he Union, to heal the breach, to pour
oil into the wounds which were consequent upon the struggle, and (to
speak in common phrase) to prepare, as the learned and wise physician
would, a plaster healing in character and coextensive with the wound.
We thought and we think that we had partially succeeded; but as the work
progresses, as reconstruction seemed to be taking place and the country
was becoming reunited, we found a disturbing and marring element
opposing us. In alluding to that element I shall go no further than your
convention and the distinguished gentleman who has delivered to me the
report of its proceedings. I shall make no reference to it that I do not
believe the time and the occasion justify.

We have witnessed in one department of the Government every endeavor
to prevent the restoration of peace, harmony, and union. We have seen
hanging upon the verge of the Government, as it were, a body called, or
which assumes to be, the Congress of the United States, while in fact it
is a Congress of only a part of the States. We have seen this Congress
pretend to be for the Union, when its every step and act tended to
perpetuate disunion and make a disruption of the States inevitable.
* * * We have seen Congress gradually encroach, step by step, upon
constitutional rights, and violate, day after day and month after month,
fundamental principles of the Government. We have seen a Congress that
seemed to forget that there was a limit to the sphere and scope of
legislation. We have seen a Congress in a minority assume to exercise
power which, allowed to be consummated, would result in despotism or
monarchy itself.

_Specification second_.--In this, that at Cleveland, in the State
of Ohio, heretofore, to wit, on the 3d day of September, A.D. 1866,
before a public assemblage of citizens and others, said Andrew Johnson,
President of the United States, speaking of and concerning the Congress
of the United States, did in a loud voice declare in substance and
effect, among other things; that is to say:

I will tell you what I did do. I called upon your Congress that is
trying to break up the Government.

In conclusion, besides that, Congress had taken much pains to poison
their constituents against him. But what had Congress done? Have they
done anything to restore the Union of these States? No. On the contrary,
they have done everything to prevent it. And because