Lewistown gazette. [volume] (Lewistown, Pa.) 1843-1944, 1866-09-05
M 8 Q CELL a N x.
speech of Hon. L.. w. Hail


At the Geory Mass Meeting at Reading,
A1Ggatst %, 1856.
Citizens of Pennsylvania, propose
to go Immediately to the question that
appeals to your suffrages: Shall Union
men or rebels control this nation in the
future? Shall traitors, and those who
have sought to destroy it, or those who
have upheld the Government and its
flag in times gone by, control its future,
as they have during this war and in
the past? This, and this alone, is the
issue; there is no c0ncealment of it
And, my countrymen, it is legitimate
and fair that you, portion of the peo-
pie of Pennsylvania; you, the loyal
masses--yOu, that have ever sustained
the hag-you, that have ever stood by
the ConstituliOn-you, that have ever
stood by every law Of the land-it is
legitimate and fair that you should
criticise the acts Of that man who you
elected Vice President of the United
States, and who, in view of the official
position in which you placed him, be-
came President Of the United States
by the death of the revered and la.
mented Lincoln. | come here to-day
to ask you whether treason is odious
and crime, and whether it shall be
punished | say that it shall. Ap-
pIause.
Fellow citizens, the most disinterest-
ed observer Of events must be convinced
that the country's history at this day
presents certain undisputed facts and
certain great problems Among those
facts are these: That 10000 loyal
men have lately died that their country
might live; that debt of four thousand
millions has been consolidated which
is to be borne by you and me, that this
nation might live. Who will deny that
there has been a civil war, that has
reached all over our land? Although
it has not laid its dcsolating hand upon
your hearthstones, it has been felt here
and there and everywhere. These are
facts which are indisputable. Now
the problem, in this connection is, how
has it left you?-have you won the
victory?-have you whipped the reb-
els?-have you sustained the flag? -
has it left you as conquerers, or AS a
conquered people? ["No!" and cheers.
That is the problem for you to solve.
Now, my friends, on the 14th of
April, 1865, Andrew Johnson became
President of the United States, and l
need not now refer to that period of
misery and of mourning which follow
ed the assassination Of President Lin
coin. Ny countrymen, Andrew John
son on the 21st of April, 1865, declared
! that treason was crime and that trait
ors should be punished At this point
the speaker was interrupted by band
Of music at the head OF one Of the nu-
merous delegations in the vicinity. In
a few moments quiet was again re,
| stored
Fellow citizens, there is no use talk
ing against dram and fife Andrew
Johnson has tried that, and he has
tried it in vain. Laughter and ap,
plause.l say, my countrymen, that
by the past record of Andrew Johnson
by his course in the United States Sen
ate, by his control Of tho loyal masses
of Tennessee as provisional governor
of that State, TO which office he was
appointed by the revered and lament
ed Lincoln-by all his past history, We
had reason to expect and to believe
that he would be true to the masses
true to the Constitution, true to the
laws of the land, and true to the great
principle that treason was the blackes'
and foulest of crimes and that it must
and would be punished. We have beer
deceived. But | came not here to in
dulge in any personal abuse of th.
President of the United States.
never had an interview with him bu
once, and that was en- the I'd of Feb
ruary of this year, when he told M
that he was for tie Union cause ant
the Union party, a'd would sustain al
the doctrines thal he had previously
enunciated, that reason was Il Grim
and should be puuished, and that
t should be made pIious to the masso