ~ PIT
aerved ana tet tae Moth 6s accpplsusd. KEY sinai.
N thls connecs.on iet ne teler 10 !ne n'oeS a7
'Fom my own .a.eM99u ~ 1iess H. nel
Nv nas ,n a ,oe d tIs Sa annn91s u u
the nation. anu when ,Ls,l y nov ~, stEugE!mg 70
tSa. aEa a inta.ns.S % IN 's sorfS yeha,1Io,
saas were ih.earasa ,e,al sa,s.sans
sus y non suas ~ ienew ln9se te'attons ' as
ana 10 anae % nSr t stau 4h;a ,aM;o s ea1 ssea
s,Too ont fGrsat sa t; nnnonse r. ms rsra. ~
En- .1ens Mhsch f ahs hos isnnstc n tb.t
n1 o,nr,nrt ~ f.aodnno 1hicIi il hair1 raisoJ
- nnanatta. onumsns -. ~ IT, sh;n1,on sha T.
" Eolul :ne nsUn ~ y. tata X ITr ons =
unsEnns ~ e. a.;.1aot nuin .o Liar ~ nra @
70 stanG Gy sns eeu.lut ..:,,:e nsn t - tnGao -
1,1,s;'G' What T. ~ ~ y il tho ssnt;nent Mhcn
". MnaI - ,;n,.a -. h. 5tst,n,T,,;sTaJ son ~
"as eaaacin1su - ~ 1a1aa usse 'Eh ~ ~ ~
1m1cftA!, III Alusttlgns vaeAsn AnE reuela'
Union ~ must oe PIese,' lo5sA* Ny
piause-l IN Ne1e posslote iot tnal Gta nian'
"ncse s.atue u nov 9SaotE t;ua @ u1a mose R0s-
1 .ia1t IS oesaas % us - ia ,hsa a.saa a, ~ .Sn
anu "aose ..,.;t s1 81 III ~ natI.
monument N your TisinitJ, a 70 oe ealsed ioitn
1lom Ine slaver qa ~ Hess pt9s.oT M,.e.ns 70 epM
munieate Win tne spun ol me llustt1ous
deaa ana maze MN Gu9clslana tae plosless
Of action anu of 1eoellton I , anu treason, ne
Wouio I9ln oEes III ~ ~ So; haat mnu 10 ~ mouu ~
a4u 9ronia .a.sn W stsn5 1 erert and eytand " 1
1ofin us !ons arM aau 81 n, Fsi.e1a'e .na1
sentiment once esp7esss4Sna e. os 1 a.m on nn mem
nfaolc oceaslon ), 4e fcss acIt aan1a,ao n1i9r IT,
musG ~ plsse, - eiss. ~ ~
nave m's4esseo 9esss % M4s.. nas ss @ ,a5 ss9 -
day, u is.1,: nnen Ileas1n ana sIeacaeIy
the CensHtu,lon OF the ua1teo Sea.es
stalheu lo1n IL ,naao ano att, ~. ~ ,,has ~
his power ana inanenee tnat cfosnea
tue setpens - 10 ntsap - rrh mas a .uen
slopptu, nut On: 1os .1 ~ ~ 10 saule ss.u!c
spult ~ GIanusetlon eo1.l.u. ah1ts a4. "eso =:
Inc Nofta ano y ine ouan. ansae nas, ~ n y
p9raion Q. tne Gn1on pcattas ~ 1s;a,, % os
were attached. one portion q our county
men IN tne Sonla aasoca1eu tn1t lnstltution,
while another portion n the NORM opposed
TaJnlf fnTfItnt1nn AFETHFnR
palties-one especla4E me SCUM, when
Ieacneu POM ot "eien y % "as PROPOSED 70
dissolve the Union o. Inc Statea, !or the pur-
pose, as was salo, OF securing ana preserving
that peculiar institution. Ihefe ~as another
portion Of our countrymen who Wero opposed
extreme that they we're willing to break up
the Government n order 70 get clear OF that
peculiar Institution OF the South. say these
things because desire to talk plainly and in
familiar ph1aseo1ogy. assume nothing here
to-day beyond the position Of citizen,
and the preservation OF the Constitution.
Immense cheesing-l These two parties,
say, were arrnyed against each other, and
stand here before yon for the Union to-day, ~
stood in the Senate Of the United States in
1860 and 1861. met there those who were
making war upon the Constitution, those who
wanted to disrupt the Government, and de-
nounced them IN my place, then and there,
and exposed their true character. I said that
those who we're engaged in the work of break
Ing up the Government vera rabels and trait
ors. ! hare never ceased, on all proper occa-
Sns to sspe1 nai sna = far -
it out. [Great applause.l I have ju4t re-
which was for destroying the Government and
separating the Union, In order to preserve
slavery, and the other FOR breaking up the
Government n order to destroy alaverY. True
the objects which they sought to accomplish
we're different, 90 far 81 slavery was concerned,
but they agreed In the desire to break up the
Goye1nment--the precise thing to which I
have always been opposed; and whether dis
9nionisfs come from the south or the North,
! stand now as did then, vtndteattng the In
ion Of these States and the Constitution ofmY
country. Tremendous apptaqse.l When re-
belilon and treason manifested themselves IN
the South, stood BY the Government. said
then. that Was for the Union with slavery,
vas for the Union without slavery N either
alternative l was lor my Government and it3
Constitution. The Government has stretched
forth Its strong arm, md With its physical
power has put down treason In the field. Tho
section OF the country which then nErayed IT.
self against the Government has been put
down b. the strong arm. What did We say
when this treason originated! we said. mo
compromise: You yourselves IN the South
hours" soid agnin and again, and I repeat
1t now, "Disoand your armies IN the South,
aeknowiedss the supremacy q the C9nstltu- M
ton OF the Hnitea states, aeknoWledge me
duty OF obedience TO f9e lava, aud tne whole
question Is settlsdT ApPa;ase WA. sa as aas
neen done s,1ee ~ Iner armies @ nave psen als-
banded, and Ihey come lof"a5a .t now
~ y piopGr spaas' NV ~, wv mEse th
MISTAKEN. W. mace III enoIs 10 G1Iy out .t1e Iaa
docsflne o. secession, ana 1o 9issoWe tnis
Union. N thas We nave ta1iea. we nave
Traced this doctr1ne 70 us logical ana pnysicaI
Tesnlts, ana We nno mat We were mistaken;
are willing to obey the Constitutton. aud to
yield to tho supremacy q the laws" [GFeat
applause Coming IN That spirit ! say to