Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1868-03-03
VOL. XxXV.
QDbio gtatesnlal,

Great Mass Meeting I'm New York
| City I'm Support OF the President.
| There was tremendous meeting in
New York City! on the night of the 2sth
Of February, in support Of President
JOHNSON. The World thus speaks of
the meeting ~ cez9s .-r -,
The great hall of the Cooper Institute
was densely thronged last evening by an
audience representing all the professions
and the capital and labor of the city, who
assembled to condemn the revolutionary
schemes of the Radical portion Of Con
gress, as embodied in the impeachment
Iof the Chief Magistrate. The hour APP
pointed for the proceedings was7 clock,
but long before that time every seat and
the aisles and Hobbies of the building
were occupied. Those who came late,
unable to hear the various speakers,
formed groups outside, which were sub
sequentlyi organized into an open-air
meeting and addressed by number of
gentlemen. The platform was hand
somely decorated with National colors,
which were tastefully festooned on the
pillars in the rear of the rostrum, each
being surmounteda with an American
1'shield. A fine brass band was present
near the stage, and performed at inter
walls number of choice National airs.
The meeting, in numbers and respecta-
bility; was all that the most earnest
friends of the object it was designed to
promote, could possibly desire. Among
those on the platform were Hon. James
Gallatin, Hon. James Brooks, Hon.
Daniel G. Courtney, Hon. j ohm T. Hoff-i
man. Charles O'Connor, Henry A..
Smythe, ex-senator Lawrence, ex-Sher
iff Kelly, james S. Thayer, Henry L.
Clinton, Hon. James N Gerard, Colonel
Cornell, and others.
We subjoin the following brief, but
able speech made on the occasion by
Hon. JOHN T. HoFFMAN, Mayor of the
city of New York: @,.a
| SPEECH OF HON.-JeHN T. HOFFMAN.
| My FELLOW, CITIzENs: I am not
among the invited speakers tonight. 1
did not come to make speech. 1 came
intending to be silent member of this
vast assemblage: but 1 came by my
humble presence to be among those who
wish to make earnest protest against
grievous wrong-[applause the per-
petration of which-is- being threatened
in the Capital of our country. But if /
am to speak at all / wish it understood
that / speak not as partisan-I am
not here as partisan-I am
here as an American citizen. Loud
applause.1 1 claim to be here. also, as
the head of an American city-[ap-
plause which numbers among its pop
rlation one hundred thousand hardy,
sturdy men, who tomorrow would cast
their ballots in support of every word 1
shall utter here this night. fApplause.
This meeting has been called by mer-
chants and bankers and professional men
in this great commercial city, who rep
resent its capital to the extent of mil
lions upon millions of dollars. tits
well it has been done. 1t would have
been a shame and a disgrace to the
American nation if no-voice went forth
from itssgreat commercial emporium at
time when a partisan majority in Con-
gress were attempting to overthrow the
President of the United States under the
mere form of law. [Great applause. 1t
| is well that it is so, for it would be a
burning shame, disgrace to the civil
ization of the age, if the men of this
great city, and interested as they are,
in the success and prosperity of the
whole country, uttered no word of CEN
sure and condemnation of that partisan
act of a partisan majority in the two
houses of Congress. Applause.l What
is it all aboutl A very simple story; a
story, however, which every man should
read and understand; a simple story
which regret to say every man has not
read and every man does not understand.
] venture to say now that within one
mile of this spot can be found the count
ing-houses of men who transact, every
day of the year, business to the amount
of millions of dollars, who,have not even
read the communication which the Pres
ident of the United States sent to the
Senate. explaining the actwhich he did
when he removed Mr.. Stanton and ap-
pointed General Thomas Secretary ad
interim. And inasmuch as they have
not read it, and inasmuch as there are
many in this city who have not yet un-
derstood this question now before the
American people, it is well that we
should stop and see just what it is.
This is no time for passions, nor for
idle defamation. This is serious
| time in the history of the American ma
tion. Mr.. Johnson, president of the
United States, was elected to power by
the party which now denounces him. 1
am not here as his advocate or his cham
pion. He has done much which ], ap-
pland; he has omitted to do much, for
which I censure him. He is the
President of the United States
iby virtue cof, its Constitution; not
the acting President filling out Mr.. Lin
l,coln's term of Office but the President
of the United States by virtue of the
Constitution. [Applanse.s - From the
earliest history of the Government the
President has chosen his Cabinet. Never
has there been an exception to that pro-
position. Mr.. johnson coming into, of
| fee upon the death Of Mr.. Lincoln, re-
tanned in Office temporarily certain men,
bers of that Cabinet, Mr.. Stanton holds
La commission which has been read to
you tonight, issued by President Lin
coin in 1862, designating him as Secre-
tary of War during the pleasure of the
President, for the time being. Differ
ences have arison in the Cabinet. 1t is
no longer profitable or pleasant for the
President of the United States to have
in his Cabinet man with whom he may
have no communication; man who is
at war with him, his ideas, and his pol
il 4 i IL -