Brownlow's Knoxville Whig. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1866-1869, 1866-06-06
VIII Andrew Johnson Hang Hester
Clymer?

The WcllsbOro (Tioga) Advertiser states some
facts which we commend TO the consideration Of the
Democratic candidate for Governor of Pennsylvania
We copy:
But these skeptics 90 still further. They say,
here in Pennsylvania, that Andrew johnson is Ia
boring to defeat General Geary and to elect Hester
Clymer. Fortunately Mr. Johnson's utterance give
US antidote to this skeptcism In the speech last
quoted Mr.. johnson said:
1t is not the men in the field who are the greatest
traitors. 1t is the men who have encouraged them
TO imperil their lives, while they themselves have
remained at home expanding their means and exert
ing ali their power to overthrow the Government.
Hence | say " The halter to intelligent influential
traitors Loud cheers. But to the honest boy,
to the deluded man, who has been deluded into the
rebel ranks, | would extend leniency; / would say
return to your allegiance your support to til
Government and become q good citizen; but the
leaders / would hang. [Great cheering.]
So according TO Andrew johnson, Robert Z.
Lee, Joseph johnson, Stonewall jackson, Beaure-
gard Wade Hampton Henry A. Wise and hosts of
other armed leaders of rebellion not the great
est traitors; bat the men who, at home, expended
their means and exerted all their power to overthrow
the Government. II Hester Clymer did not expend
his means and exert all his power to give aid and
comfort to those who were trying to overthrow the
Government, who pray, did? We. affirm, and no
can successfully deny that he did do this very
thing. More than this, we can prove it by the adj
mission Of at least two cOpPerhead papers which ad-
vocate his election.
What follows? What but the conclusion that, if
Andrew johnson ever gets 8 chance, he will hang
Hester Clvmer and four-ffths of the Copperhead
leaders If the President is a man OF truth, if he
never changes he has passed sentence upon Hester
Clymer and his associates and will hang them II
they ever come up for sentence.
Fortunately too, we are able to quote Andrew
Johnson's utterances directly in favor Of General
Geary, for on the same occasion he said:
In the midst of our rejoicing we must not forget
to drop tear for those gallant fellows who have
shed their blood that their Government might tri-
umph. We cannot forget them when we view the
many bloody battle-felds OF the war, the new made
graves, our manned friends and relatives who have
left their limbs as it were, on the enemys soil, and
others who have been consigned TO their long, mar
row houses, with winding sheet save their blank
cts saturated with their blood.
Does not that settle the question? The President
is too old to change you know. He SO declares for
HIMSELF and there as you cannot fail to see be COM
mits himself 70 the support Of Gen. Geary.
But some declare that the President is about TO
play the autocra and rule by virtue of the one
power feature of the Constitution Fortunately, we
can come to his rescue from this aspersion On the
same occasion he said:
But, nv friends, in what has the great strength
of this Government consisted? Has 1t been in one
man power? Has It been IN some autocrat, or IN
some one man who held absolute government? No!
l thank God l have it in my power to proclaim the
great truth that this Government has derived its
strength from the American people.
We appeal 10 our radical " friends to say II we
have not met them at every point with utterances
of the President which put their skepicsm flight?
We do not say that the President will not pardon
traitors; but we give his own pledge that he will
not We do not say that Hester Clymer is worse
traitor than General Lee; but we give the Presi-
dents words to that effect. We do not say that Mr.
his own words, which fairly show where bis sympa-
thes are.
HoegereJ most public men Will bear lcctttDg.