The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1866-10-30

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I the President q, Tho Unitsds ssst,s, IN
bringing about pesce, unity, ND good vim.
! set myself 10 work zealously and earn
estly TO support The President, In Whose
truth, honor, and integrity placed the
most implicit reliance"
Such was the character Of my remarks
In the Paterson speech, which has been 20
strangely tortured, perverted, and mutt
lated by you, by tearing from It's contexta
single sentence, to be paraded before the
community in which live, rs II to excite
the prejudice Of every one against me.
Mr.. Stofer, could not have believed this
Of you. / think now there must have
been some outside pressure upon you.
The people ofthe South have been made
to believe that I was in favor Of negro suf-
frage, whilst have everywhere and on all
occasions opposed It !; whilst Ihave also de-
MED the power of Congress to interfere,
with that question in the States, each one
Of which must, as ] think, decide that
question for itself, as the Constitution now
stands. lido not believe that people that
have been in bondage for $50 years can
safely or wisely be admitted to full par
ticipation in the affairs of free govern
ment ina day-but that it will come In
time, no man that Is an attentive observer
of passing events can for moment doubt,
whether want 1t or not, and that it will
come at an early day, and that 1t will be
forced upon the South If the people con-
tinue to follow their present reckless and
senseless leaders, who have already
brought them to the verge Of another fatal
precipice, is as certain as that the sun
shines in the heavens.
The people Of the South have also been
made to believe that have asked for the
revocation of every pardon that has been
granted by Mr.. Johnson; whilst in truth,
in the discussion of the pardoning power, !
have everywhere declared / did not wish
to see single pardon revoked. Butt have
denied, and do deny, as q great constitu-
tional question, the power of the President
to pardon before trial and conviction.
contend that under the law every man is
presumed to be innocent until tried and
convicted of an offence, and as there is
nothing before conviction to be punished,
so before conviction there is nothing to be
pardoned; and this position, ! should think,
rather operates favorably than unfavorably
to those who may have incurred the pen
altics Of treason. This was my opinion,
expressed to hundreds even whilst was
myself asking for the pardon of rebels
who then professed to be penitent; but
as others seemed to acquiesce, so did
until circumstances Of their own creation
forced me into my present position. In
like manner the people have been made
to believe that had asserted that every
man connected with the rebellion should
be hanged whilst l have not asked
nor desired that any one man should
be hung, or that his property should be
confscated. On the contrary, / have la
bored against both. Such, however, have
been the falsehoods to which have been
compelled to submit because / had no
means by which to correct them. What
have commended for, and what 1 shall con.
tinuc to insist upon, is, that old party hacks
and hucksters in political trade who have
given such woeful evidence of their inca
pacity and unfitness to control State, and
who have brought such ruin, desolation,
and wretchedness upon the people, and
who have voluntarily taken the oath of al
legiance to any other government, whether
to Macmillan or to jeff. Davis, shall be de-
prived Of the political power which they
have voluntarily renowned, by their cx-
clusion from office hereafter and in doing
this l am serving my God, my country,
and especially the people Of the South !;
and shall persevere in this effort to the
end, let it offend whom it may. We have
all suffered enough from such counsels, and
for one, / want no more of 1t. This Is
i" the head and front Of my offending" and
it is for this that am SO bitterly and re-
lentlessly assailed.
But whilst am thus in favor Of curtail-
ing the political power of these selfish
leaders, who would keep this State in a
condition of impoverishment and helpless
ruin for their own exaltation and power, that
they may continue to manage and control,
| defy any man to show that / have ever
uttered or written line that was not in
tended and calculated to advance the
prosperity, peace, happiness, and freedom
of the great mass of the people OF my own
State and Of the whole South; but as
would not employ manager for my o,rn
estate who had, either by-his neglect or bad
management, and worse judgment, de-
stroyed my property, sacrificed my inte-
rests, divided my estate, and overwhelmed
me with debt, where should have derived
q princely income, so / would discharge
these "chdrlatdnS" from the public SER
vice, and look out for new, more worthy,
and wiser men to manage the affairs Of
State. l would commit nothing more to
their keeping. 1 would repudiate their
counsels and dismiss them from the public
service. This is all at which aim, and this
shall contend for to the end. They must
learn to take care of their own interests
before / can be willing to entrust them
again with mine.
am the friend of every man who is for
peace, and law, and order, and l am OPP
posed to every man who is for stirring up
strife and keeping alive the worst passions
of our nature for his own selfish ends. l
am the friend Of every man, whether
North or South, who is for the immediate
restoration of the southern States to all
their original rights and privileges on q
see,ue and loyal basis and am opposed
to all who are against it, either North or
South. am friend to all those who are
friendly to their country, and opposed to
all who are against it. l am friend to-
the lovers Of peace, and opposed to all
those who would get up another rich mans
| ..,., ,u,,2 m .,no., s,n,.,. f,oIf II aharap-