Clarksville weekly chronicle. [volume] (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1865-1867, 1866-08-31

THE PRESIDENTS REPLY ~
TO THE PHILADELPHIA COMMITTEE,
Mr.. Chairman and 0ektlemen Of the Com.
nittee--Language is inadequate 10 express
The emotions and feelings produced by this
Perhaps could express moro BY
silence TO speak, and ron 10 infer
what ought to say. confess that, not
the experience / have had In
pnhlic life, the words addressed TO nc by this
assembly are well calculatcd TO overwhelm
me. AS hsue mid, have not language 70
convey my present feelings and emotions, 10
listening to the addres, which your eloquent
and distinguished chsii man has Just delivered,
the proceedings Of. the convention, as they
REQUIRED 10 my mind and, secn,-
ingly, i partook of the inS Siiration that pre-
vailed. When recsiked 4 dispatch from
two Of its members, conveying In terms, the
scene which has just been described, of South
Carolina and Massachusetts, arm in arm,
into that vast assemblage, and thus
giving evidence that .he extremes had come
together, and for the future they are united
" they had been in the past for the preserves
lion Of the Union. When the dispatch in
formed me that In that vast body of men,
distinguished for wisdom, every eye was suf-
fused with tears on behoIding the scene, !
could not finish reading the dispatch to those
assembled with me, for my own feelings
avefcame me. OhecraJ a ! :Fsv a.Qss
I Think we nay Justly conclude we are
moving under proper inspiration, and that
he anser Of an cvefrulIna ana unerrinc
providence II in this matter. We have just
passed through mighty, bloody lsnd mo-
mentous ordeal and yet do NOT find ourselves
lar from the difiiculties and dangers that at
first surrounded rs. s.a -it 4 + sars.A
So far as the Executive department Of the
Governmsnt i soucernsd, tho effort has bsen
made to restore the Union, to heal the breach,
to pour oil into the wounds which were con-
sequent upon, the struggle and, 70 speak in
common phrase 70 prepare, - The learned
and wise physician would, plaster, healing
In character and co-extensive with the wound.
We thought and yet think, that We bad
partially succecdcd, but as the work pi ogres-
sed, a. reconciliatiou seemed 10 b. taking
place and the country becoming united, we
found disturbing and marring element or
posed to us. a - =. $50 "a. ,s7f !.
Abiding to that element I shsll 20 no fur
ther than did your CONVENTION, and the dis
gentlemen who has delivered to
me the report Of lis proceedings., shall
make no reference to II that I do mot believe
tho time aud occasion justify but iw III say
that having taken my stand on the broad
principles Of liberty and the constitution,
there Is not power enough ON earth to drive
me from It. e Hf & a.. .e%e. "a.
We have witnessed in one department of
the government every effort as IL were, to
prevent the rcsroration of peace and harmo-
ny in the Union; we have seen hanging up
\ body called, or which assumed to be the
Congress of the United States and In fact a
Congress of only rart Of the States
Its legislation has partaken Of the charac-
ter of penalties, retaliation and revenge. -
This has been the course, and specially Of
Dne department Of our government. The
humble individual, who is nov addressing
you, stands the representative Of another de-
partment of the government. The manner
in which he was called upon to occupy thet
position ] shall not allude to on this occasion.
Suffice It TO say that be is here under the
of the country, and being here,
By virtue of ito provisions, be takes his sfand
upon the charter Of our Mbert,eA - the great
and important right Of civil and religious
liberty. Having been taught in my early
life, to hold 1t sacred, and having practiced
upon IL during my whole public career, l
I.n a. hat ~
tuition, the constitution Of the fathers of our
coutry, and to make it my guide. S qs
know it has been said, and must be
permitted to indulge in the remark, that the
Executive department has bsen tyranical;--
but let me ask this audience of distinguished
gentlemen, to point 10 single vote ever
gave, to speech ever made, or single act
Of my life that has not been against tyranny
and dcspotism. AS to myself, the element
Of my nature, the pursuits of my life, have
not made rne, either In, my feelings or my
practice, aggressive. Ny nature, on the con-
trary, Is that such state Of things Is at war
with the genius Of our government incon-
sistcnt with every idea Of political freedom,
and most perilous TO the safety Of the coun-
try, no rejecting man can fail to believe. Z
Having placed myself upon that broad
platform, have not been awed, dismaycd,
or intimidatcd by either threats or encroach-
meuis, but have stood there in conjunction
with the patriotic spirits, sounding the alarm
whenever deemed the citadel OF liberty In
danger. said ON previous occasions, and
repeat Il now, that all thst was necessary 70
the great struggle against tyranny and des-
potism was that the struggle should be suffi-
ciently audible for the American people q
hear and understand. They did hear, and
looking on and seeing who the contestants
were, and what that struggle was about
they determined that they would settle thi.
question on the side OF the constitution ant
Of principle. ! proclaim here to-day, as
have on other occasions, that my faith is mo-
abating, and In the darkest hour Of III,
struggle, when clouds were lowering, N,
faith, instead of giving way, up through tn
dark cloud, far beyond, saw that all woult
be safe In the end. (Cheers.] My country
men, we all know that, in the language o
Thomas Jefferson, "Tyranny and despotisn
can be exercised and exerted more effectusll,
by the many than the one" We have seer
a Congress gradually encroach, step by step
upon constitutional rights, and violate da,
after day and month after month the fun
damental principles Of the Government
We have seen Congress that seemed 70 for
get that there was Constitution, and tina
there was limit to the scope Of Legislation
We have seen Congress in minority as
sumo to exercise powers which, ii allowed I
be carried out, would result in dcspotism Q
anarchy ITSELF (Cries Of s'Thafs so'' an
enthusiastic cheers for the PRESIDENT Thl
is truth, and because others, as well - my
self have seen proper TO appeal TO PATROL
ism and the republican feeling Of the coun
try, we have been denounced In the mo-
severe terms. Slapder upon SANDER, vita