New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1865-04-24
PRESIDENT JOHNSON AND HIS
POLICY.
.reech NV senator I,ooiitiIo.

n. or 1,rioo,sin IN II speech deis cred last Sunday
pveniuQ az Racine. Wis alluded TO TIE new FTeaiden.
- follows
Yop o.k me 70 speak Of Andrew johnson. Who is
Ne, rIaf il her aud what viii bo his policy &
nd yoe insist that / shall give you. as neigh
r. AMI friend what Information l may lave upon
r., rnos, im portant subject VIII answer you briefly
knd from the best information have.
eM a ~ mink a native II North Carolina. Tie was
IN bunbs mechanic tailor by trade, ana. 1t Is said
ksocyc instructions in the first rudimenis OF education
bon hi. devoted Sife lie is man Of fun medium
S,ofnre COMPACT and strong built of dark complexion
snd leep set black eyes lie is Of bilious temperament
p strong intellect indomiabe energy and iron wi IN
bis eli iracter should Say the strongest feature OF an
khat oil stein Justice ana general haired Of All iors
kristocrlcy and oppression and patriotism so aruent
that u amounts to plsson-'lmosi " felEion. h :,
sFas the real author OF The Hokeead law, although
DID no, pass both Houses until - the lepeinon oeea
pn account OF his determined and constant suppot ~
ths of the people. and which, OF ltseh "oulu
bar Slavery out of all the new territories the srst9
cratic stSeholders Of the S0uh-Mason, SldelI
doombs Davis and the like--long before the Kebeuou
/ have occasion 10 know how much he reciprocated
Eheir fee ings toward him. for when was occasionally
O. yoarg senator, engaged in controversy with them
be always took great pleasure III reerlng me TO the
pecessay documents to enable me successfully to con-
But you ask me- is he a sober.nan, Such
tanly his character during all the time he in the
Senate Of the United States My best impression Is
thst he lid not drink al at that time After his
Seayng the Senate 10 60 TO Tennessee as Breedie-
General TO act as Military Governor l. Of course, do
not know whether De did or did not, ike great many
officers IA the army indulge III drink. ain informed
Stat Wien he left Tennessee to come on TO WassiI gton
g. attend the inauguration he just recovering from
nevere Illness that be came upon most urgent solicit
pOns against his Own preferences that he was sus.
laned aud kept up less by simuans prescribed
and recommended BY his physician. lie was stu sui
ferng tom his maady when probably Ae ought 70 have
peen under the charge OF his physician On the day OF
his inauguration what occurred then has given rise 10
o Thousand criticisms and appreheusl0us Shall mol
20 fur n into that than to say. saw him sever Al
Zines al.crward and before left Washington at the
I'll III y.
by invitation in comp ny with the Hon Preston King
of New York and found him recovering from his i'll
pess and far as could Judge IL all respects as he
Was in the Senate.
do NOT believe that Andrew johnson, whe always
kyed a temperate and upright lire until past fifty years
Of age, that the great responsibilities OF the Presl
deney are thrown upon him can or viii permit himself
endangcr that Republic for which be has done aud
Bufered so much. ard ior hch he would lay down his
life. would sooner believe that he would iOrswear ali
intoXic .tlons Whatsoever.
But yod ask NE sgea what policy he will pursue'
AS to the reconstruct ton question he viii undoubec
ty pursue tho same policy as MT Eincoln' in hs ad'
dress hen inaugurited speaking of the States. he
aaid. They are not dead but sleeping He Is fully
committed in favor Of tie reoreaizea free States ,of
tennessee Arkansas and Louisiana IS 10 this affair
of Gen. Wetzo IN Virginia ne has not spoken, and Of
course connot assume 20 speak for him.
