The national Republican. [volume] (Washington City [D.C.]) 1866-1870, 1866-09-05
THE PRESIDENTIAL TOUR
THE PARTY AT CLEVELAND
THE SPEECH OF THE PRESIDENT
HIGHLY INTERESTING INCIDENTS.

THE PRKsIpESr's SPEECH AT CLEVELAND.
New YoRk, Sept. 4.-The following is the
Presidents speech at Cleveland on Monday
plight: -..-, &C.,.
FsLLow.CIrIEExs: II is not for the purpose Of
making speech that now appear before you.
am aware Of tho great curiosity which prevails to
strangers who have notorsty and distinction In
all countries. know large number Of you de-
sire to see Cen Grant, and 70 hear what he has To
say. IA voice-"Three cheers for Gen. Grant, ~
But you can't him tonight; he Il extremely ILL
I repeat, I am not before you now 10 mako q
speech, but simply to mako your acquaintance to
say chow are your" and to bid you goodbye.
We are on our way to Chicago to participate in
or witness the laying Of the corner stone Of monu-
ment to the memory Of distinguished fellow .citi-
zen who Is no more. II Is not necessary for me TO
mention the name Of Stephen A. Douglas TO the
people Of Ohio. am Tree to say that am fat.
tered by the demonstrations have witnessed, and
being Aattsred, don't mean TO think II personal,
but an evidence Of what Is pervading the public
mind; and this demonstration is nothing more nor
less than indication Of the latent sentiment or
feeling Of the great masses Of the people with 70.
gard TO the proper settlement Of the great question
come before you - an American oitissn simply
and not as the Chief Magistrate clothed In the In
sigma and paraphernalia Of State. Being an In.
habitant Of . State Of this Union, know It has
been said that am IN alien [laughtsrl and that
did not reside in one Of the States Of the Union,
and therefore could not be the Chief Magistrate,
though the Constitution declares that must be Q
citizen TO occupy that Office. Therefore all that
was necessary was to declare the once vacant, or
under pretext, to prefer articles of impeachment
and thus the individual who occupies the Chief
Msgistrscy wss TO be disposed Of aud driven from
power. But short time since you had ticket
before you for the Presidency. was placed upon
that ticket with distinguished fellow. citizen who
is now no more. I know there are some who com.
vla yntn a. ufufo l.
tunate for some that God rules on high and deals
in right (Chsers. Yes, unfortunately, the ways
Of Providence are mysterious and incomprehen-
sible, controlling all those who eIclaim 81 Unfor
tunately." t"Bully for you pr
since / va. elected and placed upon the ticket.
There was platform proclaimed and adopted BY
those who placed me upon II. Notwithstanding
the subsidized gang Of hirelings and traduosrs, /
have discharged all my duties and fulfilled all my
pledges and say here tonight that u my prede
cessor had lived the walls Of wrath would have been
poured out upon him. [Cries Of "Nevsr!' Three
cheers for tho Congress Of the United states."l l
came here As was passing, and have been called
upon for the purpose Of exchanging views and as
pertaining, II we could, who was wrong. [Cries Of
before you tonight, and want to say this, that
have lived among the American people and have
represented them In some public capacity for
the last twenty-five years, and where is
the mau or woman who can place bis
finger upon one single act Of mine deviating from
tion Of the country? [Cheers Who 10 he? What
language does he speak, What docs he profess?
Who can come and place his finger on one pledge
ever violated or one principle ever proved false
other voice.. Hang JEFF Davis" Hang JEFF Davis.
Why don't you hang him? [Ches Of "Give US the
opportuuity."l Have not you got the oourt7 Have
not you got the Attorney General? IA voice
"Who Is your Chief Justice, who has refused to
st upon the tri.lf"l fCh.er.,l lam not the Chief
tChsers.l am not the jury,
will tell you what did do. called upon
your Congress that Ia trying to break up the Gov
eminent. IChsers, mingled with Kisses; great con.
fusion" Don't get mad, Andy:"l Well, I will tell
you who is mad-"whom the Gods wish to destroy
they first make mad" Did your Congress order
any of them to be tried Then, fellow -oiti.sns,
we might as we'll allay our passions and permit
reason to resume her sphere and prevail. [Cheers
In presenting the few remarks that designed to
make my intention was to address myself to your
common sense, your judgment and your better feel.
ing, not to the passion In your heart. tCheers.
This was my object in presenting myself on this CO.
casion and to tell you How do you do?"
and at the same time to bid you "aood-
bye" In this assembly here tonight the remark
has been made, "Traitor;" "traitor." Ny coun.
trymen, will you hear me, [shouts Of "Yes,"l and
will youhear me for my and for the Cohstitu.
ton Of my, country Applause,l Iwant to know
when or where or under what circumstances An
drew johnson, not as Chief Executive, but in any
capacity ever deserted any principle or violated
the Constitution Of his country [Crss Of Never -
Let me ask this large and intelligent audience Ii
your Secretary Of State who served four years un.
der Mr. Lincoln, and who placed upon the butch
er's block, as 1t were, and hacked to pieces and
Scared BY the assas.in's knife, when he turned
traitor. lCries Of "Never.'l If were disposed
to play the orator, and deal In defamation night
l would initiate one Of the ancient tragedians, and
would take William H. Seward and bring him be.
fore you and point you to the hacks and scars upon
his person. IA voice-"God bless him !'l
would exhibit the bloody garments, saturated
with gore from hts gushing wounds. Then would
ask you why not hang Thad. Stevens and Wendell
Philiips' tell you my countrymen, have been
fighting the South and they have been whipped and
crushed, and they acknowledge their defeat and
accept the terms Of the Constitution, and now, as
l 60 round tho circle having fought traitors at the
South, I am prepared for traitors at the North.
Cheers God willing, with your help We will do
j.. (cries Of "ws won't."l 1t will be crushed
North and South, and this glorious Union of ours
will be preserved. lCheers I do not come here
the Chief Magistrate Of twenty Ave States but Of
thirty-six. Cheers
I came here tonight with the flag of my coun.
try and the Constitution Of thrty-siI States IN.
furnished. Are you for dividing this country
lCries Of "Non'l Then l am President, and Presi
dent Of the whole United States will tell you one
other thing. understand the discordant notes in
this crowd tonight. He WHO'S opposed to the
restoration Of this Government and the reunion Of
the States Is as great n traitor as JEFF. Davis or
Wendell Phillips. Loud cheers am against
both. [Cries Of "Give 1t to thsm!''l Some Of you
talk about traitors in the South who have
not courage to get away from your homes to fight
them. Laughter and cheers ] The courageous
msn-Grant, Sherman, Farragut, and the long list
Of the distinguished sons Of the Union-were In
the field and led their gallant hosts to conquest
to victory-while you remained oowardly at
home. Applause, "Bully"'l
Now when these brave men have returned home,
many Of whom have left an arm or leg or their
blood upon many q battlefield, they End you at
some speculation, and you committing frauds on
the Government. Laughter and cheers.l You
pretend now to have great respect and sympathy
for the poor, brave fellow who has left an arm on
the battlefield. [cries-'Is that dignifsd ''l I
understand you. You may talk about the dignity
Of the President. [Cries-"H How was It about
his making speech on the ed Of February ?'l
have been with you in the battles Of this ooun.
try, and can tell you furthermore tonight. Who
have to pay these brave men who shed their blood,
while you specialized, and now the great mass Of