The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1865-10-31
CITY.


candidate for Vice President on the ticket
With Mr.. LINCOLN. And our readers ana the
nublic in 80 far as our political procnV'aes
ara known. will be apt to believe thas We saw
something in ANDY JOHNSON very diiieren'
from what copperhead leaders admire in a
statesman. s.w,
Ie, recall few of the salient points IN
NJ rouxsoS,s career which secured our sup
nort In the last days of BucHANASs Ad-
m;n;stration, when it was clear that the lead
ers of the Democratic party North and South
favored the rebel movement, ANDY JoHSsoS q
alone. of all the Senators from the South,
stood by the Union, and on the second OF
March made powerful speech in the Senate,
in which be expressed the sentiments OF every
indignant loyal man in the country. In re-
nlv TO Jo LANE, of Oregon, and JEFF. DAVIS,
of Mississippi, Mr.. JOHNSON said;
"Show me the man who has been engaged
in these conspiracies; show me one who has
been sitting in these nightly and secret con-
claves. plotting the overthrow OF the Govern
mont show me one who has fired upon our
fac. has given instructions to take our forts
and cnstom houses, our arsenals and dock
yards, and I will show you a traitor.
That being done,
were | the President of the United States, |
would do as Thomas Jefferson did IN 1906
with Aaron Burr, who was charged with trea-
son, and. if convicted, by the eternal God,
thev should suffer the penalty OF the law at
the hands of the executioner. Sir, treason
must be punished Its enormity and the ex-
1 4 .f +ba <>fTo no ms
known. The time is not distant, if this Gov
ernment is preserved, its constitution obeyed,
and its laws executed in every department,
when something of this kind must be done"
Subsequently ANDY JoHNsoS was amongst
the foremost men of the country in advocacy
of stringent measures against rebels and the
rebellion. He voted for the expulsion OF
BRIGHr and other rebels from the United
States Senate. After that he was appointed
Provisional Governor Of Tennessee, and his
administration of affairs was so stringent on
rebels in that State, that for awhile traitors
and copperheads almost ignored LINCOLN in
their fierce and frequent denunciations of the
usurpation and tyranny of his military satrap
in Tennesse~. In the course of his admins
tration in that State Gov. JOHNSON suppressed
disloyal newspapers. set aside elections, re-
uuired seeesh preachers to take the oath of
LOYALTY or go to JAIL and even imprisoned
Judges of the State Court.
Moreover, by proclamation over his own
signature, he emancipated the slaves of Ten
nessee exempt from the operation of Presi-
dent LlNcoIN's proclamation. In speech
made by him to an immense crowd of colored
men in Nashville, he said
Looking at this vast crowd of colored
people, anu rejecting through what a storm
of persecution and obloquy they are compelled
to pass, am almost induced to wish that, as
in the days of old, a Moses might arise who
should lead them safely to their promised
land of freedom and happiness.
You are our Moses shouted several
voices, and the exclamation was caught
up and cheered until the capitol rung again.
Good continued the speaker, mo doubt
has prepared somewhere an instrument
for the great work which he designs to per
form in behalf of this outraged people, and in
due time your leader will come forth; your
Moses will be revealed to you.
"We want no Moses but you again shout
ed the crowd.
sWell. then" replied the speaker, s'hum
Bile and unworthy as | am, if no other and
better shall be found I will indeed be youl
Moses, and lead you through the Red Sen o.
war and bondage TO fairer future of liberty
and peace. | speak now as one who feels tbs
world his country, and all who love equa
rights his friends. | speak, too, as citizen
Of Tennessee. | am here on my own soil
and here | mean to stay and fight this great
go IL n1 ipc cf,r ~ trfnr !, mi
end. Rebellion and Slavery shall, by Gods
good help, no longer pollute our State. Loya
men. whether White or Btdrk, shall alone
control her destinies: and, when this strife in
which we are all engaged is past, | trust,
know we shall have better state of things
and shall all rejoice that honest labor reap:
the fruit of its own industry, and that every
man has fair chance in the race of life.
Then in his letter accepting the nomination
of the Baltimore Convention, he said:
at is vain to attempt to reconstruct the
Union with the distracting element of Slave
nv in it. Experience has demonstrated its in
compatibility with free and republican govern
ments, and it would be unwise and unjus
longer to continue it as one of the institution
of the country. While it remained subordi
nate to the Constitution and laws of The
United States. yielded to 1t my support bu
when it became rebellious, and attempted tt
rise above the Government, and control ii
actions threw my humble influence agains
it.
"The mode by which this great change
the emancipation of the save--can be effect
ed, is properly found in the power to amend
the Constitution of the United States. Th
plan is effectual and of no doubtful authority
and. while it does not contravene th
timely exercise of the war power by thu
President in his Emancipation Proclamation
it comes stamped with the authority of th'
people themselves, acting In accordance witt
the written rule of the supreme law of th
land. and must. therefore. give more genera
satisfaction and quietude to the distracted
public mind.
And as President of the Uniled States h
has insisted on the acceptance of Emancipa
patton as condition precedent of restoration
to the Union.
Now no man with such record who stil
stands by his record as President JoHNsol
does, can affiliate with the Copperhead lead
ers or be accepted as the leader of the Demo
cratic party. He neither loves traitors no
hates negroes suprsmely, yet it is notoriou
that in that love and that hatred consists @
that there is of National Democracy.
The La Crosse Democrat says "JoH