The Tiffin weekly tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1859-1868, 1865-05-04
Speech Of President johnson.

W." ~ A''"''S""'t h'"NNN " wv "" /
LrsnY I, may be regarded IS ley
note to his future policy.
Governor Oglc5by, of Illinois, in intro. |
ducing the Illinois delegation, spoke Ia
high praise OF Atr, Liuculu, aud expressed,
IN behalf Of the delegation. tho fullest |
confidence in Nc. JonSsoS's abilities 10
conduct thu aHnr1 Oi the nutiou, and
pledged him the earnest supp5ft OF his
State aud the eouutry.
Prcsident JVhnson replied:
Il hevc list,nrd, with profound = mo.
/ tiou, 10 the Kind words yuu have address. /
cd the. The visit vi ,his largo dslara
lion 10 speak 10 me, through you. these I
words, of eecouragcment. hal not on
tieipatcd. IN the midst VI the saddening
circumstances which SUR, und us, aud The
immense responsibt:v lhruwn upon ne,
/ the expression Of confd0uec of indiyidu.
ais, aud sill more of an iuilu,ntul body
/ like that before the, representing a great
evmmvnwcslth, cheers aud strengthens
my heavily burdrncd MUD IN an huur Ike
I this, OF deepest sIrrJw. WerIit possible
TO embVdy IN wOr Is The feelngs OF my
fLoScm, could NOT command my lips lrI
utter them. Perhaps the best reply L
could make, aud the ono most rradily
appropriate To your Kind assurances Of
confidence, would be - receive their us
suranec. The throbbings Of my hear,
since the sad catastrophe which has up.
pailed Us, cannot ~ reduced to wortsj
aud oppresscd as am with the new and
great responsibilities which have dcvoY.
I'D upon rnr, aud said 'nci with grief,
can with dl1icuny respond TO YOU At all,
bIi Cannot permit such an expression,
OF the couhitncc tepDsvd in me by the
people 10 pass wthput acknowlcdg-
ment.
To an Individual ike mys1i who has
never claimed much, but who has, Il Is
/ true, received f;Um generous people
many marks uf trust and honor for long
time. M ocsasiun lilS this. aud tAe mast.
fcstation Of dubhc feeling 50 well timed
are peculiarly acceptable. Springing from
the people myself, every pusa ION OF the
popular heart iinds an immediate Gnswor
In my own. by mluy mlu 'upuhlis HE,
such occasions are often considered N re
IormaL To me they are rcal. Your
worts ,f countrnarcc and encourage.
mcnt sink docp inio ny heart, iUd wtr.
ever coward, cou bu, gather from
them sirengthto curry out nay convictions
ni right.
Thus feeling, | shall cltcr upon Ia
discharge of my great duty, firmly aud
steadlusty, II no. with the signal ability
exhibited by my predecesso-, which l.
still fresh In our sorrowing minds. Need
| repeat that hu heart loSls mOrS sens bly,
thun mine IN this great ufh etiou. H.
what say on this occpsion, | shall in
> dulgc in no petty spirit of anger, no feel
ing Of revenge; but we have bchcld ;
notable event 10 the history OF munkint
in the midst of tho American people
where every citizen is taught to obcy the
law aud observe tho rulcs of Christian
conduct Our Chief Magistrate, beloved
Of all hearts, has boen nssassinatcJ, aud
whcr we trace this crima to its cause
when we remember the source whence
the assassin drew his inspirations, unt
thcn look at the result, VIZ etHpd yei
moro asionishCd at this most barbarous
diabolical assassination. ....
! Such crime the murder of great Al cd
good man, hJuorcd and r,v1rcl, bclov cd
aud the hope Of the people springs uUt
alone rom solitary individual OF ever
50 depcrnte wickcdnes,. We Can trace
its cause through successive steps with
out onumcratng them here back 10 thai
source which is the spring OF all our woes
No one can say that lfihe perpetrdtur o
this hendish deed be arrested, he should
not uud 'rgo the exrcmo penalty the law
knows for crime.
D None vii! say that mercy should in
terpuscj but is ne ulonc guilty! Here
geRllemcn. you perhaps expect mo {,
; present some Indication OF my future pol
icy. One thing viii say: Every or.
teaches its lesson. The times we lyo il
are not without instruction.
The American people must be taught
if they do not already feel, that treason
, is crime md must be punished: that the
Il Government will not always bear witt
its enemies; lhut il is s!rong not only I,
o protect,bu to punish. when we turn TO III
i criminal codes and examine the catalogu
u of crimes, we there find arson laid dow
y as a crime, with its appropriate penalty
u VIZ find there taeit and robbery and mui
der given as crimes; and there too "
d fnd last and highest Of crimes, troa
;, son.
II
: people are familiar, but in our peaceful
history, treason his been almost lucknow
The p1oplo must understand that Il i
tho blackest Of crln,es, aud will DO sdrs-
ly punished. | make this a,lusiIn not tC
l. excite the already operated feeling
70 Of the public. bu TO point OUT the primer
&C pies of public jir,tice which should guild
e our acIiOn at tbis particular juncture, an
which accord with public morals. L.
s il be engraved on every heart that trea
!. son 10 crime, aud that traitors shs sui
$ fer il, penalty, Whilo wo arc appall
!, cd and overwhelmed ut the fall o
d one man in our midst by the hant
/. Of traitor, shall vs. allow men, | care
q not by what Weapons, 10 attempt the life
of the State with impunity? While ",
d strain our minds TO Comprehend tho en-.
: ormhy Of this assasSiuniio:,I speak ID
no spirit of unhiudncss. Lave the
: events OF the luture to b, disposed Of a
they arise. Regarding myself vs th'
humble instumeut OF tle American pepp'C
IN this as in all things, justice and juig
ment saall be deteFmiEtd by them,
; do not harbor bitter or revengeill feel
: ing ioward any.
In geperal terms Iwoull say, that pub
lie morals and public opinion should b
$ established upon the sure and infexibl
] principles OF justice. When the Question
Of exercising mercy comes before me /
a will 90 considered calmly, iu iiciously, re
d membcring that AN tho Executive Q
4 the nation. ~ Foo /"
!. know men love t,have their hume
d spoken of IN connecilon with acts {
|. mercy, and how easy il is to yield TO thl
o Impulse, but wo must not forget VIVA
r may be mercy TO the Individual is cruelt
I to the STATE. Ip the exercise Of mercl
' there should be no DOUBT ieft that tlii
!. hi,h preropotiye 10 NOT unused 20 felleyei