Cleveland daily leader. [volume] ([Cleveland, Ohio]) 1865-1873, 1866-03-17
PRESIDENT JOHNsONS PLEDGE.
What He Said when He Accepted the
Nomination for m Vice Presidency.
From the Washington chrOuieIe,l

whole present programme of retrogres-
sion. His denunciation of Senators as
traitors; his open consultation with dis
loyal politicians; his plea for the admis-
sion of doubtful men into Congress and
above all, his demand that the rebel States
shall be instantly rehabilitated, are here
so overwhelmingly put to shame, that we
stand amazed at the spirit which has for
gotten or disregarded pledges so distinct
and principles so sacred. He says:
1.-THE question is, whether mar is capa-
BILE of self-government? 1 hold with JEFF
ferson that government was made for the
convenience ofman, and not man for gov
eminent. The laws and constitutions
were designed as instruments to promote
pie, ! conclude that Government can and
ought 10 be changed and aHended to con-
form to the i0ants, TO the requirements
and PROCESS Of the people, and the enttgkt-
sned spirit Of the age. loud Applause.
Now, if any OF your secessiOnists have
lost faith in mems capability for self-gov-
eminent, and feel unfit for the exercise of
this great right, 90 straight 10 rebetdoni,
take Jsf. Darts, Beauregdrd, and Bragg
for your masters, and PIT their collars on
gOH5' neeks.
"And let me say that aoi0 is the time to
| secure these fundamental principles, while
the land is rent with anarchy and up
heaVes with the threes Of a mighty revo-
| luton. While society is in this disordered
/ state, and We are seeking security, let as
fr the foundations Of the Government on
principles Of eternal justice 5ohieh t0tH en-
dQre for all time. There is an element in
our midst who are for p~erpetuating the in
| stitution of slavery. Let me say TO you,
| Tennesseeans and men from the Northern
States, that slavery is dead. 1t was not
murdered by me. ] told you long ago
what the result would be if you endeavored
to go out of the Union to save slavery !;
and that the result would be ~bloodshed,
rapine, devastated fields, plundered villa
yes, and cities, and, therefore, l urged you
to remain in the Union. In trying to
save slavery yea killed il, and lost your
own freedom. Your slavery is dead, but
DID not murder it. As Macbeth said to
Banquo's ghost;
''Never shake thy CORY locks at me;
Thou eanst not say l did it"
"Slavery is dead, and you must pardon
me if l do not mourn over its dead body Z;
you can bury it out of sight. In restoring
the State, leave cut that disturbing and
dangerous element, and use only those
parts of the machinery which viii move
in harmony.
But IN calling a CoH0ention TO restore
the State, Uho shall restore and establish
IT. Shall the ma 9gAo GAGE ms influence
md his means TO destroy the Government :
Is he 70 participate in the great i1ork o.
RsorqanizatioaS Shall he t1ho brought this
misery upon TIE State be permitted to con-
troll It's d~eStinicsF If this be so, then all
this precious blood Of or brace soldiers ana
officers so freely poured ont l1iH haze been
lgaHtoHly spilled. I'LL the glorious e~ietorie:
JUoH BIZ our noble er1,ies ioiH go for natghi
and all the J~attIeJfeLds which haze been
sot0n Nth dead heroes daring the rebstiOn
tgiU hare been made memorable IN rain.
"Why all this carnage and devas-
tation2 II IDas that treason NIGH
be PIT DOM and traitors punished
Therefore / sag that traitors ShoHta
take a back seat in the S0oTk Of restoration,
If there be but five thousand men in Ten
aessee loyal to the Constitution, loyal to
freedom, loyal to justice, these true and
faithful men should control the work of
reorganization and reformation absolute.
". Loud and prolonged applause. ]
say that the traitor has ceased to be o
citizen, and in joining the rebellion has
become a public enemy. He forfeited his
right to vote with loyal men when he re.
nounced his citizenship and sought to de-
stroy our Government. We say to the
most honest and industrious foreigner who
comes from England or Germany to dwell
among us, and to add to the wealth of the
country, Before you can be a citizen, you
must stay here for five years If we are
so cautious about foreigners, who vOlun-
tarily renounce their homes to live with
US, what should we say to the traitor who
although born and reared among us, has
raised a parricidaI hand against the Gov
eminent which has always protected himi
Ny judgment is that he should be subject.
ed to a severe ordeal before he is restored
10 citizenship. A fellow who takes the
oath merely to save his property, and de-
MES the vadility of the oath, is a p~erjured
man, and not to be trusted. Before these
repentiHg rebels can be trusted, let them
bring forth the fruitso Of repentance. II
l0ho helped to make all these soidol0s ana
orphans, Vho draped tie streets O
NGshpius M mourning, should suffer
for has great crime. The S0ork Is "a
oar hands. We can destroy this rebellion
With Grant laundering on the Potomac
before Richmond, and Sherman and
Thomas on their march towards Atlanta,
the day will ere long be ours. VIII any
madly persist in rebellion2 Suppose tina
an equsl number be slain in every battle
it is plain that the result must be the ut
/ Far artarun1natfAn of tho rahala n I
these rebel leaders have a strong per
sonsl reason for holding out to ave theil
necks from the halter; and these leader:
must feel the power of the Government
TREASON MUST BE MADE OBJ.
GUS, AND TRAITORS MUST BE
PUNISHED AND IMPRISONED
THEIR GREAT PLANTATIONS
MUST BE SEIZED, AND DIVIDED
INTO SMALL FARMS, AND SOLI
To HONEST AND INDUSTRIOUS
MEN. THE DAY FOR PROTECT
ING THE LANDS AND NEGROES
OF THESE AUTHORS OF THE RE
BELLION IS PAST. 1T Is HIGH
TIME IT WAS. 1 HAVE BEEN
MOST DEEPLY PANIED AT SOME
THINGS WHICH HAVE COME UN-
DER MY OBSERVATION. WE GET
MEN IN COMMAND WHO, UNDER
THE INFLUENCE OF FLATTERY,
FAWNING AND CARESSING,
GRANT PROTECTION TO THE
RICH TRAITOR, WHILE THE
POOR UNION MAN STANDS
OUT IN THE COLD, OFTEN UNA
BILE TO GET A RECEIPT OR A
VOUCHER FOR HIS LOSSES. erie:
of That's soF from all parts of the crowd.
THE TRAITOR CAN GET LUCRA-
TIVE CONTRACTS, WHILE THE
LOYAL MAN IS PUSHED ASIDE,
unable to obtain a recognition of his just
stripes and shoulder-straps. 1 want them
all to hear what l say. 1 have been on a
gri Iiron for two years at the sightof these
abuses. / blame not the Government fol-
these things which are the work of veal
or faithless subordin&tes. Wrongs will be
committed under every form of govern
ment and under every administration
For myself, 1 mean to stand by the Gov
eminent till the flag of the Union shall
wave over every city, town, hilltop, and
crossroads, in its full power and majesty
Rotten Bark."
Col. Gill wrote a characteristic letter to
the late Union meeting in Milwaukee, as
follows:
ATTORNEY GENERALS OFFICE, !
MADISON, WIS., March 2, 1866. I