Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1865-04-27
ANOTHER SPEECH OF THE PRE-
SIDENT.
THE RIGHTS OF THE STATES
Treason to be Made Odious.
THE TRAITORS IN THE NORTH.


On Friday delegations from the States OF Maine Ohio
aud Indiana waited upon President johnson IN Wash
ngtoa and pledged him most cordial support of their
respective States in his administration of the Govern
meut In reply to address by Gov. Morton, Of Ind
ana the President said
In ring upon the discharge Of the duties devo,ng
upon me by N, sad occurrence Of the ssinaon Of
the Chief Magistrate OF the nation and you
in surrounding crcum- tances which peculiarly
barassng and Iespons Bile / doubt whether you are
aware how much appreciate encouragem mt and couD
teaance from my fellow citizens of Indiana. The most
courageous individual the determined Will might
justly shilk from enter0g upon the dschargeo hat
which es before me but cowa d. or timd d, 10
receive the counteuauCe and encouragement have from
yo1 and from various other parts OF the country would
make me a courageous and determined mao. mean in
the proper Of the term, for there is much moral
courage and che rm calm discharge OF duty in ply
steal cour'ga. But in nter upon he duties imposed
by tn calamity require not only coura ge, b {
determined will, and ASSURE you that on this occasion
your encouragement is peculiarly accepts bic me. In
reference Z what my Administration will be, while &C.
Cupy my present position, must efer you to tie past
You may Look back II it evidence OF what my course
will be and in reference othis dabolical and hsndsh
rrbl0n upon the country all have 70 do IL TO ask you
also 60 back and take my course in the past Snd
from that determine what my future will be-. Mine has
been but me straig for card and answering couse
and ee no reason now why should part from it.
As TO making declaration, manifesto, or message,
or what yol may please to calf it, my past is better
forshadowng Of my future course than any statement
on paper that might be made Wh0 four years ago
looking down the stream of time, could have deineated
that which has transpired since then Had any one
done so, and presented IT, he would have been looked
upon insane or it would have been thought fable
fabulous as the stories OF the Arabian Nights as the
wonders Of the lamp of Aladdin and would have been
about readily believed.
If we knew so little four years ago of what has passed
since then we know little what events will arise in
the next four years bat these events ars shall be
controlled in the disposition of them by them by
IN s. rules and prime pies by which have been guited
heretofore. Had 1t not bee for extra Tdinary efforts
in r. oWn n he m a ID
ha e hal REBELLION as rampant in Indiana We h d II
in Ten essee. Treason the less treason whether
il be in free State in slave State hut if there
could be any difference in such crime, he who commits
treason in free stat is greater traitor than he who
commits il in a slave State. There might lie lit
tie excuse in based his possess Of the pecu.
liar property but the traitor in free has no ex.
cusa but simply to be traitor. Applause,
DO not however, un eIsland lie to mean by THIS that
any man should be eXOnerated from the peualt and
punsbments of the crime Of treasoa The time has
rived hen the American people should understand
what crime is and that il should be pinshel, and its
penalties enforced and in cted. We say IN statutes
and courts that burglary is crime that murder is a
crime and thar Is 4 CRIME; and the Cons.itu.
ton of the United States and the laws OF the United
States say that shall consist Of eyying
against them and giving their enemies aid ana con-
fort. ! have just remarked that burglary is cri me
and has its penalties that murder is crime and has
its uenaes and so on through the long catalogue OF
crime.
To illustrate by sad event which is before the minds
of all and which has draped this land in mourning.-
Who is there here who would say If the assassin who
has stricken from our midst beloved and revered by
all and passed from time to eternity, to that bourne
whence no traveller returns, who repeat who here
would say that the assassin if taken should not suffer
the penalties o. his crime Then you take the life OF
individual for the murder Of another and belee that
his property should be condscaed What should be done
with one woo Is trying to assassnate this nation d
What should be done with him them who have at
tempted the life Of nation composed OF thirty millions
We were living at a time when the public mind had
almost become obvious Of what tire is. The time
han fhA AFrar
should be educated and 1gh what is crime and
treason crime and the highest crime known to the
Law and the COnst tuition. Yes treason again state
treason against all the States, treason against the Gov
eminent Of the United States the hg lest crime that
can be committed and those engaged IN 1t shoud sufr
all its penalties.
ment where human blood is bout to be shed easy to
acqulre reputation leniency nd kindness bu some
times its effects aud practical operations produces mis-
cry and to the mass OF mankind. sometimes an
in ivi Ia 1t the law mas overtAk n and on whom
its penalties about TO be imposed will appeal and
plead with the executive foT the eX re Sc u lcy
Bat before its exc he ought to ascertain wa {
mercy and what is rot mercy. 1t Is very Important
que'ton and ich deserves the consideration OF
those who mora ice upon or me and the morals OF ma
ton whether IN some action shoul not We sus-
pended here and transferred to Him who controls all
There il innocence been invaded II wron@ las been
do1e the Controller AMI Giver OF ali good, one Whoso
attributes is mercy will set It right
II not promugating thing that have no. here
tof re lid TO say that traitors must be de odous,
tina treason must be made odious tina traos must be
Dunished aud impoverished Applause.
They must OF Only be punished but their social pow
erm 1T be destroyed. If not they will still malntala
An asoendsncy, and may again become nuTeOus aad
no yerfu for in the words Of former Senator o. "a
Hsj tn eS when traitors become hume. enough
treason becomes respectable And | say that 80
~ 80 trstso1 obi us every Union and the Gov
erom.t should be remu1 THed out or thu pockets OF
thoas Who have indicted this great SUFFERING u'on the
connt- fAnnau5e1 But do not understand me as ny
inc tSis in spirit Of anger for il understand ny own