Delaware State journal and statesman., 1866-03-16

On thls unfortunate race, and leave them 10
the mercy Of their heartless and cruel old
masters, or is there any fear that our preiu-
9lces VIII not check us in doing too much
ior theinf think, at best, with these pre-
Juices still clinging vigorously enough
about us, we shall not probably do more than
Justice TO him, and we cannot afford TO do
less, Cheers, All who went TO the nolls
ana voted for Andrew johnson arc bound to
carry out in good faith the pledges then
haue TO those cOlored people.
19ou lallh requires this Of you; the like
goou iaith requires this of Congress and of
lhe Judiciary of the United States, as well as
from the President elected upon that very
luen, .1!, ana we cannot cyade this just respon-
sinlllly without incurring the guilt of per
my; The election of Mr.. Lincoln upon our
platform OF principles, the emancipation
proclamation, endorsed by the American
people, the policy Of arming the blacks, the
steady advance of our armies, the magniil-
cent courage OF our noble soldiers, the ac-
cuhlulaling victories over weak, desp0nd-
| ing and dishOnorablc cause at last brought
down the rebellion with Il crash; the Con
leueracy ilew into atoms, and its leaders,
VINO ana not surrender, fled in confusion -
90 wicked had been the cause, the crafty ty-
rant VINO led 1t had not enough manhood left
IN nm to surrender with his friends. A still
darker crime, if possible, was reproaching
ms guilty soul. Everywhere throughout the
land where treason so recently held sway,
| the cry, the maniac scream for pardon-par-
don ! we are ready TO bow down and kiss
inc loot OF the conqueror, A more thorough
y whipped and subjugatcd chivalry was
never seen before. Our soldiers were no
longer required to die for liberty and Union;
our gallant, but unarmed and helpless prison
crs ol war were no longer tortured by the
| nnnWg Of huuUnr M, tn -, 1,.1.
less despair, under the 1icndish discipline
and ierocious depravity of maddcned and
raVlng chlvalry, induging their lawless
passions by shooting down unarmed prison
ers OF war The nation arose from its cory
shroud, with its flag all beautiful floating
over and covering all the States Of the Union.
Az the very crisis of this newborn hope in
the midst OF this returning glory, at an hour
when all true hearts were full OF ioy. Abra-
ham Lincoln, the nations hest loved man,
the peoples President, was slain by the red
hand OF rebel flend. his Office descended to
Andrew johnson, but his mantle no man
wears [Sensation.
remember well the sad day. Many citl.
zens OF Illinois were then al Washington
We sought with the best of intentions an
early day to call upon our new President,
and in llankness to pledge to him the earnest
support OF our State so lar as we could us
/ 49, NltiNNH9 Wv obs 1 NlHO INlltlllNtI illt re-
| ply OF the President TO our address, Ii was
the first speech, may almost assert. it was
the first public declaration made by Mr.
johnson after his Inauguration, and what
was the tone of it? al have no policy to
declare, have no policy, and can have none,
but shall await the development of facts and
events for whatever policy l may adopt
Wlmt want Is the support and encourage
menl OF the people. But one thing | may
| speak plainly, treas0H is q crane, dRd mast
% Htadc Od{0US. The conscious traitor must
be punished. Mercy is beautiful in theory,
but is Incompatible with treason. Mercy is
God prerogatiye; justice, man's."
We came home to our State and assured
our people that Mr. johnson was much in
earnest; that he would he faithful to our
| cause, to our country, and to justice; that he
would not let the law so unayenged Many
lonS months have Since passed away Has
he matte treason odious | leave ii to the
world to say ii lie has not rather lawned up-
on it, His language at times is frank
enough; his acts are not equally so. lie is eX-
cccdingly charitable at convenient intervals,
and is now the first man in the nation sur
rounded by traitors to call them his
'ilendsn Ills repeated assertions that he
is still anxious 10 punish conscious or con
spicuous traitors has lost much of its original
vigor, and, what is more, its power to con-
vince anybody that ii means anything.
If 50 anious to punish the few he tlesignat-
ed, why in the name Of consistency don't lie
do it, or cause it to be done? Is he not
President? Is he not charged with the exc
cution of the laws? Or is he waiting for
some justice of the peace to assume iuris-
diction and perform the duty? Letany court
III these United States try if it can to put
Jell. Davis ON trial, and that court will soon
find out that this august traitor is the ward
and prisoner of Mr.. johnson. l for one am
no longer TO be beguiled by words. l have
had enough of the music OF sound and the
noise of harangue. My faith is weak with
in me.
At last Congress met we read the Presi-
dent S message, and every prudent man laid
it quietly away 10 read il again some day.
The minds Of our National Legislature were
much and seriously concerned about what
was bestto he done, There was rs little i'll
feeling against the rcbellous States perhaps
as was ever exhibited by any organized body
OF dchbcaiive men who had ever before
been confronted with so grave and scriou.
subjects for adjustment and settlement grow
ing out of the treason of the very people
now soliciting the protection of the Govern
menl Congress, nor you, nor !, could no
be blind 10 the bad faith growing in thu
South. hcill-ConCcalcd hostility 10 us anC
painfully more apparent. AT one period il
the history of recOnstructiOn-and that is
very carly One-all rebels gave up, in villa
seemed to be earnest good faith, every issul
decided against them by the war it wa
said the freedmen shall have justice, an,
there was no prcccptiblc deviation from thi
line until what is now called by the Prcsi
dent my policy" gradually became to tn
rebel mind more apparent AS that polio,
{ developed, the chances of Justice to th
freedmen began to diminish.
Alter the holidays Congress returned Il
Washington, and although hut few week
had passed away, almost before so large
body had taken 10 itself the necessary tim
Tor considering all the great questions affect
ing the public welfare, il began 10 he init
mated that this great body of the people wa
peVerse, stubborn and intractublc. An,
why? Only because "my policy" had no
been accepted. The trouble about Z" III,
policy was that il was not quite well cnougl
undcrstood; so to get at il more thoroughly
Congress introduced and passed II bill /,
; amend the act establishing a bureau " io
| the relief of freedmen and refugees Ant
what was the purpose of this bill in genera
and in spirit, for | shall not have time to &,
into its details Tonight II was in goo,
faith to carry out our repeated pledges TO tn
8 white and colored Union men of the South
who had been pursued and maltreated al
through the war because Of their fidelity t.
the country and to the flag of the nalion.-
That we would stand liy and protect them il
the enjoyment Of all their civil rights as free
: men, nothing more, nothing less, mature
and brought forward by the able men of tn
, Senate, and specially advocated by our Sena
tor, Hon. Lyman Trumbull, who believed il
good faith that he was preparing and adyc
$ eating measure ol justice to which tn
t President could not and would not except
| 4 ...i Il 1. Il