Year: 1866

On the lst inst committee of citizens of Baiti-
more waited upon President johnson to present
him the resolutions adopted at meeting held in
that city on the 26th ult., TO indorse his policy
AS reported in the Cincinnati Gazette, the Presi-
den; responded to the address OF the chairman Of
the committee ms follows:


GESrLENEs cannot make any speech in re.
/ ply, but in response TO what has been said, I will
simply remark that my policy, TO which you have
alluded as before the country, was not announced
as the result Of impulse, nor was it thrown for any
dd cdpttdndnm purposes. II was announced us the
result of conviction, Of mature consideration, as a
necessary consequence OF the principles upon which
this government rests. That policy, which l
honestly regard as being the best for the country
will continue before the people, without the slight
eat deviation, and without being swerved from on
my part. ! do not say this in spirit Of menace
or threat TO anybody, but simply to give assurance
that there will be no abandonment and no shrinking
from that policy, because Il is believed that the
very existence and perpetuty of the government
depend on the maintenance OF the principles which
have thus been ennnciated.


am not insensble TO the remarks which have
been made accompanying the presentation of these
resolutions The mind and soul of man who
would not feel more or less inspired and impressed
by what you have said must'oe extremely dull and
barren. feel the full force Of what you have
said and think know how TO appreciate it, and
SO feeling, am pressed with the conviction that my
duty must be performed without regard TO the con-
sequences. Your encouragement at this particular
time seems peculiarly appropriate. Your counten-
ance and proIers Of support under the present cir.
cumstances, inspire me with confidence, and
strength, and hope, that the country will ulti.
mately triumph, and those great principles Will be
sustained.


it is not necessary for me to remark to you that
entered this contest at its very incipiency, and
have not deviated single hairs breadth from
the line Of policy then laid down. | stand now
precisely on the same ground l stood on in the
Senate, on the 18th and 10th days OF December,
| 1860. know that it has been said and no doubt
by many designedly said that here is President
twho was elected by party, and who on coming
into power, abandoned that party, that be has Ty-
lerized his administration that he has joined the
Copperheads and things of that kind. Those
things have no influence upon me. They
fail wholly to drive me from the discharge Of my
duty. But if you and |, with Others, have been
employed for four years, in resisting separation
and dissolution of the Union, and now have reached
n point when resistance has ceased, il we can be
instrumental in concilliating and bringing back all
the people to an honest, loyal, and thorough sup
port OF the Government, it seems to me we are do.
ing good deed and accomplishing the work we
undertook. 1t happens sometimes in the best Of





ton, that there differences aud euds, but when
these differences are understood and arranged,
and when the feuds subsde, the parties can ap.
proach each other feeling more kindly toward those
from whom they had been estranged than they did
before. Then 10 not think we are doing wrong IL
We while maintaining principle, while trying TO pre-
serve the Government, have succeeded in convin.
cling of their error and bringing back to the tod
of their fathers those Who strayed think this is
a result of which all wonld be proud, and for
which we hould not be tainted II know my.
SELF my only object is to preserve the Government.
want it to continue in loyal hands, and none
Others
i ! hope that the time will soon come when the
country will be thoroughly reconcilei; but 10 secure
all that is necessary for this purpose, will require
a severe struggle for am free 10 say TO you--it is
not worth while to disguise it--hat the very same
spirit which animated the rebellion ut one end of
the line, now exists Mt the other, to some extent
Before the recent rebellion, there were one set of
gentlemen who were trying to dissolve and break
up the government for the purpose of preserving
the institution of slavery, and another set Of gen.
tlemen were willing to break up the government
for the purpose OF destroying slavery and they so
avowed. Though these respective parties disa-
greed in the object they wished to accomplish, they
agreed on one thing and that was the destruction
of the government and far rs that point is con-
cerned the one was as culpabe the other The
blow was first struck at the southern end of the
inc. 1t being struck there, the spirit which was
making war upon the principles of the govern
ment must have something to vent itself upon and
it joined with those who were for the union against
those who were for the rebellion But now, when
the rebellion is put down, it we find attempt to
change the character of the Government, we must
equally resist it, The attempt now is to consoli-
date, TO concentrate absolute power here. 1t is the
destruction Of the Government, and it is mani
iestation Of the same spirit which attempted to
break up the Government. | stand opposed to
BOTH stand with you for the Government for
the Constitution for the supremacy Of the law and
for obedience to the law and the Constitution.
Let it be understood that so far as making can
didates for the future is concerned, have nothing
to do with it. If | can be instrumental in accom-.
plishing the great work we have undertaken TO
bring about peace and harmony and reconciliation
among all our people, nm again placing this Gov
ernment upon its firm basis, shall feel that have
reached the summit of my ambition. ! have no
other object in view, if | know my own heart aud
my own feelings


Gentlemen, permit me tn thank you most sin
cerely for the encouragement you have given me,
aud for the countenance you have shown by COM
ing forward in this great struggle for the first prin.
cple of free government.