The St. Cloud journal. [volume] (St. Cloud, Minn.) 1866-1876, 1868-06-11

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2 SPEECH OF GEN. jobs n. PALmEI
z,ss saf.$ a, OF lLLlAOIg.
z Delivered at the Natfonal Unfon n.
publican Conventisn, May sIst, 1865
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u M. President, and gentlemen Of tn,
Republican Convention I must con
fess that I had attended this conven
ton to witness, to observe earnest &C.
ton, without any disposition on my part
70 contribute to the volume of words
.nat usually attend asscmblages like
!n's. As you will see, l have outlived
IN 4 great measure the estimate that
young men place upon mere speech.-
} Years ago, when when the great questions be-
fore the country were matters Of arsu-
ment and deIiberation, l endeayored as
best l could, to contribute nv share to
their peaceful solution. In 1861 it was
resolved by 3 portion of the people Of
this country that the problems of the
hour were to be settled in more stern
and decisive manner. In my way to
the extent of the power I possessed, I
contributed to the settlement of those
problems. It seemed to ne at the close
OF the war, and it seems to me now that
the matters Of dispute between the Diff
ferent sections Of the country we're SET
tied upon the battlefield, and all that i
have desired since that time is that the
logic OF the battlefield should To recosniz-
ed, and decisions there made carried in
to effect: Years ago, in the beginning Ct
the controversy, the question was
whether men in all paris Of the Repub-
lie should be allowed to speak. l val
ued freedom fspeech, mot m ach speech,
but freedom. While l. commanded no
large share Of the popular gift, 1 did in.
sist that they who loved speaking should
be- allowed to do it. 4tswas denied, not
only in the South but in many districts
70 the North. At that time it was
insisted l1' not only that men should speak
as they please, and for, themselves, but
men should work for themselves and
own themselves. believe that while
every man should be allowed to speak
freely and speak for himself, that all
mel men should be allowed to act freely
and act for themselves, that every man
should be allowed to own himself. He
should be allowed to not only own him
self, but to own his OWE wife and his
own children.
This question has been decided by
the arbitrament OF the sword, and not
only was Chat great fundamental essen.
>1ial doctrine established, but it was also.
settled as conclusivcly as any question
could be settled, that hereafter men
should not only be free in their own
persons, but they should be alike free
and alike equal before the law every
where in this great Republic, and the.
issue Of the Republican party today is
not to discuss theories, but to give
practical effect to the great doctrines es-
tablished upon the battlefield. Not
for the loyal men alone, not for: the
North, not for the South, but for. men
everywhere within the limits Of the Re-
public; not for white men, but for all
men. And we supposed that the voice
ofthe American people, during the
progress Of the war and at the close of
the war, seemed to indicate that here
after there would be no dificalty-that
these doctrines would be accepted. at
least BY the Republican party-would
be accepted BY every man-everywhere.
Six months ago.. what man supposed
that there remained any further Lob
strlctions to the exccutio 8 of the DO J.
ular will? What man supposed that
we were still to struggle on in viudica-
cation of these great rinei les. We
bad triumphed during the w4r-at the
Presidential election in 1864. We had
triumphed at the close of the war-in
the greater conflict Of 1866, when An
drew johnson appealed from Congress
to the people; and the people of the
country everywhere reiterated their de-
termination that these g;e.t doctrines
hereafter should be American doctrines
everywhere: The public voice was
spoken in language not to be misunder-
stood. 1t was supposed then that ey-
cry man who accepted the name of
Republican recognized these great es-
sential doctrines, aud that they were
hereafter not to be resisted-at least by
members Of the Republican parity
There was but one thing then in the
pathway Of the people. tn 1864, by
one Of those wonderful blundcrs that
sometimes, like a visitation of the Al
mig ghty in his wrath, We elected An.
drew johnson Vice President
Tboughtless men may characterize it ~
a bluuder, but Thoughtful men may we'll
I wonder whether there was not some po-
lilitical SIN concealed-whcther what we
deemed a:mistakes was not the judgment
Of the Almighty inflicted upon the
country !; and, certainly, less than the
war itself, no curse could have been
heavier than the, election of Andrew
johnson. In! 1866 the distinct issue
t&as presented to: the American people,
whether that t'cuss"'-as the phrase is
should be removed. The people Of
U.inois-I speak Of our own State, BY
a; majority unheard CT in our history,
instructed its representatives upon that
question. Iowa spoke out, Kansas
spoke out, other States spoke out on
this question. There, was impossible
room for installing the will Of the peo:
pie Of tho country. There was but ono
way by which the departments of the
Government could be brought into har-
mony. "A demand was made to im-
| peach the President, but it has failed.
1t is not for me to speak Of the reasons
Of that failure 1t is enough for me in
speaking fer the Republican, party to de-
| plore that result. The removal of An
drew johnson was demanded BY the ma
tional safety We may talk about it,
We may discuss it as a judicial or po-
| k~H