Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1865-05-10
ANDREW JOHNSON.


the ears of certain class of politicians in
every part of the country. They manifest |
ed great CONSERVATION, but their minds evi- |
dently were only filed with new apprehen- |
sions for the future prospects OF the South |
ern traitors who had instigated the rebellion
against the National Government. At once
they expressed great fears that the policy OF
President johnson would .be fully up to
the most radical standard, and vastly 10
the detriment of rebels generally. More re-
Gently, however, these sympathisers with,
treason have somewhat modified their tone
towards our new Chief Magistrate. They
have sudderly discovered, on second So
Der thought, that in former times Andrew
johnson was warm supporter OF Andrew
Jackson-that he was Democrat and a
Southern man; and hence probably. would
be exceedingly lenient towards their ''erring
brethren of the South. La other words
they began to harbor some slight, yet re-
mote hopes that this ''new President would
follow their iHustrious example and, Judas
like, turn his back upon the best interests of
his country-that he would permit the re-
bellious States Ito resume their functions as
members of the Union with or without
slavery and that he would be so merclful
as even to allow the arch traitors to return
and enjoy all the immunities of citizenship
without restraint, and free them from all
punishment for their fiendish efforts to des-
troy the Union.
Such presumptions are certainly without
any solid foundation Mr.. johnson has
pursued firm and consistent course ever
since the first dawn Of the rebellion; and in
proof of this fact it is only necessary to refer
to his speeches made at different dates In
the Senate of the United States, in March,
1851. he made use of this language:
Mr.. President, | was going on to re-
mark, in reference to a general alluslon to
| treason, that if individuals were pointed out
to ne who were engaged i'll nightly conspir-
acics, in secret conclayes, and issuing orders
directing the capture Of our forts and the
taking of our custom houses, | would show
who were the traitors, and that being done,
were | the President Of the United States, l
would do as Thomas Jefferson did. In 1906,
with Aaron Burr | would have them arrest
| ed, and, if convicted, within the meaning and
scope of the constitution, by the Eternal
| God | would execute them. Sir, treason
| ntuSt be pd8,ished. Its enOrmity and the ex-
tent and depth of the offence must be made
| known.
In a speech on April 9th, 1865, on the
reception of the news of the fall of Peters
burg and Richmond, in Washington, Mr..
johnson remarked:
Il am in favor of leniency, but, in my o.
pinion, evil-doers shall be punished. Treas
on is the highest crime known in the cata-
| logue of crimes and for him that Is guilty
| of it-for him that Is willing to lift his im
plous hand against the authority OF the Ma
| toni would say death is too easy pun
ishment My notion Is that treason must be
made odious, that traitors must be punished
and impoverished, their social power brok-
en-, though they must be made to feel the
penalty of their crimes. 1t is not the men
in the field who are the greatest traitors.
1t Is the men who have encouraged them to
emperil their lives, while they themselves
have remained at home expending their
means and exerting all their power to over
throw the Government. Hence | say this !:
THE HALTER To ALL INTELLIGENT, INFLU-
ENTAIL TRAITORS But to the honest boy,
to the deluded man, who has been deceived
into the rebel ranks, | would extend lenien-
cy; | would say return to your allegiance.
renew your support to the Government,
and become a good citizen; Bur TIL LEAD
ERS | WOULD HANG.
On the 18th of April. 1865 in the course
of some remarks to delegation Of citizens
of Illinois, Mr.. johnson said
In our peaceful history treason has been
almost unknown. The people must under
stand that it is the blackest of crimes and
will be surely punished.
In his response to delegation of Penn
sylvanians. on April 9th, 1865, President
johnson remarked as follows:
TO those who have deceived-to the con-
scious, influential traitor, who attempted to
destroy the life of the nation-I would say,
on you be inflicted the severest penalties of
your crime.
But it is useless to multiply evidence.
The above extracts plainly indicate that
President johnson considers treason a crime
the worst in the whole catalogue of crimes
and that a just and severe punishment of
traitors will not meet with disapprobation
on his part. Treason must be punished, :"
was the Democratic doctrine of Jefferson
and Jackson, and Andrew johnson stands
side by side with them. That the Copper
heads of the present day are opposed to
this old Democratic plank, their nearly ev-
cry act and word since the commencement
of the war pretty clearly attests and they
cannot escape the ignominy that attaches to
them, on account of their sympathies with
the rebellion by attempting to crawl under