The Plymouth weekly Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1860-1869, 1866-09-27

6en Wool was received with loud
cheer, and addressed the convention as
follows;
'GENTLEMAS-a Sratet ul heart thanks
you for your cheering welcome. 4 more
tiatterng and agreeable position could not
have been assigned to me than the one
just conferred-as presiding officer, all
though but temporarily, over this assem-
biaee OF patriots and heroes,-the true de-
tenders Of their country and the union
BE assured it will ever be remembered and
appreciated as the most precious incident
Of long military career
The object of this great military con-
vention, If understand it correctly, is to
consider the principles enunciatod by the
national union convention at Philadelphia
and the restoration policy of President
johnson. On these subjects [ would sim,
ply remark, that the sooner congress re-
cognizes the states declared by majority
of Its members to be out of the union as
constituent parts of the union, and admit
their loyal representatives to seats in the
halls Of congress, aad permit them to par
tici pate in the national legislation Of the
country, the sooner Will be allayel the
fears and apprehensions Of the people of
the dangers which again menace the peace
Of the country and the perpetuity of the
union
with the most bitter and yindictive
feeling, war Of words or 80 years was
/ I. J
aboltioniats aud the slave holders Of the
southern states. Everything was done and
said to promote and keep alive the contro>
yersy 1t finally culxlinatcl in a rebel
lion, III the spring Of 1861, which, for at
rocity, the sacrifice Of lives, the cxpcndi-
ture Of untold millions Of money, the loss
Of property, followed by pe>tilencc, famine
and dcsolation, has no parallel in the his
tory Of nations. This bloody aud lesola>
ting contest was brought to close in the
sprlng Of 1868, when the rebels, unable
iouser TO carry the war. surrendered
with their armies to our gallant general,
-(;rant. Sherman and others The rebel
armies We're permitted, under parole, -
return to their homes AMI there await the
I
the officers anl soldiers OF their armies
pledging themselves to become true aud
faithful supporters Of the constitution and
the laws cf the JnteI States Such were
tie terrible results OF iour>year's war,
caused BY the institution Of slavery.
~ few days after the surrender Of Lee
and his army, President Lincoln was as
s,s.nated. This atrocious crime. Greatly
mourned by the nation, placed Vice PRESS
dent Johnson in the presidential chair
lis elevation was hailed by acclamation
throughout the land and this. too because
of his love and devotion to his country.
and his boldness while senator Of the nj
tel States, in the advocating the prc,cr-
walton Of the union in opposition to every
other southern senator who with equal
boldness advocated It's di~solutiun Few
men. north or south were subjected to
greater sacrifices on account Of patriotism
than Andrew .johuson, and although plum
dered Of his property and driven from his
home, he returned again, and by his ih-
domitable energy and perseverance,, with
patriots Of his state, reclaimed Tennessee
AM daring friend of the union can be no
traitor; yet, strange as 1t may appear, he
j. dci oun :cd rs Il ator, an! threatened b.
the radical members OF the republican
party with impeachment.
i may be asked with propricty what
has President Johnson done that he should
be denounced as traitor, and threatened
Il. Il. IA,
more than the exercise OF the most noble
and generous efforts to conciliatc and bring
back into the folds Of the union brave
pcople. and make the United States what
they should be-a united, great and pow
criul nation.
1T ought not to be forgotten that the
cause, slavery wnich cngendcred the le
bel!ion, has been removed. Three or four
millions of slares had been declared free
by al amendment Of the constitution.
Those Of the southern states most interests
ed in the abolition Of slavery, which dc>
pl iycd them of u large amount of what they
cIled property, and which they had con-
siGcred all important to their interest and
welfare quietly submitted to the amend
IHcut. Ib>c VIZ Iiti'd thN "HN"'
men, omitted to guard against what would
follow When too late 1T was discovered
that the freeing Of 100000 of sllYes
would increase the southern representation
IN congress some - representatives,. 1hiS
Was to be overcome, lest thcabolitioh radi
ais should lose their control of the gov
ernment by Ia act of congress, or another
amenIiuea. Of the constitution. Failing
in the efforts, all that bitterness OF leei-
ing has been revived which existeu ,,,'r 'o
years between the radicals Of the east and
north and southern shareholders. Anoth
or civil war is foreshadOwed unless the
freedmen are placed on an equality with
their previous masters. Ii this cannot be
accomplished. radical par,isans, with a
raging thirst for blood and plumber, ere
again ready to invade the southern states
aud lay waste the country not already
d,solated, with the sword in one hand and
the torch in the other. The &c revcnScful
partisans would leave their country howl
inc wilderness for the want of more VIC
tins to crafty an unsparinS cruelty If
they should succeed in inhictlng on the
country another war, it would be nore ter