The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1866-05-02
Speech BY the President.

respects to the President.
President johnson said: Iconfess that in
the present state of public affairs your pre-
sence and address has given encourage
ment to me in my efforts to discharge The
duties incumbent upon me MS Chief Magis
trate of the Republic, and in what have
to say, [ shall address y0u in the character
ofcitizens, sailors and soldiers. Applause.
We are to-day involved in one Of the most
critical and trying situations that have oc
cured since the Government came into ex
lstence; and the nation has another test
still to undergo, and that is, to give evi
dence to the nations of the earth and to It's
own citizens that it has the power to re.
store internal peace, and that ithas strength
enough to put down treachery and treason
within It's own borders. [Chcersl We
have commenced an ordeal, and trust in
God we will pass through it successfully
[Cheers.l feel complimented by the al.
fusion OF one present to the fact that in the
Senate in 1860 and 1861, when the nation
was entering on this ordeal, I raised my
hands against treason, treachery and trai-
tors. [CheeTs and cries of ''Good."l |
stand here to-day, holding to and main
tanning the same position which | then
enunciated. [Cheers. / stand here to,
day opposing traitors and treason, whether
they are in the South or in the North
Loud cheers. stand here to-day, as !
then stood, using all my powers, mental
and physical, to preserve the nation in 60
ing through this struggle for it's existence.
The organized forces and combined powers
that recently stood arrayed against us are
dispersed and driven from tho field, but it
does not follow that there are still no ene-
mics against our present Government and
our free institutions. [Applause.] l then
stood in the Senate denying the doctrine
of separation and secession, and | denied
then, as | do now. that any State has the
right OF its own will to separate itself from
the other States, and thereby to destroy
the Union and break up the Government,
and ] think have given some evidence
that l have been sincere and in earnest;
and now want to know, why that whole
train of slanderers and calumniators have
been barking and Swapping at my heels?
[Cheers. Why is it they have a1Tayed
themselves against me? Is it because ]
stand on the side of the peoplea and when
say people, / include sailors and soldiers.
[Cheers,l Why is it they are engaged in
traducinga aud classifying aud eliminating
me? Where were they during the rebel
lion just endeds Ever at home and in bed.
[ Langhter.l In the Senate I raised my
voice against it, and when it was believed
that it would be to the interest of the ma
tion to assist i'll putting down the rebel
lion, did / not leave my place i'll the Sen
ate, place of emolument, case and dis
tincti0nTand take my position where the
enemy could be reached and mems lives
were in danger. [Cheers and cries OF that's
so. While was thus exposed personally
and publicly, some of my present traducers
and calumniators Were far removed from
the fire and were enjoying ease and COM
fort. ICheers aud laughter But | care
not for them. care not for their SANDER,
the foul wheip, that has been turned
against me. ! care not for AL that they
may tell you to-day. Although pretty well
advanced in life I feel that | shall live
long enough to live down the whole pack
of traducers and slanderers [Applause. I
They have turned the whole pack loose to
lower me in your estimation. Verify, they
cannot do it. Tray, Blanche and Sweet
heart little dogs and all, come along snap
ping and snarling at my heels, but I heed
them not lCheers.] The American peo-
pie, citizens, soldiers, and sailors, know
that from my advent into public life to the
present moment have always stood IN
the advocate and defender of
their rights and interests (Checrs.) We
are now in the nations third ordeal, and
we are not yet through. We denied that
States had right to secede, wedenied the
doctrine of secession, and have denonstra-
ted that we were right-wc demonstrated
it by the strong arm. Yes, the soldiers
and sailors, God bless them, have demon
strated by their patriotism and strong
arms that the States have not the power to
leave the Union. (Applausc.) What fol-
lowed? Tho Confederate armies were
and disbanded, and there
was willingness on the part of tho peo-
pie of those States to come back in Obedi-
ence to the law, and acknowledge the su-
premacy of the Constitution of our Fa-
theirs. For what have we passed through
This third ordeal, that was to prove the
principle that no State had the power to
break up the Governments It was to put
Down the rebellion. The rebellion has
been put down and for whatq Was it to
destroy the States9 Verify, never For
what have all these lives been sacrificed.
md all this treasure expended? Was it
or the purpose of destroying the States?
No. 1t was for the purpose of preserving
,he Union of the States That is what we
lave been contending for, and to establish
he fact that the nation can lift its own
lead above and beyond internal wars, or
reason and traitors at home When the
OF Massachusetts was overcome,
lid the Government want to destroy the
,tate9 When the rebellion in Pennsylva
iia was put down, did that destroy the
State and put itout of the Union9 When
he great rebellion was put down, and the
Constitution and laws of the country re-
tored i'll the States engaged in the. rebel
ion, the rebellion being crushed, the law
estored and the Constitution acknowl-
dyed in them, they stood in the Union
'ortion of that bright galaxy Estates I
anne in restoring the relations which had
xisted between Tennessee and the rest of
he Union with one exception, the relation
i representation. ! came to Washington
ndcr extraordinary circumstances, and
uccceded to the Presidential chair. The
congress of the United States had adjourn
d without presenting its plan. / then pro-
eeded, as ] had done in my own State in re- !
nnstructing the government, to restore the
ther States, and how did we begin9 We
ound chat the people had no Courts, and
70 said to the Judge, the District Attorney
nd Marshall: go down and hold your
ourts. The people need the tribunals of
istice to be opened" Was there anything
Trong in thats The courts were opened.-I
What else? We looked out and saw the
eople had no mails; they had been inter
upted and cut off by the operations of the
ebellion. We said to the Postmaster Cen
raj, ''Let the people have facilities for
nails; let them again begin to understand
hat we all feel and think We are one peo-
le." We looked out again and saw there
7as blockade, that the Custom Houses
Tere all closed. We said, Open the doors
{ the Custom Houses and remove the
Let the pursuits peace go on"
nd it was done, We thus travelled on
top by step, opening the Custom Houses.
ppointing Collectors, and restoring the |
,oi1o o1cn rnilrnoI communications bof |