But what course viii he pgrsue toward the traitors
We only judge by his record early IN the Rebellion
during the last days OF Bnehaians administration, On
She % II March, 1901 in speech. in reply 10 Lane OF
Oregon, speaking OF tie hIng upon the star Of the
West and seizure Of arsenas docks forts and navy
yards. he used the following memorable language:
"Show me who haS been engaged IN these coDspire-
eies who has given Instructions take forts and
ustOn-hOuses our arsen8ls and dock yards, and viii
ehow yOu a traitor" a Slause il the galleries.
When order was restored, lie continues swcIe
President Of the United states, would DO as Thomas
JefersoH did. IN 1906. with Aaron BUR-. would have
them arrested, and if convicted within TIE meaning
and scope Of the Constitution BY the Eternal God /
would execute them"
He is row President. Has anything since occurred
tomake him repent that solemn oath, or change his
ptern resolved
Ills wife and children have been captured by Rebels
snd suffering all but DEATH lis properly has been
confsoatcd by them; his imprisoned; his neigh
bOrs and friends shO--uurdered in cold biJodAung
rlbeter Tor no oense bot that oJaty the United
States Government soc Icthng in all this calculated
60 chan bis coDvictO lie purpose. On the other
band, IN Lis speech upon he fal u Richmond and Lees
Surrender lille most others N the de.rinn OF JOY and
exultGti0n over our success and the arOach0i peace
spoke Of amnesty he alone did not forget the stener
demands Of justice; for he Is made o. sterneF stun
Upon this subject lie said this The halter 20 inie
gent influential traitors. Iohe honest boy TO the de-
uded man who has been deceived INTO the Rebel ranks
would extend eneucy. won say, renew your sup.
port go tie Government and become good citizen. and
Ehe leaders II would hang.
And now after the cnuinniion Of Oh the wickedness
OF Rob hOn IN the assassination OF Tie President ana
Secretary of State, he lifts his baud By the dead
body OF the President 70 repeat the solemn oaih 40
rniLsirred by the Chef Justice. see nothing 70 chang
his convictions When he utteTs those words " ne
duties are mue viii perform them. trusting IN "od,'
think see the same pairl2nc inugn'."h Doa es
Srom his deep black eyes and lighting up ths' IRON lnge
which I saw four years ago when be uttered IN the
Senate those words terrible 10 traitors, ~ lNE
&TERs AL GOD WOULD EXECUTE THIN "
In his respect think Mr. Jthnsons administration
may differ from thai Of Mr. Lincoln.
Mr. Lincoln would have dealt with the Rebels as an
sndulcent father deals with eTrIing children. MT
johnson III deal with fhcm Ike stern aud Ia
corrupfble Judge. TITUS 'n moment, has the sceWeI
OF power passed from hand uf lesh to hand OF IRON
How strangely OyeFruled have all Things Deeh -
utterly destroy Slavery and the aIstoeraey founded
upon H. Its maddeued, fluatical' leaders made WHl
upou tho Government to recover political power Iha'
power has been utterly Destroyed They made war to
extend and strengthen Slavery The war has destroyed
st. and set free every slave
nd now, by mady wre8kug vengeance upon inc
head OF The great, geneIOus megnanimOus Lincoln,
ready 10 issue a proclamation Of amnesty to save thcn
fhey have put the necks Of the leaders into halter WIN
no power to save hut the clemency Of one stetny
iust no four years ago declarcd ~ most solemn form
that II President be would execute them, and whose
aubsequent career and experiences have ~ tended !"
otrens then rather than weaken that resolution.
Knowing them bOtb as do. have said 10 hf' Ian
eon be strong of heart aud Oh good COURAGE Jublce
demands the punishment Of the great Grimm as
To Mr.. johnson i would say, While administering
(usiice remember mercy. go
haze thus my hiends, very hastily, Dnt Whhout re-
serve given you IN answer 10 your earnest inquiries
OF course l speak By no authority, aud merely from
frst impressions, rather as matter % duty 70 yOu as
YOU look 20 me as a uciglbor and friend, having lad
some greater and better opportunities for perDnyy
KNOW tie man upon whom by this terrible calamity
Che great Office Of President has been thrown IN these
trouLious times.