The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1866-09-01
p POLITICAL.
President Johnson's Speech.

| Convention, with such other delegates as
were in the city, attended at the White,
House, at noon to-day, and were received
| by President, who was attended by Grant,
Secretaries Welles, McCulloch, Randall
and Browning, and about dozen ladies'
Reverdy johnson addressed the Presi-
dent on behalf of the Committee, giving
him an official copy of the proceedings of
the Convention, congratulating him and
his administration on the hopeful augu-
ries for the future.
The President replied that language
was inadequate to express his feelings on
the occasion. He said 4: "In listening
to the address which your eloquent and
distinguished Chairman has just deliver
ed, the proceedings of the Convention, rs
they transpired, REQUIRED to my mind,
and seemingly | partook of the inspira-
ton which prevailed in the Convention,
When | received dispatch by two of its
distinguished members, conveying in
; terms the scene which has been described
lof South Carolina and Massachusetts, arm
in-arm, walking into that vast assemb-
lage, and thus giving evidence that ex-
tremes had come together, and that for
the future they were united as they had
Ibcen in the past on the preservation of
the Union; when the dispatch informed
him that in that vast body of men, dis
tinguished for intellect and wisdom, eve
ry eve was suffused with tears on behold
ing the scene, could not finish reading
the dispatch to an associate with me IN
the office, for my own feelings oyercamc
me. think We may Justly conclude We
: are under proper inspiration, and that We
need not be mistaken in the belief that
the finger of an oyerruling aud unerring
: Providence Is in this matter The ma.
ton is in peril. We have just passed
through a mighty, bloody, and momen.
tous ordeal, yet do not find ourselves free
from the difficulties and dangers that al
first surrounded us. While our brave
: men have performed their dutics-both
officers and men turning to General
: Grant, who stood at his right while they
have won Iaurels imperishablc, there are
still greater and more important duties t.
. perform. While we have had their CO,
operation in the field. We now need theiI
support in our effort to perpetuate peace
So far as the head departments OF the
Government are concerned, the effort has
been made to pour oil into the wound,
which were consequent upon the strug
r. gle, and, to use common phrase, To pre-
pare, as the learned and wise physician
, would, plastic healing in character co
extensive with the wound. Loud cheers
We thought, and yet think, that we had
partially succeeded; but as the work pro
/ crossed, as reconciliation seemed to be
taking place and the country becoming
united, VIC found disturbing and war
ring element opposing us. In alluding
to that element | shall 20 no further thar
> did your Convention aud the distinguish
ed gentleman who has delivered 10 me thc
c report Of its proceedings. ] shall make
no reference to it that 1 do not believe
r time and occasion justify. We have wit
messed in one department Of the Govern
- ment every effort, to prevent the restora
tion Of peace and harmony. There is oI
the verge Of the Government, as it we're
. body which assumed TO be the Congress
of the United States, but in fact Con
= gress of only part Of the States. w
ri have seen this Congress assume and pre-
., tend to be for the Union, when its ever
step and act tended to perpetuatc disu
Mon and make the disruption of the State
- inevitable. Instead Of promoting recon
!. ciliation and harmony, its legislation ha
taken the form Of retaliation; and this ha
been the course of one department of you
!, Government.
':The humble individual who is nov
addressing you stands the Representative
Of another department of your Govern
ment. The manner IN which he wa
/. called upon to occupy that position shaI
not allude to just now. Suffice it to say
= he is here under the Constitution, an,
being here by virtue of its provisions, h
takes his stand upon the charter of ou
liberties as the rampant of civil and rel
gious liberty. Prolonged Cheers. Hay
ing been taught in my early life to hol
it sacred, aud having practiced upon
during my whole public career, / sha
ever continue to revere that Constitution
the Constitution Of the fathers of ou
country. and make it my guide. [Cheer
. | know it has been said, and / must
' permitted to indulge in the remark, tha
- the Executive Department of the Coy
ernment has been tyrannical. Let m
ask this audience of distinguished ger
tlemen around me here to-day, to point [
a vote l ever gave, to a speech I eve
N made, to single act Of my whole publ
life that has not been against tyranny an
despotism. As to myself, the elements
cE my nature, the pursuits of my life, hav
not made me, either in my feelings
practice, aggressive. Ny nature, on th
{. contrary, is rather defensive in its charac
Iy ter; but | would say that, having take
to my stand upon the broad principles
liberty and the Constitution, there is NJ
- power enough on earth to drive me fro
% it. Having placed myself upon that broa
platform, / have not been dismayed
intimidated by either threats or encroacl
". ments, but have stood there in coniun
" tion with patriotic spirits, sounding tt
m tocsin of alarm whenever [ deemed I'll
citadel of Liberty in danger. I said on
previous occasion, and [ repeat it. noV
NJ that all that was necessary in the gre
ar struggle against tyranny and despotisr
Ds was that the struggle should be suffcien
ly audible for the American people
hear and properly understand. They d
ire hear, and looking and seeing who the co
testants were, and what the struggle W
about, they determined that they won
lpt settle this question on the side of the Co