Pomeroy weekly telegraph. [volume] (Pomeroy, Meigs County, Ohio) 1860-1866, 1865-04-27
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Expression
of His Views.

Governor Oclcshv, of Illinois, in introduc-
NJ the Illinois delegation, spoke in high
praise of Mr.. Lincoln, and expressed, in be.
half of the delegation the fullest confidence
in Mr. ,Johnson's ability to conduct the affairs
Of the nation, and pledged him the earnest
supper: of his State and the country.
President. Johnson said:
~ have listened, with profound emotion, to
the kind words you have addressed me- The
visit of this large delegation to speak to Inc,
through you, these words of encouragement
had not Anticipated In the midst Of the sad
dening circumstances which surround us, and
immense responsibility thrown upon me,
the expression of confidence of individuals,
and still more of an influential body like that
before me, representing great common
wealth, cheers and strengthens my heavily
burdened mind in an hour like this, of deepest
sorrow. Were it possible to embody in words
the feelings of my bosom, | could not com
mand my lips to utter them. Perhaps the best
reply could make, and the one most readily
appropriate to your kind assurances Of conf
dence, would be to receive their assurance.
The throbbings of my heart since the sad ca
tastrophe which has appalled, us, cannot be
reduced to words, and oppressed as | am with
the new and great responsibilities which have
devolved upon me, and saddened with grief,
can with difficulty respond to you at all, but ]
cannot permit sucl, an expression of the con-
6dence reposed in me by the people to pass
without acknowledgment. ...
To an individual like myself who has never
claimed much, but who has, it is true, received
from generous people many marks of trust
and honor for long time, an occasion like
this, and the manifestation ofpublic feeling so
well-timed, are peculiarly acceptable. Spring
ing from the people myself, every pulsation Of
the popular hear: finds an immediate answer
in my own. By many men in public life, such
occasions are often considered merely formal
To me they are real Your words of countcn-
ance and encouragement sink deep into my
heart, and were ever coward, could but
gather from them strength to carry out my
convictions ofright 7.4 e.
Thus feeling, l shall enter upon the dis
charge of my great duty, firm and steadfastly,
if not with the signal ability exhibited by my
predecessor, which is still fresh in our sorrow
ing minds Need repeat that no heart feels
more scnsibly than mine in this great Attic
ton. In what | say on this occasion, shall
indulge in no petty spirit of anger, no feeling
of revenge; but we have beheld notable
event in the history of mankind, in the midst
of the American people, where every citizen is
taught to obey the law and observe the rules
of Christian conducts Our Chief Magistrate,
beloved of all hearts, has been assassinated,
and when we trace this crime to its cause,
when we remember the source whence the as
sassin. drew his inspiration, and then look at
the result, we stand yet more astonished at
this most barbarous, most diaholioal assassin
alton. -r.,5 Oh 5a..- ga sR-.
Such crime---the murder Of a great and
good man, honored and revered, beloved, and
the hope of the people--springs otalone from
q solitary individual of ever so desperate wick
edness. We can trace its, cause through sue
cessive steps-without enumerating them here
back to that source which is the spring Of
all our woes. No one can say that if the per
petrator of this ,fndish deed be, arrested, he
should not undergo the extreme penalty the
law knows for crime, ..s IS ss,,
None will say that mercy should interpose;
but is he alone guilty? 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 Ameriep people must be taught, il
, they do not already feel, that treason is q
crime and must be puuishedi that the Gov