Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1866-03-13
Another Presidential Declaration.

Congress and the Republican party. Thursday
he made response to a delegation of Ken
tuckians who had presented him the resolutions
of the meeting al Frankfort, held 20 express
approval of the veto OF the Freedmen's Bureau
and of the johnson policy generally. The spokes-
man of the party had many complaints to make
against those who were securing justice to the
Freedmen In Kentucky, expressed full confidence
in the President, and promised him their sup
port. The President responded substantially
as follows:
1t Is not needful that formal or extended
reply to what you have said should be made.
tender you, and through you, the people whom
you represent, and OF the State, my unfeIgned
thanks Tor these kind exl reseIons and manifesto
lions OF confidence in me personally, and the
endorsement Ut the policy which shall control
my administration. Ii Is peculiarly gratifying
to receive these assurances at this particular
time | trust the results will show that the
confidence thus reposed IS not misplaced, and
will never become q matter OF regret upon the
part OF those who give expression thereto. The
resent Is re- srtet a most critical Juncture
IN the affairs OF the naIion-scarcely less SO
than when armed and organized force sought
10 overthrow the Government. To attack and
attempt the disruption OF the Government by
armed combination and military force Is no
more dangerous 20 the life OF the nation than
attempt to r.volutionize and undermine it by
q disregard and destruction of the safeguards
thrown around the liberties OF the people by
the Constitution. My stand has been taken
my course IL marked out. L shall stand by and
defend the Constitution against all who may at
tack 1t, from whatever quarter the attack may
come L shall take no step backward IN this
matter. No other or higher evidence of my
purpose in this regard be given than has
already been furnished. In the future, as In
the past, shall ebdeavor IN good faith to make
the administration of the affairs of the Govern
ment to conform 10 the Constitution Its letter
and spirit Therein Is the only guarantee TO
the liberties of the people. 1t is hoped by an
adherence TO this rule 10 remedy eIe long all
The irregular tics and auuoyances to which the
people have been Injected. Again Go | assure
you that these demonstI alton. OF confidence and
assurance OF support upon The part of the peo-
pie are exceedingly cheering TO that am
grateful for and properly appre ciate them, and
that my wish Is To so discharge the trusts con-
hded TO me as 70 merit them. l need not say
more al present
Ii Is manifest thai these remarks were intend
ed 10 be declaration that the President takes
back nothing be said on she 22i of Febr uary-
1t Ii further evident that he means 20 say that
the Republican majority in Congress is dis
loyal, as reasonable as were the rebels in their
armed assault upon the Government Let us
see what 1t is President johnson now calls an
attempt to disrupt the Government.
Congress assembled the first Monday in De-
cember. 1t at once appointed a committee 10
investigate the condition and loyalty OF the
Southern States. The committee have been at
work diligently since that time, TO get at the
facts of the case. Tney called on the President
by vote of the Senate and the House-nearly
three months ago, for all the papers, cores
Pondence and official records in his hands, in
any manner connected with his treatment of the
Southern States. but received no answer until
last week, and have been thus kept out OF that
important information by no fault of their own.
They early reported an amendment 10 the Cen
stitution respecting the basis OF representation,
which the committee deemed an essential pre-
requisite to any recognition of the Southern
States as reconstructed. That amendment passed
the House by the necessary two-thirds vote, but
has been delaye1 in the Senate by the desire to
debate it at length. They have re orted reso-
luton recognizing Tennessee as reconstructed,
and upon certain conditions, entitled to repre-
evidence which very clearly shows that no other
of the late rebel States ought, If Congress has
any power to prevent it, to be restored TO the
full enjoyment of civil and political rights.
Both Houses have also by decided ma ority-
the House by more than two-thirds vote-as-
serted the jurisdiction of Congress over The
whole subject matter, and have quite plainly
hal rhaud n at in tn
surrender that jurisdiction at executive dicta-
ton. This act of Congress President johnson
styles revolutionary and reasonable.
Yet Congress and the radicals have done
nothing that justice and the Constitution have
not warranted them in doing. They could have
done no less without surrendering their
hood, proving false to their principles, and
adopting the political theories of tn cir adverse
ries They believed that traitor not as
good loyal man, and they have been faith
fully at work to put that belief in practice SO
far as national legislation is.concerned though
thus tar the Pres dent has baked them in this
work They find nothing in the Constitution
which authorizes the President to organize any
disOrganized government among the states, but
they do find in the Constitution and in the de-
cisions of the Supreme Court, express authority
conferred upon Congress to do that very thing.
Upon that they take their stand, and insist that
they will not take leap in the dark, will not
recognize the Southern States properly recon-
structed until they have examined the work for
themselves, and ascertained whether it is safe to
do so. This President johnson tells.them, and
tells the people, and tells the Southern traitors,
is of piece with the rel ellion which has lately
assailed the Government. Ii is the same style
OF discourse in which Davis and Benjamin and
WIgiall and others used to indulge. from the
organization Of the Republican party until
these traitors went into open rebellion. We
know that Andrew Johnson then sympathized
with these traitors to some extent, but are
now sorry to see that the rebellion has OF cured
him of his old southern habits of thought and
speech.
Ii is evident that the Presidents head Is com
pletely turned. Either the praises isvished upon