The Cadiz sentinel. [volume] (Cadiz, Ohio) 1864-1911, 1866-04-25
FROM SHI N
President johnson Addressesthe
Soldiers and Sailors.
Re REVIEWS HIS POLITICAL
COURSE.
SHARP

the White House this evening to pay their
respects to the President, Mr.. johnson
said:
l%confess that in the peculiar posture Of
public affairs your presence and address give
encouragement and confidence to me in my
efforts to discharge the duties incumbent
upon me as Chief Magistrate of the Repub~
lie, aud in what l have to say, l shall ad
dress you in the character Of citizens, sal
lors and soldiers. Applause. We are
to-day involved in one OF tue most critical
and trying struggles that have occurred
since this Government came into existence.
The nation has another test still to undergo,
aud that is 10 give evidence to the nations
of the earth and to its own citizens that it
has power to resist internal foes, that it has
power to Lut down treachery at home, and
treason within its own borders. lCheers.
We have commenced that ordeal, and | trust
in God We will pass through it successfully.
Cheers.
| feel complimented by the ~allusion of
your representatives to the fact that | stood
in the Senate in 1860 and 1861, ~when the
nation was entering on this third ordeal,
and raised my voice and hand against treas
on, treachery and traitors at home
Cheers and cries of good. L stand
here to-day holding to and maintaining the
same prin iples which then enunclated.-
Cheers. | stand here to-day opposing
traitors and treason, whether they be in the
South or in the North. Loud chee.s =
| stand here to-day as | then stood, using
all my power, mental and physical, to pre-
serve this nation in passing through the
third phase of its existence. The organized
forces and combined powers that recently
stood arrayed against us are disbanded and
driven from the field, but it does not follow
there are still no enemies against our pres
ent form of Government and our free insti-
tutions. Applause. then stood III the
Senate of the United States denying the
doctrine OF separation and secession. | de-
MED then, as | do now, that any State has
the right Of its own will to separate itself
from the oth.r States, and thereby to de-
stroy the Union and break up the Govern
ment, and | think | have given some evil
dence that | have been sincere and in earn
est. And now | want to know why it is
that the whole train of slanderers and cal
umniators and traducerS have been barking
and swapping at my heels? lCheers. =
Why is it that they array themselves against
me? Is it because | stand on the side of
the people, and when | say the people, |
include the soldiers and sailors. Cheers.
Why is it that they are arrayed in traducing
and villiying and eliminating me? Where
were they during the rebellion. A voice
lat home in bed" Laughter. In the
Senate | raised my voice against it, and
when it was believed that it would be to the
interest OF the nation and world assist in
putting down the rebellion, did ! not leave
my place in the Senate, a place OF emoiu-
ment, ease and distinction, and take my po-
sition where the enemy could be reached,
ind where mems lives were in danger?-
Cheers and cries Of that's So While
| was thus exposed, personally and publicly,
and in every way, sone OF my present ira
ducers and calumnIators were tar removed
from the foe, and we're enjoying ease and
comfort. ICheers and laughter. But |
care not for them. | care not that Islander,
against me. | care not tor all that, and lie,
me tell you here to-day that although pref.
ty we'll advanced in lite, | feel that | shall
live long enough to live down the Who'll.
pack of traducers and slanderers. Ap'
plause." They have turned the whole pack
loose to lower me iii your estimation. Vol
ces ''they can't do it," Tray, BIanch and
Sweetheart, little dogs and all, come along
swapping at my heels; but | heed them not
Cheers. The American people, citizens
soldiers and sailors, know that from my ad
vent into public life to the present moment
| have always stood unyielding'y and I'm
waveripg'y the advocate and defender oftheil
rights and interests. [Cheers.
Ne are now in the nations third ordeal
We are not yet through. We said TIM
States could not 20 out of the Union-wt
denied the doctrine OF secession, and we hay,
demonstrated that we we're right. We de
monstrated it by the strong arm-yes, thu
soldiers and the sailors, God bless them
have demonstrated by their patriotic heart,
and strong arms that States have not tn.
power TO leave the Union. Applause. t.
What followed? The Confederate armie,
were ov~erpowered and disbanded, and Their.
was a Willingness on the part OF those State,
to come back, be obedient to the laws an
acknowledge the supremacy OF the Constitu
ton of our fathers-for what have we pas,
ed through this third ordeal2 1t was to es
tablish the principle that no State had tn,
power to break up the G~overnment. 1t wa
to put down the rebellion. The rebellion
has been put down and for whst2 Was i
to destroy the States? Voices never
For what have all these lives been sacrificed
and all this treasure expended? Was it fol-
the purpose of destroying the States? No
it was for the purpose OF preserving the Tn
ion ofthe States. That is what have w
been contending for, and to establish tn
fact that the nation can lift itself above AM
beyond intestine foes and treason and trai
tors at home. When the rebellion in Mas
sachusetts was put down, did that put Mas
sachusetts out of the Union and destroy tn,
State? When the rebellion in PeDnsylva
MIA was put down, did that destroy tn
State and put it out Of the Union? G.,
where the recent great rebellion was pu
down and the constitution and laws of tn,
country restored, in the States engaged in j
the rebellion being crushed, the law restor
ed, and the constitution acknowledge il
them-they we're States in the Union, con
shutting a part of the glorious and brigh
galaxy of States. Loud cheers.
In passing through this ordeal, what ha
been done in Tennessee under the direction
of my predecessor? We commenced th
work Of reconstruction. We succeeded be
fore | came here in restoring the relation
which had existed between Tennessee an,
the rest Of the Union with one exception
and that was the relation of representation
| came to Washington, and under extraor
binary circumstances succeeded to the pres
mental chair. What then? The Congress
of the United States had adjourned with
out prescribing any plan. | then proceed
ed as | had done in my W State, unde
direction of the Government tn restore tn,
other States, and how did We begin? w
we said to the Judges, District Attorney
and Marshalls, "go down and hold you
courts. The people need the tribunals o
Justice to be opened. Was there anything
wrong in that? The courts we've opened
What else? We looked out and saw tina
the people down there had no mails; tile,