Lewistown gazette. [volume] (Lewistown, Pa.) 1843-1944, 1866-05-23
M [ $ 9 Z l. L a N Y
Andrew Johnson's Speech
At Wizards Hotel, April. 1865.

IL Urges the Huitcr for Intelligent
T.-uit0rS," and thinks "Deuh too E'u&Y
" Punishment"
We rcpubIish below Andrew John
sDn's great speech, made at Wizards
Hotel, in Washington City, on the Sd
OF April, six days prior to the surren-
der Of Lee, and suggest that it be read
at the meeting Of the johnson Club
Of this place, that is, if another meet
ing is held. The then Vice President
=ajd:
We are now, my friends, winding
up 4 rebelliOn-a great effort has been
made by bad men to overthrow the
Government Of the United Statcs-a
Government founded upon free prin-
ciplcs and cementcd by the best blood
OF the Revolution. Cheers You
must indulge me in making one single
remark in regard to myself AT the
time that the traitors in the Senate Of
the United States plotted against the
Government and entered INTO q con
spiracy more foul, more eXccrable, and
more odious than that of Catalina
against the Romans, | happened to he
member Of that body, and, as to 10y
atty, stood solitary and alone among
the Senators from the Southern States
was then and there called upon to
know what would do with such trait
Ors, and | want to repeat my reIly
here said, if we had an Andrew
Jackson, he would hang them as high
rs lIaman, [cheers, but as he is no
more, and sleeps in his grave in his
own beloved State, where traitors and
treason have even insutcd his tomb,
and the very earth that covers his re-
mains, s,-humble rs | am, when you ask
me what l would do, my reply is, |
would arrest them, | would try them,
would convict them, and | would hang
them. prolonged cheers.
AS humble as am and have been, |
have pursued but one undertaking
course. All that | have-life, limb
and property-have been put at the
disposal Of the country in. this great
struggle. | have been in camp, have
been in the field, have been every
where whore this great rebellion was.
! have pursued it.until | believe | can
/ now see its termination. Since the
world began there never has been
rebellion Of such gigantic proper
. tOnsy so infamous in character, so dia-
/ boIical in motive, so entirely disregard,
/ tul Of the laws of civilized war. II
/ has introduced the most savage mode
/ OF warfare ever practiced upon the
. earth.
/ | will repeat here remark, for
which | have been in no small degree
censured What is it, allow me TO ask
| that has sustained the nation in this
great struggle? The cry has been you
know, that our Government was not
strong enough for time OF rebellion
that in such time she would have tC
contend against internal foes. We
have now given the world evidence
that such is not the fact; and when the
rebellion shall have been crushed out
and the nation shall once ag.in Fave
settled down in peace, our Government
"ill ret upon Il more enduring basis
than ever before.
But, my friends, in what has the
great strength Of this Government
consisted? Has it been in the one MAI
power? Has it been in some autocra
or in some one man who held absolute
government? No! | thank God
have it in my power to proclaim th'
great truth that this Government ha
derived its strength from the Ameri
can people. They have issued tn
edict: thev have exercised the powe