The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1865-04-29
9MisrfJllallltt.e.u1rs.
eSpeech off President Lohnson.

Speech OF President Johnson.
After the death of President Lincoln, a
number of private citizens, committees and
delegations waited on the new President to
offer their congratulations and pledge him
their support. y Among Others, there was
o large delegation from Illinois, who
we're introduced in q neat and appropriate
speech by Gov. Oglesby. President john
sons reply will give our Readers a good
idea Of the man who now stands atthe head
of the nation, and may be taken as, to some
extent, foreshadowiDg his policy toward
the leading traitors. 1t is as follows II
H GentIemen-I have listened with profound
attention to the kind words you have adj
dressed to me. The visit of this large del
egation TO speak, to me through you, sir,
these words Of encouragement, | had not
anticipated. In the midst of the sadden-
ing circumstances which surround us and
the immense responsibility thrown upon
Inc, an expression of the confidence of indi-
viduals, and still more, Of an influential bo-
dy like that before me, representing great
commonwealth, cheers and Strengthens my
ucdElly UulluCuCu ul0Qs dui dO q bOCS
for words to respond. In an hour like this
of deepest, sorrow, were it possible to embo-
dy in words the feeling Of my, bosom, |
could not command my lips to utter them.
Perhaps the best reply l could make, and
the one most readily appropriate to your
kind assurances confidence would be to
receive them in silence. The throbbings
of my heart since the sad catastrophe which
has appalled, the country cannot be reduc-
ed to words, and oppressed as Iamtby the
new and great responsibility which has de-
volved upon me, saddened with grief, can
with difficulty respond to you at all. But
/ cannot permit such expressions Of the
confidence reposed in me by the people to
pass without acknowledgment. 70 an in
dividual like myself, who has never claimed
much, but who has, it is true, received from
generous people many marks OF trust and
honor for a long time, an. occasion, like this
and manifestation Of public feelings SO
well.timed, are peculiarly acceptable
Sprung from the people myself, every pulse,
as one with the popular heart, finds an i'm
mediate answer in my own. BY many men
in public life such occasions are often con-
sidered merely formal. 70 me they are
real-your words of countenance and en-
couragemcnt sink deep in my heart, and
were even coward / could but gather
from them strength to carry out my conyic-
tions of right. a -
Thus feeling, shall enter upon the dis
charge Of my great duty, firmly and stead
fastly, [applause,l if not with the signal
ability exhibited by my predecessor, which
| is still fresh in our sorrowing minds. Need
| repeat that, no heart feels more sensibly
than mine this great affection? - ~ /
| In what say on this occasion l shall
indulge in no petty spirit Of anger-no feel
| ing of revenge. But we have beheld q no.
| table event in the history of mankind. /, In
| the midst of the American people, where
every citizen is taught to obey law and OBJ
serve the rules Of Christian conduct, our
Chief Magistrate, the beloved of all hearts,
has been assassinated, and when we trace
this crime to its cause, when we remember
the source whence the assassin drew his
| inspiration, and then 10 ok at the result,
we stand yet more astounded at this most
barbarous, most diabolical assassination.
Such crime as the murder of great and
good man, honored and respected, the be-
loved and the hope Of the people, springs
not alone from asolitary individual Of ever
| 80 desperate wickeduess We can trace
/ its course through successive steps, without
my enumcratipg them here, back to the
source which is the spring OF all our woes.
No one can say that if the perpetrator
Of this fiendsh act be arrested he should
not undergo the EXTREMIST penalty the law
knows for crime. None will say that rher-
cyshould interpose. But is he alone gull.
tyf Here, gentlemen, you perhaps expect
me to present some indication Of my future
policy. One thing / will say, every era
teaches its lesson. The times we live in
are not without instruction. The TAmeri'
can people must be taught, if they do not
already feel, that treason as a crime ana
must be punished Applause. THAT the
Government tciU not dIwdys bear NTH its en-
emies. That Il Is strong not only to pro
| tect, but TO punish. lAPplause.l Wher
we turn to the criminal code and examine
the catalogue OF crime we there find arson
laid down as q crime with its appropriate
penalty. We there fnd theft and robbery
and murder given as crimes, and there, too