New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1867-07-22
sERENADEs TO CONGRESSMAN
COMPLIMENTS IN WASHINGTON TO REPUBLICAN,
MEMBERS OF coNGREss-sPEECH OF SPEAKER

COMPLIMENTS IN WASHINGTON TO REPUBLICAN
MEMBERS OF coEGREss-sPEEcH OF SPEAKER
COLFAx. lni "a
rKiBusK alfsa csl 70
WASHINGTON, July 2i.--The Hon. Schuyler Coffax
was serenaded at the National Hotel last night
After several choice airs by the band the honorable
gentleman came to the balcony and responded as
follows, being frequently interrupted with loud ex
pressions of approval: fiH q
FELLOW CITIZENS: There are two kinds of sere-
nades in Washington-the first when members arrive
to enter on the discharge of their duties and the last
when after the close OF the SeSs t tney aTe afSS a
he who taketh of his arnor has more ngnt 10 pe
proud than he who putteth 1t on ivaiue TINS marx
% oon5pinted Won mean by It. "Well done. good and
faithful servants fApplallse.] Congress sincerely
desired TO avoid this Midsummer session. ansy
passed the Military Reconstruction bills last Mafch;
fThe President vetoed them on the exPlicit gIounu
that they made the military eommanaer suPI;me
and absolute over the people Oh me a Of fhem
and repassed them over his Veto lhey were CUT ,1
daily Endorsed by the loyal people OF the Nort d
aeouieseed i'm more readily than had been expected
by the people Of the South. Soon it became appa..
rent that under them loyalty would trinmph IN most
of the Southern States, and then the PRESIDENT We
toed his own Veto and promulgated ? decision o.
his Acknowledgement that under these laws the mill
tary commanders were mere policemen, suD9fdnase
to the Provisional Government over which they had
force the DEGREES Of the Rebel Governors and Mayors
and that every Rebel was to be his own register.
The people surprised at these sc PgessreS
confidence to reaSsemble, and from Maine 10 Caii-
forDia they came hithcr to resume their l5glsia-
tive authority, and to SO declare the pe;nng
Of their legislation that legal s0phstrles
of any Attorney General could mysufy ~ vetoed
again, they repassed it by a vote Oh Io9r 90 90
one one OF the laws which the President by his
constitutional OATH must take care TO nave Iaitiuy
executed. Some, / know, condemn congress io5
having done too much in its past Legislation, anu
some for having done too little; but think 1T has
struck the golden mean firm and yet prudent coura
Qeous without undue excitement, lnfexlDie anu yes
wise The President IN his last veto denonnces Ilis
military despotsm as he calls IT, and declares tbat
Congress has subjected the South to tyranny mose
fntolerabe. We have heardthese charges OF nisa.y
despotisIn before during the war, from the party
which so bitterly opposed his election three years ago.
Every act tending TO strengthen the uoVernneI.,
such the suspension OF the hdoeas corpus; e @
court-martial &c, denounced as mintary ues
potism but the people rendered their Verdic anu ~
could NOT be reversed Instead OF tyranny, inc heS
note Of the Congressional policy s Pat and cod
helping us we shall stand by 1T until ~ IL ciownsu
with triumph Applause Will use no T"rd % ms
/ respect toward the President, for although dnerihg
with him in policy az wide the poles respect the
office which he fills, and prefer argument ~
| When listened yesterday 20 Mr.: McPherson the
Clerk of the House as he reaa me o9u fa st in the
whole of il he aligned himself far more than the
Congress which he addressed All p parties Garane
nroclamation of May 1866, lac declared that all the
civil governments OF the South had been aestf9yed
by the Rebellion de then, without Sg HU
ton in the absence of all law upon the subject Has
Congress made State governments subordinate 10 the
| military uoweri So did the President. Has Con.
eress provided for the calling of State Conventions
So did the President: Has Congress autnoIi1eu ,ne
ratfcatIoni SO did the President But he or
dered conventions by his executive nat, ana recog
nized their constitutions without their being sub
| mitted to the people, Congress required the ptopei
the registered voters, TO call the Convention them
| selves and then to approve or reject tnelr Woi,
Inv popular vote. lApplausel Has Congress required
| the ratification of Constitutional Amendment 30
did the President Has Congress established test
| oath So did the President. Our crime 49, sup
| nose that we provided that those whom the natter
had made free should have the freemans ballot io
their protection while the cnnt qs with tI
result of ours The nation looked on TO see wha
fiuits would result from his action, and what they
| were In nearly every State the Rebel power re
| snmed its authority and became dominant In thell
executive legislative and judicial departments-tht
yagrant and labor laws virtually reensiavlng tne
| emanclpated, followed by murders outrages, rlots
and massacres crowned the whole: Loyal men were
under foot and the reviyihed spirit OF rebellion was
triumphant. With our ddty to our county ana On
and hence the legislative action we nave since TAKEN
Approved in tue past we have been canno.
doubt even more triumphahe lndoise,heii'
hereafter. [Appause.l The President Appeals 20
the balIot-box so do We and by its decision we are
willing 10 stand or fall In 1862 in the darkest hour
of the war; amid disaster and reverse the Dallot
sustained US and returned Republican majority {
| Congress- In 1864 we were compelled 10 accept a.
the odium Of CONSUMPTION, the heavy burdens o.
| taxation necessary for our national cFeul,, ane
| 10 keen our flag flying in the field, the chargel
of our enemies that men were being drafted
from their homes to free negroes ana tne ae
nunciations against the war as a failure; out VIII
the simple motto of ON Country, under the ieae
of our noble President-would TO God he were livins
| to-d0y-we won magnificent triumph tApplanse
In 1866 when President Johnson turned bis BACK Oh
the party which elected him, traveTsed the country
making speeches 10 be read by millions, denouncni
ms: with his whole Cabinet against us, with Du,
one honored exception Applause, and cries OF
"Stantonrl with the whole power and patron
age of the Government thrown IN the scale OF oul
enemies we appealed again to the bailot-b0x, WIN
ming the most magnificent victory ever known II
our political history. [Applause But this Will D,
eclpsed by the coming victory OF 1868 when we shai
place in the offices of the Government men who WI
be faithful to liberty, justice, ana ,oyay we an
no more and will accept no less and this victory vii
be sweled by the votes of the reconstructed Soutn
When they return, as they WILL in accordance witf
the terms prescribed in our legislation, they Will re
turn with magnificent maJorlles tor tne right Up
| plausel They will come back, led as they must De
by those who have been faithful TO the Union IN ~
darkest hours They will join with us OF the North
under the inspiring influence OF free labor ana Irss
in the march of prosperity ana power p,s ana WIN
this noble land there shall be no man so poor %
| tumble SO obscure, that he cannot look up 10 the
American flag his unfailing protection. ana 70 tne
light hand Iappausel and all the loyal people snail
| saw Amen and Amen" loud appiause'J
THE sERENADE TO MR.. srEvENs-sPEECHEs OF
MEssRs FARNswoRTH, JUDD, AND NC
PETERSON.
Prior 10 the serenade to Speaker Colfax, the
marty visited the house of Mr. Stevens After several