Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1865-04-28
SPEECH or PRESIDENT JOHNSON.

Il. M. STANTON


dress from the Illinois delegation
'Gentlemen: | have listened with pro-
found emotion to the kind words you have
addressed to me- The visit Of this large
delegation to speak to me through you, sir,
these words of encouragement | had not
anticipated. In the midst of the saddening
circumstances which surround us and the
immense responbllity thrown upon me, an
expression OF the confidence of individuals,
and still more of an influential body like that
| before me, representing q great common
wealth, cheers and strengthens my heavily
burdened mind | am atlossfor words to res
pond. In an hour like this of deepest sor-
row, were it possible to embody in words the
feeling of my bosom, / could not command
my lips to utter them Perhaps the best
reply | could make, and the one most readi-
" appropriate to your kind assurances of
confidence would be to receive them in 81
lenee Sensation The throbbing of my
heart since the sad catastrophe which has ap
palled US, cannot be reduced to words and
oppressed as | am with the new and great
responsibility which has devolyed upon and
saddened me with grief, / can with difficult
ty respond to you at all. But | cannot per
NIT such expressions of the confidence re-
posed in me by the people to pass without
acknowledgement.
''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 occa-
sion like this, and manifestation of public
feeling so wel-timed, are peculiarly accepta-
bic. Sprung from the people myself every
pulsation of the popular heart finds an i'm
mediate answer in my own. By many men
in public life such occasions are often consid-
cred merely formal To me they are real
Y our words of countenance and encourage
ment sink deep in my heart and were /
even coward could not but gather from
them strength to carry out my convictions
Of the right Thus feeling, | shall enter up
on the discharge of my great duty firmly,
steadfastly Lapplausel, if not with the sig
nal ability exhibited by my predecessor,
which Is still fresh in our sorrowing minds
Need repeat that no heart feels more sen
sibly than mine this great affiiction.
I'm what | say on this occasion. | shall
indulge In no petty spirit of anger, no feeling
OF revenge. Butwe have beheld a notable
event in the history of mankind In the
midst Of the American people, where every
fltiafg fe 6gl5yed "a Sfg of al iaeana obSegve the
assassInated I; and when we trace this crime
to its cause, when we remember the source
whence the assassin drew his inspiration
and then look at the result, we stand vet
more astounded at this most barbarous. most
dlabolical assassination. Such a crime as
the murder OF a great and good man. honor
ed and revered, the beloved and the hone
OF the people, springsnot alone from a soil
tary Individual of ever SO desperate wicked
ness. We can trace its cause throuch snn.
cessiye steps, withoutmy enumeratinG them
here, back to that source which is the cause
of all our woes. No &ne can say that If tho
perpetrator of this feIdish deed be arrested
he should nor undergo the EXTREMIST nenal-
ty the law knows for fime; none will saw
that mercy should iiterpose. But is he
alone guilty?
Here, gentlemen pu perhaps expect me
10 present some indication of nv future mol !
ICY. One thing l W.llfsay. Every era teach |
es It's lesson. The tines we live in are NOT |
without instruction, The American neonIe |
must be taught-f thy do not already feel |
that treason Is crlle and must be pun
lshed Applause tha the Government win
not always bear with ) enemies; that it is
strong not only 70 prosct but to punish. -
Applause " hen y turn to the criminal
code and examine thecatalogue of crimes.
We there find arson lal laid down as a crime
with Its appropriate Inalty we find there
theft and robbery, ad murder given as
grimes and there, to we find the last and
highest OF crimes eason Applause. |
W Ith other and lnferF ofenses our people ,
are familiar but IN ar peaceful history ,
treason has been albst unknown The ,
people must understal that it is the black {
est of crimes, and wilbe surely punished
Applause.
Il make this ailuslll, not to excite the {
already exasperated tqngs of the public, t
but to point out the peoples ofpubhc JUS ]
tice Which shouid gulq our action at this Y
particular luncturei aIwhlch accord with e
sound pubhc morals Let it be engraven il
on every heart that trfon is a crime, and
traitors ira, shall suffer Itsenalty. Applause g
W hlie We are ppalepverwhelmed at the q
fall OF one man a in ouridst by the hand of W
traitor, shall we allotment care not bv "
what Weapons-to at1pt the lite of the +
state with impunity? Vhile we strain onr m - -
minds to comprehend enormity of this
assassination, shah willow the nation 10 W
be assassinated? II
l speak IN no spi Of unkindness. n
leave the events ofthdture to be disposed 10
OF as they ARISE, regang myself as the p
humble instrument ofs American people
La tins, as IN all thingastice and judgment w
shall be determined blem / do not har- or
hor bitter or reyengefeelings toward anv. dr
In general terms, | ad say that nublic
morals and public opin should be estab- tb
hshed upon the sure inhexible princi- nc
pies of justice Abuse When the m,
question OF exercisingerey comes before or
me, 1t will be considel calmly, iudiciaIlv. n
that ahe Executive of the ~
nation. know that h love to have their N,
names spoken Of ii cection with acts of ed
mercy, and how easy S to yield to this i'm
pulse. But we must forget that what bp
may be mercy to tie aiyidual, is erueJtv rnr nu
to the state: AplaA In the exercise Z is'i
OF mercy, there shube no doubtleft that ba
the high prerogotn not used to reliye 4 So,
few at the expensbthe many. Be assur- act I
ed / shall never fethat | am not "a CON ssF
suit my own teelTdone, but to give an sbc
to the vi people. [Ab6lanse pr,
In regard to future course [ viii now /
make no protesSis no pledges | have an;
been connected stghat actively with NH II -
lic affairs, and to history of nv n4bl;o -
acts, which IS faAr to you, | refer for l.
those principles ch have governed me nv
heretofore, and Hguide me hereafter tese,
In general will have long abored for no,, ,Uo,
the amelIoration elevation of the great g;1 E,,1
mass OF mankindIy opinions as to the T
nature oi popul&yernment have long. Nev