Holmes County farmer. [volume] (Millersburg, Ohio) 1857-1926, 1865-04-27

From the n. Y Tribune, April IL
Andrew JOhnsOn's Speech on
the Fall Of Richmond.
Upon the reception in Washington of the
news of the fall of Richmond, on the 5th
inst, Vice President Johnston was serana-
naded by the jubiant people, and made a
speech to them of great force and power,
in which he laid down the treatment he con-
ccived to be proper for the rebel leaders and
masses. In view Of Mr.. Lincoln untime.
ly death, and Mr.. Johnson's succession as
President of the United States, the re-
marks then delivered have double inter
est and meaning. We produce the speech,
edly be the policy of the new President
He said
"You must indulge me in making one
single remark in connection with myself. =
At the time the traitors in the Senate of the
United States plotted against the Govern
ment, and entered into a conspiracy more
foul, more execrable and more odious than
that of Cataline against the Romans, |
happened to be a member of that body, and
as to loyalty, stood solitary and alone among
the Senators from the Southern States -
was then and there called upon to know
what would do with such traitors, and L
want to repeat my reply here. said, if
we had an Andrew Jackson he would hang
them as high as Haman. But as he is no
more, and sleeps in his grave in his own be-
loved State, where traitors and treason have
even insulted his tomb and the very earth
that covers his remains, humble as | am,
when you ask me what l would do, my re-
| ply is, tooul2 urre,t them; ,oould t,y
Mem; ID0uld cOnrict them; IsoouH hang
Mem As humble as am and have been,
l have pursued but one undertaking course.
All that have-life, limb and property
have been put at the disposal of the coun-
try in this great struggle. | have been in
camp, have been in the field, | have been
everywhere where this great rebellion was;
Ihave pursued it until believe | now can
see its termination. Since the world began,
there never has been Il rebellion of such gi-
gantic proportions, so infamous in charac-
ter, so diabolical in motive, so entirely dis
regardful of the laws of civilized war. 1t
has introduced the most savage mode of
warfare ever practiced upon the carth-
! will repeat a remark for which | have been
in no small degree censured. What is it, al
low me to ask, that has sustained the ma
ton in this great struggle? The cry has
been, you know that our Government was
not strong enough for time of rebellion /;
that in such time she would have to con-
tend against internal weakness as well as in
ternal foes. We have now given the world
evidence that such is not the fact and
when the rebellion shall have been crushed
out, and the nation shall once again have
settled down in peace, our government Will
rest upon more enduring basis than ever
before. But, my friends, in what has the
great strength of this government consisted!
Has it been in one-man power Has 1t
been in autocrat, or in some one man who
held absolute government No! thank
God | have it in my power to proclaim the
great Truth that this government derived its
strength from the American people. They
have issued the edict; they have exercised
the power that has resulted in the over
throw of the rebellion, and there is not an
other Government upon the face of the
earth that could have withstood the shock.
We can now congratulate ourselves that we
possess the strongest, the freest, and the
best Government the world has ever saw.
Thank God that we have lived through this
trial, and that, looking in your intelligent
faces here, to-day, L can announce to you
the great fact that Petersburg, the outpost
of the strong citadel, has been occupied by
our brave and gallant officers, and our unit,
ring invincible soldiers. And not satisfied
with that, that they have captured the cit
adel itself, the stronghold OF the traitors;
Richmond is ours, and is now occupied
by the forces of the United States. -
Death to the conspirdtors-clemency to
their victims. One word more and 1 have
done. 1t is this: | am in favor of leniency,
l. nxyII-I
punished. Treason is the highest crime
known in the catalogue Of crimes; and for
him that is guilty of it-for him that's ,cil-
Hng to lift his inlpiouS hand against the au-
thority of the Ndtion-I ,oould sag death IS
too easu a punishment My notion is that
treason must be made odious, that trait
ors must be punished and impoverished ;
their social power broken, though they
must be made to feel the penalty of their
crimes. Hence / say this-the halter TO IN
teUigent, Influential traitors. But to the
honest boy, to the deluded man, who has
been deceived into the rebel ranks, | would
extend leniency. Il would say return to your
allegiance, renew your support to the Coy
ernment and become good citizen, but IN
leaders I,oould hang. l hold, too, that
wealthy traitors should be made to remun'
crate those men who have suffered as con
sequence of their crimes; Union men who
have lost their property, who have beer
driven from their homes beggars, and wan
ders among strangers. 1t is well to talk
about things here to-day, in addressing the
well Informed persons who compose thl'
audience. You can, to very great extent
aid in molding public opinion, and in giving
| it proper direction. Let us commence tn,
work. We have put down these traitors IL
arm; let us put them down in law, in pub
lie judgement and in the morals OF the
world,