Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1866-09-13
suite, giving all and each spontaneous,

Gen. McCullum introduced President
johnson, General Grant Admiral Far
ragut, Secretary Welles, General Gus
ter, and Others of the party to the as
sembled thousands, who were each received
with voeiferous shouts Of welcome. Mayor
James G. Bull then made brief address TO
the President, rendering him, in neat and
appropriate speech, cordial welcome, on
behalf of the City Council and the citizens,
to the Capital of Ohio. He alluded in fte,-
ing and eloquent terms to the Presidents
past political career, and to his recent beroic
struggles for the preservation and main
tenance of our Constitution and Union.
After the Mayor had concluded, President
johnson, amid great and continued cheer
ing, commenced his reply. So dense and
jammed was the crowd, and so anxious were
all to hear, that the immense multitude
swayed To and fro, like waves tossed blythe
wind. 1t was some minutes before order
was attained, but soon all eyes were riNeted
on the President end all ears open to hear
what he had to say, He spoke for. about
anhour In the following terms: -aspsrE
.,,,e TIE PRESIDENTS SPEECH. a,,,y,,r
FELLOW CITIZENS :--Permit ne, through
your h0nored representative, on this occa-
sion, TO tender to, you my sincere thanks
for the cordial welcome you have given me
as a citizen, and also for the kind allusion,
both with regard to my personal character
and official position. There was so
much confusion that the President bad to
'pause.] had just rendered, through
your honored representative, my sim
cere thanks for the cordial welcome
you had rendered to me as the President
and those who now accompany me, and at
the same time, receiving me as your fellow
citizen, independently of my being the
Chief Executive of the United States,
[cheers, for, thank God, on this occasion,
can proclaim to you that am citizen of
the United States ie ~ n hrad ID
1t will be remembered by this large
and intelligent audience that II
was once among you as an exile
driven from the borders of NV
own State to seek refuge elsewhere. L am
grateful for the cordial welcome received
by the people at that time. come. to-day.
| come as Chief Magistrate to receive SINH
lar welcome, but how different things are
now from what they were then. Our Gov
ernment was involved in civil war which
we have just passed through, in which
blood has been shed, lives sacrificed
and money expended; but thank God, after
all that has been done, it is In my power to
proclaim to you to-day that peace has been
made, and we now come with the country's
flag, containing thirty-six, and not with
only twenty-five, stars. [Applause. Then
what Is our condition now? When in your
midst as an exile, what was my language
and my appeal? That was In favor of the
preservation OF the Union OF these States,
sustaining the Constitution of my coun-
try in tact. That was my business. | |
stand where l did then, vlndicating the
Constitution of my country; and / appeal |
to the people TO maintain the principles | |
then and now advocate. then argued and |
urged that the Union could not be broken.
l then contended there was no power or
right for any one or more
States to secede, or dismember this Union |
Congress declared by solemn resolution |
that the war ought to be prosecuted for the |
Of the rebellion, a d when this |
was accomplished the flow of blood and \
expenditure Of money should cease. We |
now find that the war has ceased, and peace
And now the Union under the |
Constitution stands as it did be-
fure the rebellion cnmmenced,-
But coming out of the rebellion, we
found many of the States in disorganized
aud without State governments,
they having been suspended fra time.
After, however, the rebellion had been dis
their armies had been sup
pressed by your gallant officers aud brave
soldiers and sailors. OH the land, the ocean,
and inland seas, we came to another period,
and the question occurred, what was the
duty of the Executive department of the
Government. We looked aG the South, and
found eleven States without State Govern
nents; and we took the regular step to
give them aid. They organized and called
and summoned tlIeir Legisla-
lures, and ratified the Constitutional amend
nent a6olshing slavery not only in their
)wn States, but throughout the entire iur-
sdiction of the United States. In doing
his we obtained an additional guar
Lntee that slavery should no longerI
,Xist within our limits. The eman-
,ipation proclamation was war meas
lre; and the question with some was
whether the courts of the United States
would not declare it unconstitutional. But
% place 'e matter beyond doubt, and give
constitutional guarantee for all time that
lavery was abolished, the amendment was
and ratified; thus making it a
)art of the organic law OF the land. Then
We found that the great apple Of discord
lad so far been removed and taken away.
When came into power the question was
presented what shall be done? We ini-
lated and took steps to restore the States to
III their authority aud privileges, and to
heir former relations to the Federal Gov
We found blockade of COM
nerce. This was removed. The custom
houses and courts were reopened, and col
ectors judges, marshals, district ATTORNEYS,
md other officers appointed. Postal facili-
les were also restored to all the States.
These things being done, the questions
we're narrowed to single point, In order
o make the restoration of the union of the
states complete. 1t was to restore the
)rinciple OF representations great prin-
.jple for which our revolutionary fathers
;ontended when they periled their lives In
operating from the Crown of Great Brit
in, and put at jeopardy all they held sa-
red and dear, In order to achieve the inde-
,endence which you and enjoy. TCheers.l
they insisted on the great principle that
he people shouldnot be taxed without rep
We lhave gone on imposing
axes, and these Southern States come up
nd say to Congress and the nation that l.
hey ought to be represented Why
hould they not be represented by1,
oya members of Congress The question
ccurs whether or not this Government
hall restore the great principle established
" our fathers, that representation and
axation should go hand in hand.3 And
low, my countrymen, let me say to you
hat Congress, which once declared that
hese STATES could not go out of the Union,
md had no right to seeede and withdraw