The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1868-01-21

y
The 9Th of January Banquet In Washing.
ton City
The ffty-third anniversary of the battle of
New Orleans was celebrated by the Democrats
of the District of Columbia, and many invited
guests from all parts of the country, by grand
banquet at the Metropolitan Hotel in WashiRg-
ton, on Wednesday evening 9Th January.
Speeches were made by President johnson,
Judge Black, Hon. T. Marshall, of Ohio, Hon.
Reverdy Johnson Attorney G General Stanberfy,
Senator Doolittle, General Ewing, and others.
Attorney General Stanberry said, among other
things:
"Gentlemen,-I have been at the bar for near
ly half century, and have been the constant
student, not only of the common law, but of our
own constitutional law, and do not hesitate to
say that the whole of these reconstruction acts
of Congress from beginning to end-frst, second,
and third, in series-are unconstitutional and
void. There are times when to be silent is to
be unfaithful. There are times when men aaust
speak out. | will not attempt to school myself
into reticence upon these great questions, and
could not if l would"
Senator Doolittle said:
'Now, fellow-citizens, having thus expressed
to you frankly, openly, fearlessy the truth on
control the action of the Democratic party t.
see to it that you SO arrange your programme In
the coming contest that you do not attach your
selves to any dead issue-that you do not place
upon any dead issues any dead men. [Applanse.l
You must seek the living issues of the hour, and
you must put living men upon your tickets to
represent that ISSUE or you will be beaten in the
canvass. [Applanse.] Let me speak to you
plainly. l have no concealments. l speak to
you just as l have spoken to the Republican
party, or Union party, with which have been
associated in the reelection of Mr. Lincoln. l
tell you, gentlemen, it is as true as that God lives
and regns, you, in the next canvass, shall plant
yourselves upon platform which shall under
take to condemn, either directly or indirectly,
the war to put down the Radicals of the South
the war which was to sustain the Union and
the Constitution-you will be beaten in the cleo
ton. [Applause You must commit no such
folly as that. | speak to you as Conservative
who is ready to fight for the Constitution and
the Union, and tell you that if you wish to take
position in this Government as you ought to do.
and to overthrow the Radicals, You must take
hold of the living issues of the hour, and plant
living men upon those issues as your standard
bearers, and they viii carry you to victory
GApplanse]
Now, there are some who suppose that Gen
running upon their ticket, is to be SO powerful
that he cannot be overcome In the election. Let
me tell you that if Gen. Grant expects the nom-
ination upon this Radical policy, and in favor Of
the policy Of negro domination over the whites
of the South, Gen. Grant will be like Sampson
in the lap of Dellah-he will be like any other
man. Laughter and cheers.)
Who our candidate may be we cannot tell un-
til after the convention shall have met and in.
dicated its choice; but whoever he may be, if he
be living man Chats it) npon the living issue
of the hour, which is simply whether white men
and civilization shall rule the States of the South,
and hold the balance of power in this Republic,
we shall elect him. Hearty and prolonged
cause we have great many of them, but possibly
it may be Mr. johnson. Great applause] A
Voice Possibly Mr. Doolittle." Renewed
cheering.] 1t may be General Hancock. Tire
mendous applause. 1t many be many others
for whom different States may express their pre-
ference. IA Voice-"It may be Mr. Stanbery."l
have no disposition on this occasion to discuss
their merits, because would discuss nothing but
the principle-to wit. The maintenance of the
Constitution and the Union, and the supremacy
of the white race and of civilization in the con-
troll of the whole country. ["Good good p and
applause / am not in favor of any candidate
who is in favor of the Africanization ofthe South
and of Africanizing the whole Republic. Pro
longed cheering followed by three hearty cheers
for the honorable speaker as heresumed his seat.
Eloquent letters were read from ex-President
Pierce, Hon. George H. Pendleton Gov. Swami,
of Maryland; General Oden Bowie of Maryland;
Secretary McCulloch, Hon. j. Q. Adams OF
Massachusetts, Gov. Joel Parker, of New Jersey;
Charles c. Greene, Of Boston; Hon. George w.
Jones. of Iowa; Hon. John NJ. Buckley, Assis-
tant Attorney General; Hon. Thomas u. Bran.
lette, of Kentucky; Hon. August Belmont, of
New York; Rear Admiral Radford, Hon. John
A. Greene. of New York. Governor b. i. Perry,
of South Carolina; ex-Gov. Seymour, of Connec-
| ticut, and Hon. +. =. Blair.
| A statistician estimates that every married