Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1869-04-08

man to support, project and defend You
held that instrument MP TO the American
people as The charter Of their liberty and
the supreme law Of the land which all, in
and ont of authority, were bound TO re-
spect and obey, and yield implicit obedi-
ence and Allegiance to lis sacred provisions.
With main and regret have we seen the
sp;rit of faction, hale and revenge, triumph
over your solemn warnings and.sage coun-
c;ls and advice. and in plain violation, as
we think, of the constitution, and subver-
siye of republican principles. But in the
midst OF the raging factions, when the
government seemed TO be in danger, we |
are proud to De able to say that, at all |
times. we beheld you, the chief Executive I!
az the nation. calm and serene, with
frmness and moral coarsge never before |
excelled in history, holding up in one
hand the constitution as the supreme law
Of the land, and in the other the rights
and liberties Of The people, and imPloripg
their preservation.
And last of all, bat not the least, we
saw you pass through the fiery ordeal 10
the end Of your official term, and lay
down your robes Of Office and step from
the exalted position OF President q the
United States 10 thst of private citizen
of the State of Tennessee without a stain
or blot upon your honor, your integrity or
yonr pairiotism. Therefore, We thrice
welcome you 10 our city to psrtake oil It's
hospitality, and we assure you, SIR, that
YOU are in the house of friends.
Ex.PREsIDENT JoHNsoN's SPEECH.
Mr.. Chairman: | shall not attempt ON
tbis occasion to make s response TO the ad-
dress that you have made, conveying your
feelings and continents and all those
whom Won have this honor to represent.
All that | can do on this occasion, even II
| were disposed to speak, on account OF my
| health, would be simply to make an apoi-
! ogy in not addressing you In reply TO what
| has been said to-day. Indeed were able
10 speak and disposed to do 30, the COM
| plimentary manner and the cordial well
come which has been offered here to-day
is we'll calculated to incapacitate me from
the performance Of that duty. All VIII
or can say on this occasion will be to thank
YOU for the cordial welcome. 10 return,
ing to the capital Of my own adopted
State. to receive such a welcome and mani
festation of respect is peculiarly crafty
ing to me under the circumstances. The
last four years, which as you
| are aware have separated us, have
been occupied in strife and contention ~
regard 10 the first principles OF The
government. This shall not undertake te
| Discuss on this occasion but IN Response
| to what has been said in reference to The
| constitution OF my country which i wal
sworn 70 snnnort. protect and defend, lie
me say to you hero to-day, 1t has peer
| done in fidelity and to the utmost OF my
ability. (Cheers.) Although have beer
incapable of resisting the encroachment
| upon the first principles OF free govern
| ment, and in removing from your should
era oppressions and burdens too heavy Il
he borne. and to which you have almost to-
| natieDtly submitted, (loud cheers,)
will ssy in this connection, although hav
been unable to do this, feel that hav
| done one thing which would b
enough to crafty one man. When
was inaugurated President OF tn
United States, when looked to tn
great Ship of State, and saw that yo
: were gliding along down with rapi
3 speed TO destruction like the train that
. going down the inclined plato, and a
every revolution is formed by each whes
its velocity increases until its deslructiC
seemed inevitable feel that if the do
? | struction of the government conld ;
8 | arrested for the time, that change OF II
| fundamental character could be prevente
| until the whole American people could
aroused, that they, though seemingly clio
{ and Iaboring in apathy to some exter
a | would need to come TO the rescue and cav
the constitution and the country. In al
| nearing before you to-day, and In recelN
ing this cordial welcome, it Ia proper f
,. me to say that | ask for nothing. al
v no aspirant; ask nothing at your hand
- You ia times past have conferred upon II
eye,v position that l asked, either State
IT Federal, and now stand before you askir
nothipg. Pardon me for saying, not egotis
n | cally, that have filled all the Offices with
o the gift of the people of political al
responsible character, from high to To-
lg which seems to be enough TO satisfy &
le ambition of any man. Let me say TO y
"a | that the measure of my ambition has be
filled, and in returning to you alter haVi
> filed all these positions, stepping as
u, have from the most exalted position
ns the gift of free people-from the Pre-
ia dency of the United States down amidst
ranks of my countrymen, l feel me
honor in taking my position among J
r. and heIp bear the burdens than to be
lg aupurated President of the United Sta
tomorrow upon the ruins of vlolai
constitution. Then let us rally arou
ID the constitution of our conntry-let
Of hold to it "a the chief ark Of our saf'
of let us cling to it as the shipwreck
IN | mariner clings 10 the last plank when t
night ia dark and the Tempest bio
e around him. The time has be
ns when We had two parties in {
of | Countrywide Wing aud the Democratic
N the two greatest paTIies that ever exis
in any government We had our conte
The Whigs wonld meet the Democrats
ct debate in the political forum, and VIII
II, | one would break lance ON one side,
"A | other one wonid break his spear, abe
calm would follow, aud they Wonid M
70 on common ground az supporters oil
I'D constitution. The great difference betw'
these two great parties was that one Wo
h | contend for rigid and strict cOnstrue!
| of the constitution, and the other VOL
no contend for a more broad and liberal C
es, struction Of the constitution. Those
%. | parties agreed in one great essential,
| that was in the constitution Of the UNI
States ard 10 the constitutional form OF
m government, that there was no freed
to | without a constitutional form of COVE
IN, ment.
Fl We have seen, without going into det
one department of the government attem
In in TO abolish the other two; We have g.
ng the Legislative department Of this COVE
" ment, most dangerous in its character
be unconstitutional, excessive unnecess
and tyrannical, and | was going TO say
In be diabolicslly legislating. The legii
er- ture under the preteDse OF law has
sf. tempted 10 absorb and destroy the OF
two departments. Your constitution
Wiped out of existence and in
lr. Language of the great Thomas Jeffer
hit | such a body and such an Organizat
nd | az that is the precise definition of despt
mower. This il where we are travelli
ne What is the great issue befoTesthe count
1t is whether you will have constitution
II. | form of government or not, They els
:; that they are outside Of the constitute
limits-that it no longer exists, that Il
u will and their discretion is the measure
lad their power, and not the constitution
ery the United st les. This 10 The direct
"a. we are going, aud this is matter
should be maturely considered.
leu l shall not trespass upon your attent
any longer this evening. Let me say
no. you ,mycountrymen, in returning TO 81
q | that has honored me, in returning t.
- people that have taken me by the ha
rel to receive such welcome, is source
peculiar qualification to me. | feel prou
. to-day standing in your midst privile
IN and authorized to advocate those gr
II principles of free government, than