Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1866-09-18
photographic.
FROM CLEVELAND.

iOn-6rent EmthuStaam-TeIn
POrary OrGnnIzatIOn-6ien
Wool Temporary PresIdent-IIIs
Speech.
CLEVELAND, Sept. 1.-THE Soldiers and
Sailors Convention, in response to call
from those favorable to the policy of Pres
ident johnson and the action of the Phila-
delphia Convention of August IA, met i'm
the city to-day. A pavilion $50 feet in
length and 60 in breadth, had been erected
in the Park for the use Of the Convention,
and at 3 o'clock the delegates entered, pre-
ceded by band of music, and were seat
ed; after which the crowd from the out
side was admitted and filled the tent to its
utmost capacity. Previous to the Organiz-
alton, quite spirited scene was witness
ed. the delegates rising and cheering
with all their might for, successfully, the
l old flag, Generals Cnstar, Rousseau, Wool,
and Mcclellan, the Constitution, the thir-
ty-six States, and Andrew johnson, and
after brief breathing spell, for Gen. Grant,
Secretary Seward the American army. and
Gen. Steedman and Gov. Bramlette of Ken
lucky. AS the cheering was called for and
given In each case, there was scene OF
wild enthusiasm, delegates and spectators
rising and swinging their hats and shout
Ing vigorously.
BY previous arrangement, Gov. Bram-
lette nominated Major. General John Il.
Wool, as the oldest Major General in the
United States, and probably in the world,
as temporary President. General Wool
was received with loud cheers, and ad-
dressed the Convention as follows:
GENTLEMEN: A grateful heart thanks
you for your cheering welcome. A more
fatteriDg and agreeable position could not
be assig ed TO me than the one Just con-
ferred as presiding officer, although but
temporarily, over this assembly of patriots
and heroes, the true defenders OF their
country and the Union. Be assured it will
ever be remembered aud appreciated as the
most precious incident of long military
career.
The object of this great military COnven-
tiOn, If | understand it correctly, is to con-
slider the principles enunciated by the Ma
tional Union Convention at PHILADELPHIA,
and the restoration policy Of Pr sident
johnson. On these subjects would simply
remark, that the sooner Congress recOg-
nizes the States declared by majority OF
its members to be out of the Union as COM
ponent parts of the Union, and admits
their Representatives tO seats i'm the halls
OfCOngress,a and permits them to participate
in the National legislation OF the country,
the sooner will be allayed the fears and ap-
prebensiOns of the people of the dangers
which again menace the peace of the cOun-
try and the perpetuity of the Union. With
the most bitter and vindictiye feelings, a
war OF words for thirty years was carried
on between the Northern Radical AbOli-
tiOnists and the Shareholders of the South
ern States. Everything was done and said
to promote and keep alive the controversy.
1t finally eliminated in a rebellion in the
spring of 1861, which for atrOcity, the sac
ritice of lives, the loss Of property, followed
by pestilence, famine and desOlatiOn, has
no parallel in the history of nations
This bloody and desOlating contest was
tbrOught to a close in the spring of 1865.
when the rebels, unable longer to carry
OIL the war, surrendered with their
armies to our gallant Generals, Grant, Sher-
man and others. The rebel armies were
permitted, under parole, to return to their
homes and there await the orders of the
United States Government, the officers and
soldiers of their armies pledgiDg them
selves to become true and faithful support
ers OF the Constitution and the laws OF the
United States. Such were the terrible re-
suits of four years war, caused by the
institution of slavery. A few days after
the surrender OF Lee and his army Presi-
dent Lincoln was assassinated. This afro
cious' crime, greatly mOurned by the ma
tiOn, placed Vice President johnson in the
Presidential chair. His elevation was hailed
by reclamation throughout the land, and
this too because of his love and devotion to
his country, and his boldness while
Senator Of the United States, in advO-
eating the preservation of the Union
in opposition to every other Southern
Senator. Few men, North or South, were
subjected to greater sacrifices on aeeOuntO OF
patriotism, than Andrew johnson. and al
| oil nlrn1aro1 Nf
driven from his home, he returned again,
ard by his indOmitable energy and perse-
Verance, with other patriots of his State. re-
claimed Tennessee from treason and rebel
lion. This bold and daring friend of the
Union can be 10 traitor, yet, strange as il
may appear. he is denounced as a traitor
and threatened by the Radical members of
the Republican party with impeachment.
Ii may te asked with prOpriety, what has
President johnson done that he should be
denounced as a traitor aud threatened with
impeachment? Is it for anything more
than the exercise of the most noble and
generous efforts to conciliate and bring
back into the folds of the Union brave
people, and make the United States what
they should be-a united, great people!
Ii ought not TO be forgotten that
the cause slavery which engendered
the rebellion, has been removed. Three
or four millions of slaves had been
declared free by an amendment Of the Con-
stitutiOn. Those Of the Southern States
most interested IN the abolition of the slave
~, which deprived them Of large amount
Of what they called property, and which
they had considered all-impOrtant to their
interest and welfare. quietly submitted to
the amendment. Those who prepared the
amendment omitted to guard against what
{ would follow when too late. 1t was dis
covered that the freeing of four millions
Of slaves would increase the Southern rep
resentatiOn in Congress from twenty-five
Representatives 70 thirty Representatives
This was to be overcome, lest the AbOli-
ton Radicals should lose their control OF
the Government by an act Of Congress, by
another amendment of the Constitution.
Falling i'm these efforts, all that bitterness
Of feeling has been revived which existed
for AthirtT years between the Radicals
Of the East and North and Southern slave
holders Another civil war is fOreshadOW-
ed unless the freedmen are placed on an
equality with their previous masters. IL
this cannot be accomplished Radical par
tsans, with raging thirst for blood and
plumber, are again ready to invade the
Southern States and lay waste the country
not already desOlated, with the sword In
one hand and the torch in the other. These
reVengeful partisaBs would leave their
country ahoWling wilderness for the want
Of more victims to CRAFTY an unsparing
cruelty. III they should succeed in infiiet-
ing on the country another war it would be
more terrible than the one from which we