The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1866-03-09

anu III announcer place nave ptel OS-
nounced for whitewashing. When and
where did I ever whitewash anything
or anybody: / have been an alder
man Of q town, | have been in both
branches Of the Legislature Of my
State, I have been in both Houses Of
the National Congress, i have been at
the head Of the Executive Department
of my State, | have been Vice Prcsi-
dentof the United States, and I am
now in the position which I occupy be
fore you; and during all this career
where is the man and what portion Of
the peopleiS is there who can say that
Andrew Johnson ever made a pledge
which he did not redeem, or that he
ever made a promise which he viola
ted? None. Pointme to aman who
can say that Andrew johnson ever ac-
ted with infdeiity to the great mass Of
the people@ Great applause
/ Men may talk about beheading and
about usurpation, but when / am be-
headed want the American people to
be the witnesses. do not want il, by
/ inuendoes andindirect remarksin high
| places, to he suggested to men who
i'have assassination brooding in their
/ bosoms, ''there is fit subject 9th
( ers have exclaimed that '"the Presiden-
/ tial obstacle must be gotten out OF the
way" What i that butt make use
of q strong word-inciting to assas-i-
nation ? NOdOubt, Isay, the intention
was to incite assassination, 50 that the
obstacle which the people had placed
here could be got out of the way. Are
the opponents Of this Government not
/ yet satisfied? Are those who want to
destroy our institutions, and to change
/ the character Of the Government, not
satisfied with the quantity Of blood
that has been shed? Are they not aat-
/ isfed with one martyr in this place"
/ Does not the blood Of Lincoln appease
their vengeance: Is their thirst still
unsiaked? Have they not honor and
/ courage enough to seek to obtain the
end otherwise than through and by the
/ hand OF an assassin? | am not afraid
Of an assassin attacking me where one
/ brave and courageous man will attack
another. ronly dread him when in
disguise, and where his footstep is
noiseess.
/ If they want blood let, let them have
/ the couagetostrike Hkemen. I know
/ they are willing to wound but are a.
| fraid to strike. If my blood is to be
shed because ! vindicate the Union, and
insist on the preservation Of this Gov
ernment in its original purity, let it be
shed; but let an alter to the Union be
first erected, and then, if necessary,
! take me and lay me upon ii, and the
! blood that now warns and animates
my existence shall be poured out a.
/ last libatiOn, as a tribute to the Union
| Of these States. But let the opponents
of this Government remember, when
it is poured out, that the blood of
martyrs is the seed of the church. This
! Union will grow, and it Will continue
to increase in strength and power,
/ though it may be ccmcnted and clean
sed in blood.
/ l have already spoken to You longer
than / intended when / came out. 60
on | merely intended to make my
acknowledgements for the honor you
/ have done me; but before i close allow
me to say Wordin regard TO the ques-
/ ton ofamendments 20 the Constitution
/ OF the United States. shortly after /
reached Washington for the purpose Of
being inaugurated a. Nice-President Of
/ the United Stat :. had conversation
with Mr.. Lincoln il regard to the con-
dition of affairs. We talked particular
I ly i'm reference TO matters in my own
/ State. | told him that we had called a
/ convention, thatWe had amended the
| constitution, and that we had abolished
slavery in that State, which was not
included in his Emancipation Procla-
nation. All these things met his ap-
probation and he gaveme words OF en-
couragement. We talked then about
affairs generally, and upon the subject
of amendments 10 the Constitution of
the United States; hesaid tome, When
the the Constitutionnow
proposed is adopted by thrce-fourths Of
| the States, ] am pretty near done, or
indeed quite done in favor OF amending
the Constitution, if there was one other
adopted ! asked him, ''What Is that,
Mr.. PRESIDENT" He said, II have la
bored to preserve this Union; | have
toiled during four years; | have been
subjected to calumny and misrepresen-
tation; my great and sole desire has
been to preserve these States intact I'M
der the Constitution, as they were be-
fOre.n | asked him again, ''Mr. Presi
dent, what amendment is that which
you would PROPOSE" Why" said he,
"it is that there should be an amend
ment added to the Constitution which
would compel the States to send their
| Senators and Representatives to the
| Congress of the United States" Great
Iapplause. The idea was in his mind
that as part Of the doctrine Of seces-
sion, one Of the means to break up this
1 IN ~