The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-06-18
OITY INTELLIGENCE.


special session yesterday afternoon to consider
SeIect council bills, the principal item which
Pd 70 the meeting being the resolutions passed
Dy the latter body rendering TO the President
the hospitality of the CITY. The attendance
was as good as on any regular session.
The resolutions rendering the city hospitality
to President johnson we're called up first in
order.
Mr., Harper queried whether the President
would stay IN Philadelphia long enough to rem
der the appointment OF a Committee necessary
Mr.. Hancock said that II this was known. and
the President would remain here over night. he
was IN favor OF the resolutions. The President
was courteous to the Council Committee on
Lesgue Island, and the city should recognize
that ahabihty; but if Mr.. johnson simply de.
slIed 10 go to New York, Mr.. Hancock would
rot invite him. The Connecting Railroad was
built to shorten the route from Washington to
New York. II the President desired to 90 to
New York, let him have the full benefit OF the
short route. (Laughter.)
Mr. Evans moved to table the resolutions.
This fell, the yeas being 6-Eager, Earnest,
Evans, Mactague, shoemaker, and Wagner-all
Republicans. The nays we're 26.
Mr. Littlelon SAID that 1t made no difference
whether the President intended TO come here o T
not. The resolutions were Intended to Invit 9
him, and 1t is perfectly proper to do So The Com
mtttee on League Island we're received by the
President In the most polite and gentlemanly
manner possible. 1t is the exhibition of very
poor spirit in the Councils of Philadelphia to
refuse him the courtesy which IN all honor and
willingness he extended to the official repre-.
sentatves of this city, when charged with so i'm.
portant and grave a subject as the procuring at
League Island the site OF naval depot for the
United States.
Mr.. Wagner moved to postpone the subject.
Upon 1t there would, he said necessarily be de-
bate. Other Select Council bills needed no dis
cuselon, and should, therefore, be considered.
Mr. Harper thought Councils should first know
that the President was coming. Find that ont
and the resolutions would then be in order In
the absence Of such information he favored post
ponement.
Mr.. Hetzell said that the special meeting had
been called to consider these resolutions Why,
then, postpone them The President would pass
through the city. That is all Councils should
know. Every Federal Executive who has ever
passed through the city has received the barren,
FORMAL ceremony of an official welcome, and to
Andrew johnson, the present President of the
United states, such reception should be given.
Mr.. Hetzell, therefore, would oppose the motion
TO postpone.
Mr.. Evans said that he would welcome to
Philadelphia any man who would be an honor
and credit to it. Such man is not Andrew
johnson. He won hls position by knavery. He
has pardoned those who murdered the best flesh
and blood of the land. He has taken by the
hand the men who held Northern soldiers Ian
gushing in Southern prisons, while he fed upon
Northern pap. He has trampled in the dust the
flag he should have defended and supported.
de has demoralized and degenerated the whole
community, and if to-day Andrew johnson had
his deserts he would be in the place of John
Surratt. Every place of position or trust he has
betrayed for the purposes OF personal aggran-
dlzement, and If 1t was the last act of his life
Mr.. Evans would scorn to offer hospitality to the
man who pardoned the murderers who starved
Union men in Rebel prisons.
Mr.. Dillon sald that the question which had
been by the Republicans resolved into a poll
tical question, had been called up,in no political
light. 1t was to the President of the United
given, and no political grounds should have
been introduced. The assaults made upon Mr..
johnson were unprovoked, uncalled for and
untrue. The starvation of Union prisoners had
M nla in ha fhn cir OltrtiA
OF invitation. That our men were starved in
Southern prisons we know, and these men
would not have been there had Edwin NJ. STAN
ton and Abraham Lincoln consented to the ex-
change of the Rebel prisoners in our hands. It
was to this refusal to SO exchange the Rebel
prisoners for the Union men that the results of
AndersonVille and Libby are due.
Mr.. Wagner bitterly denied this, and said that
the reason why cartel of exchange was not
effected was because the Rebel Government
refused to acknowledge our colored soldiers,
whom the Union Government was bound to
protect. There the blame rests, and there it
should be placed.
Mr.. Wagner said that the President was not
coming to Philadelphia. To assist in certain
ceremonies he is going to Boston, and Councils
are only disag reeably pushing themselves before
their constituents in this invitation. We never
had such President before, and he hoped in
God we never would have such an one again. We
never had President who made it his business
to travel all through the country for the purpose
of being entertained, and TO make little speeches.
and Mr.. Wagner hoped no such unnecessary
fiunkeyism would be perpetratedias to invite
Andrew johnson to this city.
Mr.. Mershon opposed the resolution. To-day,
he said, If Andrew Johnson had not been Vice
President of the United States, the martyred
Abraham Lincoln would be living. Andrew
johnson has the bloodstains of the murdered
Lincoln upon his forehead. Why should the
hospitalities of Union-lo loving city be given to
traitor President2 If Councils invite Andrew
johnson to Philadelphia, the whole community
will hiss upon the members who vote for such a
resolution. If Andrew johnson goes to Boston,
he may go through without stopping III he
does" said Mr.. Mershon, "thank God, and will
give him kick to help him along. That's my
respect for the man."
MIR. Harper recalled the Chamber to its sense
of propTiety, by reminding them that their simple
duty was to consider a resolution of invitation
to the President. That he was responsible for
the murder of Mr. Lincoln was q statement Mr..
Harper was grieved and panied to hear. He
hoped that the debate would now take its regu-
lar course, and that, rs there was no necessity
for passing the resolutions Immediately, the
and in the interim the fact be ascertained
whether the President would come to Phila-
delphia or not,
Mr.. Evans did not wonder that the Demo
cratic members indorsed President johnson. At
last he knew where to find these members.
Birds of feather flock together, and they were
we'll ht to be the friends of the man who should
Oe in the cell of Surratt, and who was ready to
be bought by English gold. Fortunately for the
Government, the noble band of Union men in
the nations capital, and the liberated blacks Of
the South. win sustain the Government; and
when the memory of Andrew johnson and his
supporters passes into mcrited oblivion, the
names OF the Union heroes will live in history
and in the hearts OF the children who will arise
TO call them blessed.
Mr., Hetzell replied with considerable spirit,
when Mr.. Wagner said that, to stay further hot
blood. he would call the previous question.
Tho call Waa not sustained. and the debate