Daily union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1865-1866, 1866-09-02
THE Presidenta at New York.
His Speech at the Banquet
FULL REPORT.

President and has party, Mayor HOFFMAN,
proposed the first toast which was, "Tht
health of ANDREW JOHNSON, President Of
the United States" The President arose
amidst immense cheering, and spoke as fol
lows:
GENTLEMEN: The toast which has Just
been drank, and the kind sentiments which
preceded il in the remarks OF your distin-
guished representative, the Mayor Of this
city, is peculiarly, under existing circum-
stances, gratifying TO me; and in saying it is
gratifying to me, / wish not 10 indulge in
any vanity. III / were to say less ! should
not speak the truth, and it is always best TO
speak the truth and to give utterance to our
sincere emotions In being 50 kindly at
tended to, and being received as / have been
received on this occasion-here tonight and
in your city to-day by such demonstration
i am free 10 confess that this overwhelms
me. But the mind would be exceedingly
dull, and the heart almost without an i'm
pulse, that could not give ntterance to some
thing responsive 10 what has been SAID and
done. Cheers And believe me on this
occasion, warm is the heart that feels and
willing is the tongue that speaks, and ! would
10 God it were in my power 10 reduce the
sentences and TO language The feelings and
emotions that this day and this night have
produced. Cheers.
| shall not attempt, in reference 10 what
has been said and the manifestations that
have been made, 10 20 into any speech, or
10 make any argument before you on this
occasion, but merely 20 give utterance to the
sincere sentiments Of my heart ] would
that / could utter what ] do feel in re-
Eponse 10 this OutpOuring Of the popular
heart which has gone forth on this occasion,
and which will as a legend spread itself and
communicate with every heart throughout
the Confederacy. Cheers. All that is
wanting in the great struggle in which we
are now engaged is simply to develop the
popular heart Of the nation. IL like latent
fire All that is necessary is a sufficient
amount Of friction to develop the popular
sentiment Of the popular feeling of the
American people Cheers ! know, as
you know, that we have just passed through
a bloody, perilous conflict; that we have
gentlemen who are associated with Us on
this occasion, who have shared their part
ana participated in these struggles for the
preservation Of the Union. (Great applause.)
Here is the army, (pointing to the right,
where sat General GRANT, and here the
navy, (pointing TO the left, in the direction
Of Admiral FARRAGUT.) They have per
formed their part in restoring the Govern
ment 10 its present condition OF safety and
security; and will il be considered improper
in me, on this occasion, 10 say that the Sec
rotary Of State has done his part? Cheers
As for the humble individual who now
stands before you, and to whom you have
so kindly and pleasantly alluded, as 10 what
part he has performed in this great drama,
=. Il. =. Ia E,r lao restoration n tho
Government, and the suppression of rebel
hon2 1 will say that feel, though i may
be inclnded in the summing up, that the
Government has done its duty. lCheers.)
But though the Government has done its
duty, the work Is not yet complete Though
we have passed through fields of battle, and
at times have almost been constrained and
forced 10 the conclusion that we should be
compelled 10 witness the Goddess Of Liberty,
as it we're, 90 scourged through fields Of car
mage aud Of blood and make her exit, and
that orr Government would be a failure; yet
we are brought to period and to a time in
which the Government has been successful.
While the enemy have been put down in
the field there Is still a greater and more
important task for you and Others TO per-
form. fCheers) | must be permitted-and
shall not trespass on You a moment
must be permitted to remark in this connec-
zion. that the Government commenced the
suppression Of this rebellion for the express
purpose of preserving the union OF these
States (Cheerz) That was the declara-
ton that il made, and under that declaration
we went into the war and continued 1t until
we suppressed the rebellion. The rebellion
has has been suppressed, and in the suppress
sion Of the rebellion IL has declared and an
nounced and established the great fact that
these States had not the power, and
it denied their right by forcible or
by peaceahle means Ia separate themselves
from the Union. CHEERS Good That
having been determined and settled by the
Government Of the United States in the
field and in one Of The departments Of Gov
ernment-the Executive department of the
Government-there is an open issue there
is another department of your Government
which has declared by lis official acts, and
hy the position Of the Government, nOtwith-
standing the rebellion was suppressed, for
the purpose of preserving the Union OF the
States and establishing the doctrine that the
States could not secede, yet they have pracu-
cally assumed and declared, and carried up
Ia Che present point, that the Government
was dissolved and that the States were out OF
the Union ICheers We who contend Tor
the Opposite doctrine, wears ago coniended
that even the States had not the right TO
peaceabv secede, aud one Of the means and
modes Of possible secession was that the
STATES af the Union might withdraw their
representatives from the Congress OF the
United States. and that would be practical
dissolution. We denied that they had any
such right. lCheers. And now when the
doctrine is established that they have no
right to withdraw, and the rebellion Is at an
end, and the States again assume their post
ton and renew their relations, as far as m
them lies with the Federal Government, We
Gnd that when they present Representatives
To the Congress Of the United States, in viola
ton of the sacred charter Of liberty which
declares that YOU cannot even by amendment
of the Constitution of the United States,
deprive anv one OF them of their represen-
t,tion we find that in violation Of the Con
stitu.ion. In express terms as well as m
spirit. that these States Of the Union have
been and still are denied their representa-
ton in the Senate and in the House OF Rep
reseniatives. Win we then, in the strug
Gle which is now before as, submit-wlil th'
American people submit TO this practical dis
solution, doctrine that We have repudiated,
docfrine that we have declared rs having
no iustice or right? The issue Is before vol
and before the country. VIII these State
he permitted to continue and remain as the,
are. in practical dissolution and destruction
so far "A representation is concerned It d
giving the lie direct-it is subyertine ever,
single argument and position we have mad
and taken since the rebellion commenced
Are we prepared now, after having passe,
through this rebellion; are we prepared
after the immense amount Of blood that ha
been shed are We prepared, after hayin
accumulated a debt Of over three thousan'
millions Of dollars; are We prepared, ate
all the injury that has been inflicted uPo
the people North aud South, Of this conied
eracv, now 90 continue this disrupted condl
ton of the country Cries, No no
Never lCheers.) Let me ask this mtel
licent audience here tonight, in the spiri
OF christianity and Of sound philosophy, ar
we prepared 20 renew the scenes throug
which we have passed {" No MOI no y
Are We prepared again 10 see one portion {
this Government arrayed in deadly coniii'
against another portionY Are we prepare
70 see the North anayed against the Soutl
and the South against the North2 Are
prepared. in this fair and happy Govern
inent Of freedom and liberty, 10 see ma
again sci upon man, and in The name OF 20
In his hand against the throat Of has ie