The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1865-04-25

tho hope of the people, springs not
alone from a solitary individual of ever
so desperate vie kedness. We can trace
ITS cause through successive steps, with.
out my enumeraiing them here, back
to that source which is tho spring OF all
our woes No one can say that
II the perpetrator OF this iendish deed
be arrested he should not undergo the
EXTREMIST penalty the law knows for
crime, none will say that mercy should
lnterpoae. But is he alone guilty
Here, gentlemen, You perhaps expect
me TO present some indication of my
future policy. One thing | will say.
Every era teaches its lesson. The times
We live in are not without instruction
The American people must be taught
Iii they do not already feel-that trea.
son is a crime and must be punished
applause that the Government will
/ not always bear with its enemies that
It Is strong, not only to protect, but to
/ punish. Applause When we turn
to the criminal code and examine the
catalogue Of crimes, we there find arson
| laid down as q crime with its appropri-
ats penalty; we find there theft and rob
berry and murder given as crimes and
there, too, we find the last and highest
Of crimes-treascu. Applause With
/ other and inferior offences our people
are familiar But in our peaceful his
tory treason has been almost unknown
The people must understand that it is
the blacklist of crimes, and will be sure
| ly punished Applause ! make this
allusiOn not to excite the already exas-
! perated feelings of the public, but to
| point ont the principles of public JUS
tice which should guide our action at
this particular juncture, and which &C
cord with sound public morals Let it
be engrSyen on every heart that trea-
son is a crime, and traitors shall suffer
its penalty. Applause While we
! are appalled,, overwhelmed at the fall
Of one man in our midst by the hand
/ of traitor, shall we allow men-I care
not by what weapOns--tO attempt the
life of the State with impunity While
We strain our minds TO comprehend the
| enoTmitY Of this assassination, shall
we allow the nation to be assassina-
ted. Applause l speak in no
/ spirit of uukindness. I lelYe the
events of the future to be dis
posed of az they arise, regarding my
| self az the humble instrument of the
American people In this, as in all
things, justice and judgment shall be
determined by them. / do not harbor
bitteror reEengeful feelings towards
any. In general terms | would say
that public morals and public opinion
should be established upon tue sure
and iBfexible principles of Justice
! Applause When the question OF
exercising mercy comes before me it
wiz be considered calmly, judici&lly
remembering that am the EXecu-
tive OF the nation | know men love
to have their names spoken of in con
nection with tI of mercy; and how
easy it IS to yieIu 10 this impulse But
we must not forget that what may be
mercy to the Individual is cruelty to
the State Applause. In the ezer.
else of mercy there should be no doubt
left that this high prerogative is not
used tC relieve a few at the expense of
the many Be assured thatI shall ne
yer forget that am not to consult my
own feelings alone, but to give an ac-
count Of the whole people Applause !
| IN regard to my future course, I will
now make no professions, no pledges.
I ] have been connected somewhat ac-
/ lively with public affairs, and TO TIE
history ofmy past public acts, which
is familiar to you, refer for those
principles which have governed me
heretofore, and will guide ms hereaf-
ter In general, ! will say / have long
! laboIed tor the amelioration ard eleva-
| ton of the great mass of mankind.
| Ny opinions as TO the nature Of popu
lar government have long been cher.
! ished, and, constituted as 7 am, 1t Is
now too late in life for me TO change
them. believe that Government was
made for man not man for Government.
Applause This struggle of the PEG
pie against the most gigantic Rebellion
| the world ever saw has demonstrated
! that the attachment of the people to
| their Government is the strongest IA
| lional defense human wisdom can
devise [ Applause So long as each man
! feels that the interests of the Govern
ment are his interests, SO long as the
public heart turns in the right direc-
ton and the people understand and
appreciate the theory Of our Govern
ment and love liberty, our Consiitu-
ton VIII be transmitted unimpaired If
| the time ever comes when the people
Eshall fail, the Government will fail, and
we shall cease to be one of the nations
/ Of the earth. After having preserved
our form of free Government, and
| shown its power to maintain its exist
ence through the Vicissitudes Of nearly
! a century, it may be that il was necss
sary for US to pass through the last
! ordeal of intestine strife to prove that
! this Government will not perish from
internal weakness, but will stand to
| defend itself against all foes and pun
ish treason. Applause In the deal,
| ings Of an inscrutable Providence, and
by the operations of the Constitution,
! / have been thrown Unexpectedly into
this position. Ny past life, especially
my course during the present unholy
I Rebellion, IS before you; / have no
/ PRINCIPLES to retract. | defy any one
/ to point to any of my public acts at
variance WIN the nNeu pilutl PIER
/ which have guided me through life.
have no professions no offer Protes-
sions and promises would be worth
nothing at this time. No one can fore
see the circumstances that will hereal-
/ ter arise. Had any man gifted with
prescieuce four years ago uttered and
written down in advance the events Of
this period, they would have seemed
moro marvellous than any thing in the
Arabian Nights shall not attempt
to anticipate the future. As events oc-
cur, and it hccomas necessary for me
20 act, ! shall dispose of each rs it
arises, deferring any declaration or
message until il can be written by psr-
sgrsph in the light Of events as they