The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1866-08-28
SPEECH By THE PREs1DENT.

hear the President in response to Reverdy
johnson, who presented the official proceedings
of the Convention. : %@7
He said, referring with feeling to the scene
represented of South Carolina and Massachu-
setts entering the Convention together, he was
overcome, and could not bnt conclude that an
overriding Providence vas guiding us Alright.
He said our brave men have performed their
duties. in the field, and have won laurcls i'm
perishable, but, turning to General Grant, he
continued, but there are greater aud more im-
portant duties to perform, and while We have
had their cooperation in the field We now need
their efforts to perpetuate peace. Applause }
The Executive Department had. tried to pour
oil on the wounds, and restore the Union, but
it had not entirely succeeded. We have seen,
he said, in one department of the Government
every effort to prevent the restoration Of peace
and harmony of the Union. We have seen
hanging upon the verge of the Government, as
it were, a body called, or which assumed 20 be,
the Congress of the United States, while in
fact it is Congress of only part ofthe States.
We have seen this Congress assume and pre-
tend to be for the Union when its every step
and act tended to perpetuate disunien, and make
disruption of the States inevitable, instead of
promoting reconciliation and harmony. Its Leg
islation has partaken of the character Of penal
ties, retaliation and revenge. This has been
the course and the policy of one portion Of your
Government. The humble individual who is
now addressingyou stands the representative
OF another department of the Government.
The manner in which he was called upon to oc,
cupy that position, shall not allude to on this
occasion. Suffice it to say, that he is here un-
der the Constitution of the country, and being
here by virtue of it's provisions, he takes his
stand upon that Charter of orr liberties as the
great rampant of civil and religious liberty
prolonged eheering.) Having been taught in
my early life to hold it sacred, and having prac-
tlccd upon it during my whole public career, L
shall ever continue to reverence the Constitu-
ton Of my fathers, and to make it myguide.
(Hearty applause.) The President proceeded,
and denied the charge that he had ever been
tyrannical or despot, but said such charges
were simply intended to deceive and delude the
public mind into the belief that there is some
ore in power who is usurping and trampling
upon the rights of the Constitution. 1t is done
by those who make such charges for the pur-
pose OF covering their own acts. CHATS SO,
and applause) have felt it my duty, in vim
dication of the principles and Constitution Of
my country, to call the attention Of my coun-
trymen 20 these proceedings: When we come
to examine, who has been playing the tyrant,
by whom do We find despotism exercised? (As
to myself, the elements of my nature, the pur-
suits of my life, have net made me, either in
my feeling or in my practice, oppressive. My
nature, on the contrary, is rather defensive in
IT'S character, but l will say that having taken
my stand upon tho broad principles of liberty
and the Constitution, there is not power enough
ON earth to drive me from it. cloud and pro-
longed applause.) Having placed myself'upon
that broad platform, l have not been awed OF
dismayed or intimidated by either threats or
encroachments, but have stood there in con-
junction with patriotic spirits, sounding the
tocsn of alarm when l deemed the citadel of
liberty in danger (Grcat applause) said
on previous occasion, and repeat now, that all
is necessary in this great struggle against ty
ranny and despotisra, was that the struggle
should be sufficiently audible for the American
people to hear and properly understand. They
did hear, and looking and seeing who the
contestants were and what the struggle was
about to be, determined that they would settle
this question on the side of the Constitution,
and of princi pie. proclaim here to-day, as
have on previous occasions, that my faith is in
the great mass of the people. Ia the darkest
hours of this struggle, when :he clouds seemed
to DO most lowering, my faith, instead of giving
way, doomed up through the cloud beyond which
l saw that all would be we'll In the end. My
countrymen, we all know that tyranny and des-
potism~ in the language of Thomas Jefferson,
can be exercised and exertsd more effectually
by tho many than the one. We have seen a
Congress gradually encroach step by step, and
violate, day after day, and 'month after month,
the Constitutional rights and the fundamental
principles of the Government. We have seen
a Congress that seemed to forget that there was
a limit to the sphere and scope of legislation.
We have seen Congress in a minority, assume
to usurp power which, if allowed to be carried
out, would result in despotisin, or in monarch
itself. This is truth, and -because others as well
as myself have seen proper to appeal to the pa
triotism and Republican feeling of the country,
we have been denounced in the severest terms.
SANDER upon SANDER, vituperation upon vitu-
peration of the most villainous character has
made its way through the press. What, gen.
tlernen, has been your and my sin? what has
been the cause of our offending? will tell
you. Daring to stand by the Constitution of
our fathers. [ consider the proceedings of this
Convention, Sir, as more important than those
of any Convection that ever assembled in the
United States. Great applause.) When 1
look with my minds eye upon that collection of
citizens coming together voluntarily, aud setting
in council with ideas, with principles and views
with all the States, and cock
tensive with the whole people, and contrast it |
with the collectiono of persons who are trying to
destroy the country, l regard it as more i'm por-
tant than any Conventions that has assembled
since 1877. eRenewed applause) 1 think |
may also say, that the declarations that were
here made are equal to the Declaration of H.
dependence itself, and l here to-day pronounce
Them a second Declaration of Independence.
Cries of glorious, and most enthusiastic and
prolonged applause)
Vonr address and declaration are poth;no