Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1865-04-29
The new Admintstration-T Adj
dress OF the Indiana Delegation 10
President Johnson and his Reply.

On Friday, the 2lst inst, the Indiana delega
ton 10 Washington. headed BY Governor MoE
ToS, paid their respects to President JOHNSON.
The governor. in behalf OF the delegation. greet
ed the new president and assured him that he
would have The full confidence and support OF
the PEOPLE OF Indiana. IA the speech of the
governor and the reply Of the president have been
made subjects Of comment and criticism. We
think il due 10 both parties that they should be
published 10 full The following l.
GOV. o SoEroS's ADDRESS TO PRESIDENT JOHN
SIR: We como to greet you As president Of the
United States, and 20 assure you Of our full con
idencc aud support We trust fully in your in
tegrity, patriotism. and ability. guided by your
known political principles. to conduct the nation
safely through this trial 10 restored peace and
prosperity.
The inhuman murder OF President Lincoln has
filed the nation with deep mourning. while IL
sbudders in the presence OF crime 80 horrid
As president OF the nited States he had inspired
the people with profound confidence, aud subdued
to respect and admiration me hatred and preju-
dice Of those in other countries who did not sym
pathise with republican Institutions.
As man, he bad won the love of all by
the simplicity of his manners. the unfailing eI
cellence of his heart, bis unbending integrity,
and the sweetness and cheerfulness of his dispo-
sition, that charmed all who entered his presence
He is embalmed in the hearts OF his countrymen
But the government did not die with him The
executive Office passed into your hands by the
terms of the constitution. without disturbance
and the machinery of the government moves on
quietly and surely as before. You have come 10
power at a critical moment, and the duties of
the hour will tax TO the utmost your intellect.
your patience aud your frmness.
As approach the end of this mighty rebel
ion, the great question of adjustment will force
itself upon yours and the public mind. and the
great principles of our government will be pre-
sented for new consideration OF application
We hold that no state had right to secede from
the union, neither had il the power 10 work such
a result indirectly. The constitution provides
for the admission Of new states into the union.
but when thus admitted aud incorporated into
the mass of the nation, there is no provision OF
method by which they can be Withdrawn or ex-
PEELED.
The rebellion can only be We've 10y the gov
eminent in its individual aspect Every act
looking TO resistance or secession i uncOnsttu.
tiOna and void, and can have no legal effect
whatever, except upon the political and civil
rights OF the individual committing il Each
rebel ia politically and criminally responsible for
his action, without regard 10 the number which
may have united with bin in his state. Nor Is
there any power 10 punish them collectively by
reducing state to territorial condition, or de
claring ia municipal character forfeited.
As the crime OF treason is individual in is
character, so must be It's punishment. Rebels
have the power to forfeit their own personal
rights. civil and political. but they have no pow
er, directly indirectly, to work the destruction
of state
The disOrganizAtOn or destruction OF u state
government does not affect the existence of the
state. Suppose, if you please. that every officer
connected with the government Of the state OF
Indiana should be assassinated TO day-would
the existence OF the state thereby be lostr Ger
tainly not The powers of the state government
would be in allegiance only until new men could
be called to their exercise. There is in every
rebel state a loyal element of greater or less
strength, and TO its hands would ! confide the
power and duty Of recognizing the state gov
eminent, giving it military protection till such
time as il can, by conventions or otherwise, so
regulate the RICH, of suffrage that il will be con.
fded only to safe and loyal hands
The loyal men of state have the right 10
govern il, be they few or many. In this way
the loyal element OF every state would be soon
converted into a loyal majority The number
varied in the several states from time to time,
according TO the circumstances by which they
may be surrounded and in few years at farthest
the rapidly increased loyal element aided by emf
grafton from the north and from Europe, would
place the government in these states upon an i'm
movable basis, never 10 be again disturbed by
the fury OF slavery or the insanity of secession.
In this way the amendment abolishing slavery
would be surely and speedily ratified by enough
states 10 incorporate il into the constitution, and
our country would ia truth become the land .
only - Of the free as il IS =" the home of the
brave
TnE PRESIDENT REPLY.
The president then stepped little forward
and began by stating that he did not desire to
make any exposition OF his future policy more
than he had already made. but that it was clearly
to be derived from the history OF his life. adding
that he might adopt the governor sentiments and
address them 10 him az his own, and then added:
But in entering upon the discharge Of the duties
devolyiDg upon me by the sad occurrence OF the
assassination of the chief magistrate OF the ma
ton, and, as you are aware, in surrounding cir
cumstances which are peculiarly embarrassing
and responsible doubt whether you are aware
how much | appreciate encouragement and
countenance from my fellow citizens of Indiana.
The most courageous individual, the most de
termined will. might Justly shrink from entering
upon the discharge of that which lies before me
But were | coward, timid. to receive the
countenance ard encouragement have from you,
and from various other parts of the country.
would make me courageous and determined
man. | mean in the proper sense OF the term: for
there is as much i'm moral courage, and the firm
calm discharge of duty in physical courage.
But upon entering upon the duties imposed
upon me by the calamity, | require not only
courage, but determined will and / assure you
that on this occasion your encouragement is pc
culisrly acceptable TO me La reference o'what
my administration will be while | occupy nv
You NAV look back TO it as evidence of what
my course will be- And in reference to this d.
abolical and fiendish rebellion. sprung upon the
country, all have TO do Is 10 ask you also TO go
back aud take my course in the past, ard from
that deter mine what my future will be. Mine
has been but one straightforward and answering
course, and see no reason now why should de
part from IL As to making declaration or
manifesto, or what you may please TO call il, my
past is better foreshadowing OF my future
course than any statement on paper that might
be made. Who, four yesrs ago, looking down
the stream of time. could have delneated that
which has traRspired since thenS Had any one
done 30, and presented it, he would have been
looked upon a. insane or il would have been
thought a fable fabulous ss the stories OF the
Arabian knights-as the wonders Of the Lamp
OF Aladin-snd would have been about a. read
lily believed / We knew so little four years ago
OF VIVA, has passed since then. We know as little