Evansville daily journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1863-1866, 1865-04-21

every heart that treason is crime, and
that traitors shall suffer its penalty.
While we are appalled, and overwhelmed
at the fail Of one man in our midst BY
the hand of traitor, shall we allow men
II care not by what weapons-to at
tempt the life of the State with impuni-
ty? While we strain our minds TO com.
prehend the enormity Of this assassina-
ton, shall We allow the nation to be as
sassinated? speak in no spirit Of un-
kindness leave the events Of the fu-
ture to be disposed of as they arise.
Regarding myself as the humble instru-
ment Of the American people in this as
10 all things, justice and judgement
shall be determined by them. do not
harbor bit of revengful feeling toward
any.
In general terms, | would say, that
public morals aud public opinion should
be established upon the sure and infexi-
bic principles Of justice. When the ques-
ton OF exercising mercy comes before
me il will be Considered calmly, ju-
diciously, remembering that ] am the
Executive OF the nation.
| know men love TO hear their names
spoken OF in connection with.acts of mer-
cy, and how easily it is 10 yield to this
impulse, but we must not forget what may
be mercy to the individual is cruelty 20
the State. In the exercise of mercy
there should be no doubt left that this
high preroga.ive is not used to relieve
a few at the expense Of the many.
That the above views of Mr.. Johnson
are not hastily formed, but rather the
result Of mature deliberation, is evident
from the speech delivered by him on the Sd
inst, at the War Department, in response
to call of the people who had assembled
there to hear the dispatches from our
victorious armies read, announcing the
fall Of Richmond. Mr.. johnson being
introduced by Secretary Stanton, ex-
pressed himself on that occasion as fol-
lows. At that time there was not the
slightest probability that he would ever
become President, yet it will be OBJ
served, that in substance, his speech
was then very similar TO the speech
made TO the Illinoisans. Mr.. Johnson
then said !. ~ i,.., .a.a...,.-r tss
Being unexpectedly called on by this
large audience here, to address them in
reference TO the victories which have
been announced by telegraph, it is a
'sincere pleasure 10 me to bave it in my
power to mingle with those congratuls-
tions which are incidental to triumphs
Of this character; and perhaps should
content myself with this acknowledge
ment of my qualification in being called,
on this aaspieious occasion, to mingle
with you in your rsjoicings in this the
hour of our countrys triumph. But it
may not be entirely out of place for me
to state that at the commencement of
this iniquitons rebellion, was one who
entered the service, not as a three
months, six months, a twelve months
or three years man, but as one enlist
ed for the war or during the struggle for
the suppression of the rebellion; and |
trust it will not be considered egotisti-
cal Tor me, on this occasion, to allude
briefly to what was my position at the
beginning OF the rebellion. In the SEN
ate of the United States, when the con-
spiraoy was matured, and Senators were
retiring from their seats, when / was
called upon to say what i would do IN
the matter, my reply was that General
jackson, while President of the United
States in 1882 and 1888, declared that
traitors should be hung as high as Hs-
mans gallows, and then put his foot
upon il and crushed il out. That
old man now sleeps in the tomb !;
and were it possible 10 communicate
Intelligence to the dead, and he
could be made to know that tra4
itors and treason were rampant in the
land, it would cause the old man to turn
over in his coffin and burst its lid, and
rise from the tomb and shake off the ha-
biliments of the dead, and again reiter-
ate that memorable sentence, that The
nnion of the States must be preserved :
When asked what ! would do, said 4
QcOAld arrest .them as traitors, | would
try, them as traitors, commit them as
traitors, and hang them as traitors. And
in this connection viii say that, taking
into account the persecution, oppression
and banishment from all that Is sacred
and dear to men, that the traitors-that
is, the leading traitors, who have deeeiv-
ed and involved the nation in this diabol-
ical rebellion--I should say that their
reward should be the halter and the gal
lows. repeat, that conscious, intelli-
gent, leading traitors should suffer the
penalty of death. And, on the other
band, to the people who have been delu-
ded and mislead, | would extend lenien-
cy and humanity, and an invitation to
return to the allegiance they owe to the
country. We have the gratifying intel
ligence today that the outpost of the
Southern Coniederacy has been taken.
| In addition to that the gates of the cita
| del have been entered by our victorious
| forces. May we NOS infer that it is q re
bnke of Divine Providence against a
proud and imperious class when we SET
that their city was entered by coloreC
troops7 In this great cause of humaI
freedom it is the pride of my life that
have been permitted to participate il
/ labors that have, under God, tended L
achieve this glorious result. And whil'
4 | have been laboring to remove this dis
turbing element from the country, l trus
| may be permitted to say l have lahore
i equally well for the emancipation of th
white man as for the sable son:
aud acknowledge the supremacy {
the Constitution and obedience
the law. We. have intelligenc
by the telegraph that our flag wave
, in triumph over the dome of the Coz
, federate Capitol May not be permi
) ted, on this occasion, TO indulge sui
r stantially in the language OF another,
Il referring to the Stars and Stripes OF OF
: country, which now waves in trinmp
!. that it may continue to rise higher an