Lewistown gazette. [volume] (Lewistown, Pa.) 1843-1944, 1866-09-12


ton of Brigadier General and Provis.
lonal Governor of Tennessee.
In that position he sustained all the
great acts Of Lincoln's administration.
lie declared to negro audience that
he would be their Moses. if no other
should arise to lead them out of bon
dage
W hen he knew of his nomination as
Wee President, he declared that ifthere
were but five thousand loval men in
a State, they should be the State
These opinions, my countrymen. were
announced by him on every stump.
until through the Vaccinations of the
Rebels, inspired by the devil, he be-
came President of the United States.
In reply to speeches made to him in
the Executive Chamber, he reiterated
these opinions.
In speech to the Indiana delegation
he said, larceny, burglary and murder,
were each and ali crimes with fixed
punishments, but that treason was a
far weightier crime and must be heav.
lily punished. Murder, he said, was
but an otfense against an individual;
while treason was an offense against
the State.
He also declared that, as a Tennes-
sean, he would be willing to admit to
the ballot box all colored men who had
served in the Union army, who could
read and write. and who were worth
two hundred and fifty dollars in prop
crty. Now, ask, gentlemen. were not
. the radicals justified in claiming him as
u radical
More than this: be, as President,
signed hundreds of bills with his own
hand, having the power then in his
own mind to ratify the measures of
what he did not then denounce as a
false Congress.
The object of the Civil Rights bill
was to provide tribunals in the South
ern States where could be heard the
cases Of oppression against Union men,
be they white or black.
Congress thought that if such courts
as military tribunals were necessary,
(such beng then in existence, con
domning prisoners to the penitentiary,
to the Dry TOrtugas, and to the gal
lows, all receiving the appreciation of
the President,) they should be placed
under the jurisdiction Of law, and thus
be rendered responsible for their ac-
tiOns
ask you now, what was the occa.
sion Of the breach between the Presi-
dent and Congress? You may say that
the rupture came from Congress, by
joint action, submitted to the States in
Constitutional amendment for their
/ action.
Four principles are expressed in that
amendment
First. That every man born in the
/ United States, or alien who becomes
! naturalized shall be citizen of the
United States Well, the principle is
avowed by every country, that all
within her limits are subjects.
Second The bill provides that this
main principle shall be part of our
Constitution.
Third. That if any class were not
allowed to vote they should be exclu-
ded in the apportionment of represen-
tatives.
Fourth. 1t is proposed for the adop-
tion Of a proviso, that if any person
had sworn to support the Constitution
of the United States and afterwards
drawn their sword against the Govern
ment, should never be allowed to hold
office
Which one of these is against the
provisions of Tennessee, where no
one is allowed to vote or hold office
who is not loyal man? But, for en-
forcing these laws, ratified by Andrew
johnson, these loyal Tennesseeians are
| denounced
If | understand it correctly, he de-
sires all men that were elected to Con-
gress from the disloyal States shall be
admitted. But Congress is determined
not to admit men who preceded trea,
son by perjury. (Cheers.)
But what do they mean by the word
| loyal? They mean those who are now
willing to support the Constitution,
though their lips may be polluted and
their hands polluted with Union blood.
Does any one here doubt this? If
there We're any room for doubt left,
ask you to read paper recently drawn
up in Washington, signed by few
generals, who, initiating the President,
say Congress is tyrannical in prescrib-
ing conditions which would be humili-
ating to Rebel generals. That is, the
men who signed that paper see no dis
| tinctiOn between treason and loyalty;
that is between themselves and trait
ors, and [ confess 1 see precious little.
You now comprehend my country
men, L think, what is meant by My
policy 1t is to annihiIate the distinc-
tioh between loyalty and treason. To
succeed in these objects what acts were
done by the President? The first