Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1865-10-27

Some Of you fear that the President nav be
too lenient to those Southern leaders who plum
gei the country into the calamities Of civil war.
Except those OF you who have been MANNED or
5ereayed, has any Of You suffered more wrong,
insult and insolence at the hands of those lead
ers than he has! Can We not forget where he
can forgive! Are you aware that his terms Of
amnesty 10 offenders are far more rigorous than
those which were offered by ABRAHAM LINCOLN?
Have you seen the majesty of law more firmly
maintained than it has been by him in the exer-
else Of discriminating clemencyg IApplause
Some Of you seem TO have been slightly disturbed
ny professions or demonstrations of favor toward
| the President, made by parties who have hereto
! fore oppose1 his administration, as well as the
administration Of bis predecessor. Laughter
! And you ask May not the President yet prove
untiIitIful to Us? For myself, lard aside par
usanship, If had any, in 1861, when the SAL
walton Of the country demanded that sacrifice. II
Is not. therefore, my purpose TO descend to mere
| paruzanship now. ANDREW JOHNSON laid aside,
am sure, whatever of partisanship he had, at
the same time [Applausel That noble act did
not allow, but, on the other hand, it forbade,
coluson by the friends Of the Union with oppo-
nents Of the policies Of the war and Of reconciia-
ton which the government has found it necessa-
ry TO pursue. Duty requires absolute and un-
compromising fidelity TO the supporters Of those
policies, whOsOever, and Of whatsoever part they
may be. [Applause.l ANDREW JOHNSON has
practiced that fidelity against the violence of
enemies, to the sacrifice Of his fortune, the haz-
ard Of his liberty, and even the peril of his life.
Enthusiastic cheering.l The same fidelity is
identified with those policies, and, of course, Is
necessary 10 the achievement oftheir magnificent
ends. Loud appause.1 Why should he now
abandon these policies, and desert time-hOnored
and favored supporters, merely because the
dawnng success OF our efforts has compelled
former opponents TO approve and accept them!
lRenewed applause Patriotism and loyalty
equally, however. require that fidelity in this
case shall be mutual Be We faithful therefore
on your part, and although the security I offer
is unnecessary and superluous. yet will qua
rantee fidelity on his part [Benewed cheering.l
Those who hitherto opposed the President, but
now profess to support him, either are sincere
or insincere. Time must prove which Is the
fact. II they are sincere, who that has loyal
heart must not rejoice in their late though not
too long delayed conversion II they are lnsin-
cere, are We either less sagacious, or have we
less ability now than heretofore to counteract
treachery TO the national cause Perhaps you
fear the integrity of the man. | confess with the
full sense Of my accountability, that among all
the public men whom have met or with whom
| have been associated or concerned, in this or
dlH hAlltT Nut ia. -ttlutiA 20 lilt 20
be more wholly free from personal caprice and
selfish ambition than ANDREW JOHNSON none
TO be more purely and exclusively moved in pub
lie action by love Of country and good will 10
mankind
Mr.. Seward proceeded to commend the
patriotism and ability. and general harmony
of action of the several Secretaries Of the
Departments
These are they who were or are the counselors
and agents Of the President Of the United States
during the eyentful period through which We
have passed. That they have always agreed
from the first in deciding the momentous ques
tons with which they were engaged Is not as
serted. 4 Cabinet which should agree at once
on every such question would be no better or
safer than one counselor. Our republican sys-
TEN, and the political system Of every free coun-
try, requires if not ''multitudeof cOnuselors,''
at least an aggregation and diverseness Of coun-
selors But this | do maintain and confidently I
proclaim, that every important decision Of the
administration has been wise. | maintain with !
equal irmness, and declare with still greater
pleasure, the opinion that no council Of govern
ment ever existed in a revolutionary period in !
any nation which either more harmonious /
or more loyal TO each other, TO their chief, and |
To their country. [Applause.l Had this coun- |
ell been at any time less harmonious OF less loyal,
should then have feared the downfall of the |
republic Happily, need not enter the field TO
assign honors TO our military and naval chiefs. /
Their achievements, while they have excited the
admiration, and won the aiiectionate gratitude
of all our countrymen, have already become u
grand theme of universal history.
In reference to matters of foreign policy
he said
| omit to speak Of foreign nations and of the
proceedings of the government IN regard 70 them
for two reasons; first, because discussion OF such
questions is for a season necessarily conducted
without immediate publicity; the other Is a rea-
son need not assign. Nevertheless, may say
in general terms this We have claims upon
foreign nations for injuries to the United States
and her citizens, and other nations have present.
ed claims against this government for alleged
injuries to them or their subjects. Although
these claims chiefly of personal and pecun-
| iarv nature the discussion Of them involves
principles essential 10 the independence Of States
/ and harmony among the Nations. | believe
! that the President will conduct this part of our
| affairs in such a manner as 10 yield and recover
! indemnties Justly due, without any compromise
Of the national dignity and honor. With what
ever jealousy We may adhere 10 our inherited
principle Of avoiding entanghng alliances with
foreign nations, the United States must continue
to exercise, as always before our civil war they
did exercise, Just and benefcent influence in
the international conduct of foreign States, par
ticularly those which are near to us on this con-
tnent and which are especially endeared to us
by their adoption of republican institutions
! rApplause1 That Just influence Of ours was
| impaired, rs ought to have been apprehended by
| the American people, when they fell into the
( distractions of civil war. With the return Of
peace, it is coming back to us again, IN greater
I strength than ever. | am sure that this impor-
I tant interest has not been lost sight Of by the
| President of the United States for single mo
ment, and expect that we shall see republican
! institutions, wherever they have have been here
| tofore established throughout the American con-
tinent, speedily vindicated, renewed and reinvlg-
| GRATED rApplause.1 When | shall see this
nrorress successfully worked out on the Amer1-
can continent | shall then look for the signs OF
its successful working throughout the other con-
tinents. TApplause.1 Ii is thus that | think
the administrations of ABRAHAM LINCOLN and
ANDREW JOHNSON may be assumed as an epoch
at which humanity will resume with new spirit
and courage the career which, however slow, Is
! nevertheless constantly directed toward the des-
truction of every form of human slavery, and
the political equality Of all men,
Our peighbor of the Times still hammers
away at the Prohibitory Law with perse-
verance worthy of better cause. The spe-
cisl occasion of bis last blast is the introduc-