Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1865-04-29
THE NEW PRESIDENT.
His Antecedenis and Character.
speech of Senator DoOlittIe
made to the People OF Racine at Union meeting
held in the Presbyterian Church OF that
City, on Sunday Evening, April 10th
r,,.;;e,,zs Neinhhors nud Eslloap. Citizens

Abraham Lincoln - uedu. uO mas AoA4SA
at the hand of an assassin.
His confidential adviser, the Secretary OF
State, has also been stabbed by an assassin,
and. from some strange confusion in tele-
graphic reports, we do not know at this hour
whether he is dead or alive.
NV soul is overwhelmed, and would sink
utterly but that I know God lives, and our
country is in His holy keeping.
To any other people than my own neigh
bors, l could not now open my mouth to
speak at all. And even to you, en- this Occa-
sion, will only answer such earnest inqui-
ries as you have pressed upon me, and claim
that ought to answer.
And those questions do not concern Presi-
dent Lincoln nor Secretary Seward. You all
know their good and great qualities. Though
dead, they yet live; live IN their writings, IN
their speeches, in their great deeds, and in
the grandest event of history, in which they
have been chief actors. As in the revolu-
ary period, in which our Republic was found
ed, George Washington was the great char
acter and Hamilton was his confidential advi-
ser so when future generations shall read
the history of this second revolutionary crisis,
in which our Republic is now redeemed and
regenerated from the curse of slavery, Abra-
ham Lincoln will stand out the greatest man
of the age, and William III. Seward will be as
ISOLATED with him, as Hamilton is with Wash
ington, to the latest seAorotion-
But il is not of them that you wish to hear,
nor that would speak tonight.
You ask me to speak OF Andrew johnson.
Who is he d? what is he and what will be
his policy? And you insist that shall give
YOU. as a neighbor and a friend, what inior-
nation may have upon that most important
subject. l will answer you briefly, and from
the best information / have.
He is, think, a native of North Carolina
He was an humble mechanic, "a tailor by trade,
and, it is said, received instructions in the
first rudiments of education from his devoted
wife. He is a man of full medium stature,
compact and strong built of dark complexion
and deep set black eyes He is of bilious
temperament, of strong intellect, indOmitable
energy and iron will, in whose character !
should say, the strongest feature OF all Is that
of stern justice, and-a general hatred of all
forms OF aristocracy and oppression, and
patriotism so ardent that it amounts TO pas
sion-almost a religion. He was the real
author of the homestead law, although il dId
not pass both houses until after the rebellion
began. On account of his determined and
constant support of the measure of the people,
and which, of ITSELF would bar slavery out OF
III the new territories, the aristocratic slave
holders of the South-MasOn, Slldell, Toombs,
Davis and the like-long before the rebellion,
hated him with perfect hatred.
| have occasion to know how much he re-
cprocated their feeling towards him, for
when was occasionally, as young Senator,
engaged in controversy with them. he always
took great pleasure IN referring me TO the
necessary documents to enable me success
fully to controVeEt them.
But you ask me, is be a sober man Such
81, l. 5Iap oil
time he was in the Senate of the United
States. My best impression is that he did
not drink at ali at that time. After his leav-
ing the Senate to go to Tennessee az a Briga-
der General to act as military governor, i, of
course do not Lnow whether he did or did
not, ike great many of the officers in the
army, indulge in drinking. l am informed
that when he left Tennessee to come on to
Washington to attend the Inauguration he
was just recovering from severe illness That
he came upon the most urgent solicitations
against his own preferences. That he was
sustained and kept up more or less by stlmu-
Iants, prescribed and recommended by his
physician. He was still suffering from his
malady when probably he ought to have been
under the charge of his physician. On the
day of his Inauguration, what occurred then
has given rise to a thousand criticisms and
apprehensions. | shall not go farther into
that than to say, saw him several times af-
forwards and before l lett Washington, at
the house of Mr.. Francis 7. Blair where he
was staying by invitation in company with
the Hon. Preston King Of New York and l
found him recovering from his illness and so
far as l could judge, in all respects as he was
in the Senate.
do not believe that Andrew johnson, who
always lived temperate and upright lite I'M
til past fifty years of age, now that the great
responsibilities of the Presidency are thrown
upon him, can or will permit himself to in
dulge in the use of intoxicating drinks, and
thus endanger that Republic for which he has
done and suffered so much, aud for which he
would lay down his life. l would sooner be-
lieve that he would forswear all intoxications
whatsoever.
But you ask me again what policy will he
pursue
As to the Reconstruction question, he viii
undoubtedly pursue the same policy as Mr..
Lincoln. In his address when inaugurated,
speaking of the States, he said, "They are
not dead, but sleeping" He is fully commit
ted in favor of the reOrganized free States of
Tennessee, Arkansas and Louisiana. As to
this affair of Gen. Weitzel in Virginia he
has not spoken, and of course cannot as
sumo to speak for him.
DuC Wn2b course Will NC pursue bONdfu tue
traitors? We can only judge by his record
early in the rebellion, during the last days of
Buchanan's administration. On the I'd of
March, 1861, in a speech, in reply to Lane, of
Oregon, speaking of the firing upon the Star
of TIE West, and seizure of our arsenals, docks,
forts and navy yards, he used the following
memorable language:
"Show me who has been engaged in these con-
spiracies, who has given Instructions to take our
forts and custom houses, our arsenals and DOCK
yards, and will show you traitor" Applause
in the galleries When orOer was restored, he con-
tinusd. ffWERB PRESIDENT Of the United Stases,
uld do as Thomas Jefferson did, in 1906 with
Aaron Burr. / would have them arrested, and, If
convicted within the meaning and scope OF the con-
stitution, BY THE ETERNAL GOD WOULD EXECUTE
THEM"
He is now President. Has anything since
occurred to make him repent that solemn
oath, or change his stern resolve?
His wife and children have been captured
by rebels, and are suffering all but DEATH
His property has been cOnfscated by them;
his sons imprisoned; his neighbors and
friends shot-murdered in cold blood-hung,
gibbetted for no offense but that of loyalty
to the United States Government. | see
nothing in all this calculated to change his
convictions or his purpose. On the other
hand, in his speech upon the fall of Richmond
and Lees surrender, while most others in
the delirium of joy and exultation over our
success and of the approach of peace, spoke
of amnesty, he alone did not forget the stern
er demands of justice he is made of sterner