Delaware State journal and statesman., 1865-04-21
President Jonnson's Views on the Stat.
of the Country.

H The following speech by Hon. Andrew John
&son, made in Washington on tho "a instnut, Oh
1.-THE capture of Richmond, is interesting Mt thi.
Mtime, as expressing bis views upon the troubles
Hiof the country:
81 " Being unexpectedly called on By this large
sudicnce to address them in refereuoe to thp
iSyictories which have beon announced by tele-
sgraph, ii IS q sincere pleasure to me to haye it
lin my power to mingle with those oongfatua-
Htona which arc incidental to triumphs of this
lacharaoter and perhaps | should content my
l#selt with this acknowledgment of my qualification
Hin being called, on this auspcious OCCASION, 10
8mingle with you in your reioicings in this tse
3h0ur OF our cOuntry's triumph But it may not
doe entirely out of place for me to state, that al
g tho commencement OF this iniquitous rebellion
X was one who entered the service, not al
ldthree months, six months, q twelve months,
Sor three yenrs man, but as one enlisted for the
, war, or during the struggle for the suppressonI
soi the rebellion and trust it will not be ego
tisicsl for me, on this occasion, to alludo briefly
Ito what was my position ut the beginning VI the
Srebellion
d In the Senate of the United States, when the
conspiracy was matured, and Senators wereH
retiring from their seats, when was eallGdK
upon to say what | would do in the matter, my i
sreply was that General Jackson, while pres- 4
sjent Of the United States in s32 and '38, de-
llaman's gallows, and thon put his foot upon it
and crushed 1t out That old man now sleeps inH
the tomb, and were it possible TO communicate
lintelligence to the dead, and he could he madeH
Ito know that traitors mi treason were rampant
in the land, it would cause the old man to turn
over in his coffin and burst its lid. and rise
from the tomb nnd shake of tho habilimenis oh
tue dead, and again reiterate that memorable
sentence, that " The Union of the States mustE
niga ~. a 4.
said would arrest ihcm as raitors, would tryIf
them as traitor, commit them ns traitors. and
hang them as traitors
Aud in this connection wlil any that, tnkinet
into account the persecution, oppression, andH
b bIniahment from all that is sacred and dear tol
men, that the traitors-lhat ia, the leading N
traitors, who havc deceived and involved ,heb
nation in this diabolcal rebelon--I should say Il
that their reward should be the halter and the
galloWs' repeat, that conscious, intelligent
leading traitors should suffer the penalty ofH
death. And OH the other hand, to the people
who have been deluded and mislod, 1 would Isl
extend leniency and humanity, and an invitation 81
to return to the allegiance they owe to the BY
country. We have the gratifying intellgence
to-day that the outpost of the Southern Confed. n
eracy has been taken In addition to that, the n
gates Of the citadel have been entered by our
victorious forces. May we not infer that il is
rebuke of divine providence against proud and
lmperious class, when we see that their city wasy
entered by colOred troops?
In this great cause of human freedom il is r.
The pride of my life that have been permitted 81
10 participate in lRbors that have, under God, M
ended to achieve this glorious result Aud H
While have been laboring 10 remove this dis
urbing, element from the country, trust / mayH3
DO permitted TO say have labored equally well
or the emancipation Of the white man asa
or tho sable sons, and acknowledge the suprem- III,
ICY Of the Constitution and obedience to the
aw. We have intelligence by the tcegraphsI
hat cur flag waves in triumph over the dome Of ie
he confederate capitol May not he permitted h
N this occasion TO indulge substantially in the II
anguago OF another, IN referring TO the HtarstHp
md stripes OF our country, which now waves 10 Il
riumpb, that it may continue to rise higherhao
nd higher until it meets the eun in it's coming, 4
nd may departing day linger and play upon its
mpe folds. III
but did not intend, gentlemen, 10 speak or
ccupy your time half 80 long as hage aud K
i'll now, in conclusion. tender you my sinGereE A
ranks for this manifestation Of regard and d9
'spcot that you have displayed in calling upon Eb
ne who so litIlO expected it on the present IA
ccasinn. But permit me, in conclusion to pro- Isl
Dso three cheers for the President of The Uni a..
d States, his Cabinet officers, and the gallant n,
iicera. and especially the soldiers, who hayeh 10
nght our battles and achieved the victories ~ ~
At Of which comes this days rejoicing.
would say, in this connection, that whilss] N
e functionaries Of our government have done#
uch in carrying out the war, that it is ho.peo.
o that have constituted the former, ande Il
rough their functonRJies have put down this
10 most gigantic rebellion the world has eyoFH it
en-, My opinion is, il is the work Of destiny
Id ain compelled on this occasion to recurFaa
the old dd captdRdi'lH saying, or so considered#
some, that "the voice Of the people is tbe + .o
ice Of God" and that their voices, being re- Al
ecIed through the proper channels have soyodE East
ID preserved, and will perpetuate the govern y In
ent through all time. ! repeat | thank you, HF,
utlemon, for this kind manifestation Of your MlC
gard and respect lth
.s.-.- IN