Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1866-04-27
President Johnsons Speech to the Sol
diers and Sailors April I8.

President Johnson said: 1t is not
affectation in me to say that language
is inadequate to convey the heartfelt
feelings produced on this occasion by
your presence here, and by the presen
tation of your sentiments, as express
ed by your representative in his ad
1ress, and in the resolutions which
you have thought proper to adopt
| confess that in the peculiar posture
of pnblic affairs your presence and ad-
dress give encouragement and con,
fidence to me in my efforts to dis
charge the duties incumbent on me as
Chief Magistrate Of the Republic; and
In what | have to say shall address
you in the character of citizens, sail
ors and soldiers. | shall speak to
you on those terms and on none 9th
ere.
[ repeat my thanks for the manifes-
tation OF your appreciation and your
encouragement. (Applause.) We
are to-day involved in one one Of the
most critical and trying struggles that
has occurred since this government
came into existence. Nations, like
individuals, must have beginning
must have a birth. Struggling into
existence, nation passes through its
first trying ordeal 1t is necessary
for me now to carry your minds back
to the struggle when the nation was
born. 1t is not necessary for me to
allude to the privation and hardships
OF those who were engaged in that
struggle to achieve the new national
birth. 1t is not necessary to point
to the blood shed and the lives lost in
accomplishing that result.
The next ordeal through which a
nation has to pass is when it is called
upon to give evidence that it has
strength, capacity and power to main
tain itself among the nations Of the
earth. In giving such evidence we
passed through the war Of 1912, and
through the war with Mexico, and we
passed through all the struggles that
have since occurred up to the begin
ming of the rebellion. This was our
second ordeal but the nation has an
other test still to undergo, and that is
to give evidence to the nations OF the
earth. and to its own citizens, that it
has power to restrain internal foes -
that it has strength enough to put
down treachery at home and treason
within its own borders. CHEERS. y
We have commenced that ordeal, and
| trust in God we will pass through it
successfully. | feel complimented by
the allusion of your representative to
the fact that | stood in the Senate in
1860 and 1861, when the nation was
entering on this third ordeal and
raised my voice and hand against trca-
son, treachery and traitors at home.
| Cheers and cries of "Good") |
stand here to-day holding to and main
tanning the same principle which | then
enunciated. | stand here to-day OPP
posing traitors and treason. whether
they be in the South or in the North.
! Loud cheers.) | stand here to-day,
as | then stood, using all my powers
mental and physical, to preserve this
nation in passing through the third
phase its existence. The organized
force and combined powers that re-
Gently stood arrayed against US are
disbanded and driven from the field
but it does not follow that there are
still no enemies against our present
form Of Government and our free III
stitutions. (Applause.) / then stood
in the Senate of the United States
denying the doctrine Of separation and
secession. [ denied then, as | deny
now, that any State has the right, o.
its own will, to separate itself from
the other States, and thereby to des,
troy the Union and break up the Gov
ernment. And, | think, have giver
some evidence that have been sincere
and in earnest.
And now | want to know why it is
that the whole train Of slanderers
calumniatorS and traducers have been
barking and swapping at my heels
(Cheers) Why is it that they array
themselves against me? Is it because
stand ON the side of the people, anc
when say the people, | include the
soldiers and sailors? Why is it thai
they are arrayed in traducing anc
villifying and eliminating me p
. Where were they during the rebel
lion ?
A Voice-"at home and in bed
(Laughter.)
In the Senate | raised my voice
, against it, and when it was believed
that it would be the interest of the
nation and would assist in putting
down the rebellion, did | not leave my
place in the Senate-a place of ease
emolument and distinction-an tax,
9 my position where the enemy could b'
reached-and where mems lives wer,
in danger? (Cheers, and cries o
That's so.") While | was thus ex
posed personally and publicly and il
every way, some of my present traduc
ers and calumniators, were far remove,
from the foe, and were enjoying cas-
E and comfort. (Cheers and laughter.
But care not for them | care no
for their slander and the foul whelp
: of sin that have been turned looS
against me. | care not for that; an
t let me tell you here to-day that, a
Q though pretty well advanced in life,
: feel that | shall live long enough t
= z live down the whole pack of traducer
o and slanderers. They have turne
e e the whole pack loose to lower me
! your estimation. (Noice-"They can
II do it. 'Tray, Blanche and -Swee
heart, little dogs and all" came alon
swapping and snarling at my heels j
Il Il