The Wyandot pioneer. (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1853-1868, 1865-09-20
president Johns,oin,'s ADDRESS.

the very importaptspsech made by Pres
J ident Johnsop to ths delegations from
| the Southern Ststes;
"Gentlemen, we hsve passed through
the rebellion. I say I'VE, for 1t was u
who were responsibleslor 1t. Yes, tn,
South made the issue. know the ma
ture ofe"the Southern people eitenougi
to know that when they have becom,
7 convinced o. an error3 they frankly ac
knowledge it in a most open and drec,
( manner, and now in the performance o
that duty. lors indeed, ,fin act. .'tbey do i
heartily and frankly and now that they
come to me, understand them as saying
tha: we made the issue that we set up
the Union Of the States against the insti-
tuition OF slavery. sad aoilu'9ssl .dP"
4 l"We selected the arbiter, the God OF
Battles. the argument was the sword
the issue was fairly and honolably met ;
both the questions presented have been
settled against us, and we are prepared
TO act on the issue. 4 find on all sides
this spirit Of candor and honor prevailing.
1t is said by all that the issue was ours,
and the judgment has been against us,
and the decision having been made
against us, we feel bound in honor 10
abide by the afbitrament. In doing this
we are doing ourselves no dishonor, and
should not feel humiliated or degraded,
but rather that we are ennoblng ourselves
by our action, and we should feel that
the Government has treated us magnani.
mously, and meet the Government upon
the terms it has SO magnanimously prof.
fered us. ..,...4 ...t.. ,..g Ig
$50 far as am concerned personally,
I am not Influenced by any question,
whether itaffects the North or the South.
the East or the West. /, stand where l
did Of old. battling, for the Constitution
aud the Union of these United States.
In doing SO know I opposed some Of
you of the South, when the doctrine OF
secessionwas being urged on.he country,
and the declaration ofyour right to break
UP, the Government and disintegrate the
Union was made. stand to day as |
have ever stood, firmly in the opinion if
a monopoly contends against this country
it must go dowu,c the country must
go up. Yes, the issue was made by the
South against the Government and the
Government has triumphed. and the
South, true to her ancient attributes Of
frankness and candor, comes forward
and expresses its Willingness to abide the
result Of the decision in good faith.
While | think that, the rebellion has
been arrested and subdued, l am happy
in the consciousness of duty well per- |
formed, and want not only you, but the
people OF the world, to know that while |
dreaded and feared disintegration Of the |
States, am, equally opposed to consoli.
dation or concentration of power here,
under whatever guise or name they bear,
and il the issue Is forced Upon us, | shall
endeayor to pursue the same efforts to
dissuade from this doctrine Of running
to extremes. But, say, let the same
rules be applied. i'' ''S 't, o5 ~ '. ,l
Z. Gas l have before remarked to you. /
am gratifed to see SO many of you here
to-day !; 1t manifests spirit l am pleased
to observe. know IL has been said OF me
that my asperties are SO sharp that I had
yindictive feelings to CRAFTY, and that
should not fail 10 avail myself Of the op'
.portunities that would present themselves,
to crafty such despicable feelings.
N'" fmy acts will not speak for me and
for themselves, then any profession
might now, make would be equally use
less /; but, gentlemen, il know myself,
as I think | do. | know I am of Southern
people, and I love them. and will do all
in my power to'restore them to that state
of happiness andqprosperity which they
enjoyed before the madness of misguided
men, in whom they had reposed their
confidence, led them ,astray to their own
undoing. II there is any thing Chat can
be done on my part, on correct principles
Of the Constitution. to promote these
ends, be assured it shall be done. eear
f" Let me assure you, also, that there
is no disposition on the part of the Gov
ernment to deal harshly with the South
ern people.W There may be speeches
published from various quarters, that
breathes a different spirit Do not let
them trouble or excite you, believe that
it is, as tits, the great object Of the Gov
ernment to make the union of these
United States more complete and perfect
than ever, and to maintain it on constitu-
tional principles, if possible, more firmly
than it has ever before been. .gs-geg aol
., !" Then Why can not we all come up to
the work in proper spirit. In other
words, let US look to the Constitution.
The issue has been made and decided.
Then as wise men, as men who see
right and are determined to follow it,
as fathers and brothers, and as, men who
love their country 10 this hour Of trial
and suffering. why can not we come and
helplto settle the questions of the hour,
nd Al