The New York herald., 1868-01-09


The toast received With great cheering and ap
pauss. and Mr.. johnson was Induced 20 advance 70
Arser The uproar had % sabs'dec Mr JOHNSON SAID
GEsrLEMEs-If appear before you In response 10 the
sentiment just expressed is not for the purpose Of
addressing you, and shall do nothing more on the
present occasion than to repeat what gave utteance
10 just twelve months ago, on an occasion like this
have spoken in ways. which th Ink intel.
ligiole and understood by the whole country Cheers
Colonel Thomas g. Florence then read behalf of thv
President the remarks made by HIM the last ami.
of the battle OF New Orleans 10 tho effect tha,
State had right TO It's place la or TO with
draw from the Union, and that Congress had power
under the constitution 10 exclude degrade the people
OF any State by reducing them 70 mere territorial de-
pendency on tho federal head.
The President then feturned to MIS- seat amid renewed
demonstrations OF popularity.
Hon $ s. Marshall, OF Illinois responded to the toast
founded freedom and law He remarked that this
sentiment which appealed 10 the hottest memo.
rie5 and called their bcsoms the proudes aspira
tions OF the future We might all cay, in the language
OF the patrio. whose memory they now celebrated,
"Ihe federal Union must ana shall ne preserved"
Cheers The Union which they commemorated was
Union established by our fathers under constitution
applicable 10 all parts Of this great nation II was not
Union IN which radcalism and Jacobnism were author
lied 10 dominate the country and TO crush out all
cvil and political liberty. IL free constitutional
Union OF coequal States every having the
privileges and rights under the broad egs OF glorious
constitution The Union of modern propagandists and
radicals was that one section should use the of the
federal government for controlling and dominating an
other section contrary 10 the guarantees OF the con5u
ton The Union which challenged ourloye mus be one
Inagnty and determination. tAppause
The fourth toast read, viz:-"Ihe President OF
OF the United States-condemned by the envepomed
partisan aud fanatic, but sustained by every
and Just mind, and by tho sober second thought OF
just people"
Hon. B. F. Boyer, OF Penn, in the course Of his
response, sad-In the nature Of things it not
possible for tho present Executive to escape caumny
and detraction. He called TO the adm straon Of
the government in hour when rebellion submitted
TO the conqnerng arms Of the republic. The conflict
Of had ended aud the President invited the
OF the rebolious States through the medium OF pro-
ysonal governments but Congress inerposed its
between the President and Congress; and alteriy
there had been antagonism between Con-
sss and the people n cnsss ss
because no still faithful to hs oath Of Office
protect preserve and defend tho constitution against
the system Of legislation whose stone usurpa-
ton. Mr.. Boyer continued bis remarks at length, and
was frequently applauded
the United Statesesabshed to preserve the consitu
ton from violation, usurpers would exclude II from its
1t was responded to by Hon. Reverdy Johnson who
said that the subject such an one that he
had reduced to writing Inc remarks he proposed to
make and as his eyesight no longer good he would
ask friend to read 1t for him. The reading Of Mr.
Johnson's speech, which was chiefly in mmenda,ion
Of the Supreme Court was frequently interrupted with
applause.
pact Of perpetual When disturbed II needs no
reconstruction but only the removal OF an obstruc-
tion''
gen,emenI feel to- night something Of the novelty and
excitement OF situation. For the first time
my life find myself al a democratic celebration.
find my self here not merely one OF the convives,
but selected by the committee to respond to one OF the
regular toasts. reminded OF the old adage-that
politics. like poverty, sometimes brings acquainted
with strange bedfelows l trust, Mr. Chairman, may
escape the charge OF egotism II take few minutes to
explain how IL happened that have never been at
democratic meeting in times past, and how il happens
that | am hero to night. | feel that DO
G as whose o D aS
have been and are the same as mnc For more than
thirty years belonged to the whig party androught in
it's ranks so long that was classed as one Of us Od
Guard" | with 1t in its successes. which
few, and still to it in its reverses which
many / deserted IL while its organization ex.
listed, and only ceased to be whg when the party IT,
scf ceased to oxsf. My last vote given that
party in tho Presidential contest of 1885, Then came
the rebellion and with il new issue which over
shadoacd all former party Issues. lost sight at
Of oil former political associations and joined
public. When that great fact accomplished
when tho work Of the soldier was done and
tion only less in magnitude TO that OF the
walton of the nation, and that in what spirit and
with those Southern States that Southern people
who had been engaged in insurrecton They gave up
the contest and all the issues OF the contest they
peaed their ordinances seccssion ihey abolished the
institution Of slavery they repudated the debt which
under the protection Of the old dag; 10 be
restored once 10 tho rights and privileges
OF American citizens II did seem at nrst that the
policy or forgiveness and restoration would prevail II
was inaugurated under the leadership Of Mr.. Lincoln
and he proposed in good faith to carry out The pledges
and hopes held out TO she South during the struggle
that the object Of the not to destroy but
preserve that tho Southern states had lost their
places in the Union, but only temporarily out or
their proper ons, and that was
over these relations should resumed
But even before the death of Mr. Lincoln there was de-
veloped in the republican party formidable opposition
10 that policy, and new party was formed which
held that had wased war for conquest and Tor
restoration: that wc had not merely put down
rcction, but that had conquered provinces States
foreign people, not American citizens; that those
States, instead OF being restored, were TO be
structed; that a conquered territory Congress
legslate In all their domestic concerns and IL they
come ia by new title, precisely as In
some future day may choose 10 mako a
State of the newly acquired territory OF Alaska Gentle
men, the Constitution IS tho text OF the sentiment 10
which have been called upon to respond Let US stop
one moment to look into tnst sacred instrument, in
order to the question which arises here Tho
which has occurred is not the language of lawyer
sus ,Bis.,; tho constitution Is not sept 1t has an
iicipated what has happened. II provides nsurrec
tion whether small or great whether Of a part OF a
State or OF an entire state, whether in one State in
many II provides for insurrection against the laws of
a State and for nsurrecon against the laws OF tho
United Stales. 1t gives power IN both cases. the
power in one case 70 put down instruction
the State and tho in the other TO put down
instruction agains the laws OF the United States BY
forcing obedience 20 those laws So too the consttu-
gives tho OF protection against foreign
and the power to declare and, incidental 10
that the power to make conquests. Where In tins
strument providing for the very OF nsurrcction,
for the very remedy to be applied-where do you find
tho power to put down insurrection In state
and then to destroy the state and hold 1T
aud its people conquered and subjugated And
yet, gentlemen, this Is precisely what has
been DONE BY change or federal constitution
but by Congress who must find for every warrant
and authority in the provisions Of that constitution.
The Reconstruction acts passed by Congress have
vertcd OF those States into lower condition than
that OF Territories have destroyed every vestge OF
state government, and havo stripped millions Of their
people OF every Characteristic that belongs TO an Amer
can citizen. Under this extraordinary legislation
the vast territory covered by these ten states
and the millions OF unhappy people wnich re-
side there have no more protection under our
federal constitution than n they occupied SO much
territory In the Interior OF Africa Their State constu
tons made by these people, under the auspices OF Pres
dent Lincoln aud President johnson, arc declared to be
illegal In effect abolished, and In place or them
Congress Las provided military despotism. Certainly
II valid State law protected these people there was at
least federal law which ought 10 have protected them
for every foot Of that territory and every Individual
that nhabts II the great fundamental law OF the const
tuition OF the United states prevails In all ts vsor and
gives TO every OF them every privilege aud every
immunity which extends to tho American
citizens anywhere AMI everywhcre With this consti.