Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1866-09-07
THE POLICY OF ANDREW JOHNSON.
4 Southern UniOnIst To Rev. Henry
Ward i5eechCrs
Ngw Yonk. s.rtemI-er |. -

NEW York. September |, lsb6
REy. HsSRY WARD BEECuER Your letter,
which appears in the city paper= this morn
ing. indOrsing anew, ard fatally for yourself,
the policy of Andrew johnson, has surprised
and PANIED me beyond measure. We used g.
regard YOU as man whose clear mind saw
through the cobwebs Of trickster, and shot
straight at the high mark-;hc Truth. We
u.~ed TO regard you as a champion IN the
Gauss OF civil and religious liberty. whose
ligbt would never pale before the d zz.iug
array of o0wer. We used u believe that
Won smoke me sen iments Of your heart when
YOU PRAYED tilat you might be taken hence
10 be seen of fl 'en no more ere you iur0'C
cons.rrofire \ I'd set we have lived % see
you dem nitrate ne Srea, Tact that 1.-THE
/. IN Is weak"-tha it Il truly human Tor
man, however high, u Ell.
10 us VINO have seen u.GFe team you have
of the terrible effect. OF - course which the
seeding States to <, and ,'hich they eirr,''
out through the cntirr K b, him. It Is m
comprehensIble that you have tird yOur'tl
To a man who has, IN defiance - me loyal
masse-, adOpj,d p1lIry which, IT prs'7.e'
IN and carried out 20 is dlr,c H.lo h'EiI-
mate results, must lead % our rum, eti'. A.
we think, TO the great terangemcnt 81 "''
destruction ul our country Who're IN
the Sacred Volum-. ID w i1d texts ann
princ,plr- W. c1 can slp.I.r s-cl tHr}rir-
a. Y u aic acting upon? II tvc You l'lE''i' "
that e. those Vhu ieayr their Master -ilr
It il said Cars. u l. mtn 30 trd-'r.h I"
man aud maketh flesh tI- ARM w mn
YOU stood up aud rp"ke Tor tae oppressed 10
he name OF Christ, YOU we're 10 tae rSH''
and Aelug tnere Y u were power ana We
used TO love % zee the clear sp- < "Hlc
came from your pulpit shining through ihr
thick mi>ts OF our Southern night. Bat l'u
have DISAPPOINTED u. We cannot luli'"
you. Conservative age may DO ilr the T.
side, it will never achieve success 10 Tue
Union cause IN the South.
You entirely mistake the temper Of South
crn dIsuniOnIsts. You have not travelled
through the South for hundreds OF mile,
a. have since the war, everywhere ming
ling freely with the people. hearing taem
express their sentiments without reserve on
great national subjects. You seem 70 sup
l,uso that as SON IS traitors have iali down
Their arms they are again entitled % De- re-
celyed into the bosom Of loyal citizenship.
You have forgotten how these 'eIF meh
| seized, without process % l-w. hundreds ni
innocent citizens ana cl-- thea into !]ita-
some negro nIls beCau;e. and only because,
] they we're rue 90 the United States H.
I Do You know tina; these mtn would do as
3 self same tmng again il they could Oaee
( they would have giJlt-t over you. -"n
head doubt It they would harm gJu
now and vet DO know iron thtr own
words that they would hang Southern
Unlonists a. they would string herring.
( were the representatives Ji Federal power
I the slldiery-tJ be removed. The Thought
B Of further resistance is 30 lar IRON teinE
/ extinct that they cherish che idea ls tie
madman does Tie fatal L-.usi.l which
/ possesses hi, f,verei BRAN. cay t.is. i-r
/ have 50 often heard tleM gzgle- -"em-
selves
There is-les me o. jusr--tl,le is : Ior-
I ton of southern pc1yle who Lasr mode ny
! thu ir minds 10 accept the situation. and o.
70 ON and bee me god cl-i1tn- o.. The
United States. These are NOT Che rl-uJrlu~
once. They are the plain business lien -1l
( the sOier-heaicd ilImer--Wao urrc- favor
7 "a rebellion. Could you T5ldmi- men 90
place and power gain 900 sincere rtIcntaUce.
. OF even On good surety ,tat tneT W'1id uut
7 plOt against the nation lie We wo.l1 ElrA
/ With you.
Bat YOU mi! % distinguish between tht
Z sheep aud the goats. Iae-e old traitors " no
are 20 anxious Cor seats 10 Congress wN tell
/ you they have done 10 wrong thcy have
I nothing 10 atone for. D. you want such
men ior boon mfaui.u-; 1t yol ll,
T please take them. We can o. without
I th,m.
What We wanted on tie surrender Of che
Z rebel armies Was that tie President should
call the Congress together and submit the
whole question OF reconstruction 20 that
I body. The secrssiJni-t- were tneu 10 q state
OF mind 10 accept such terms as might bave
granted 70 them. v hat though they might
nave teen severe Vas uJg TIE crime such
as would Justify some seeming punishment
Iuey would gladly have accepted the terms
and gone straight On 10 improve ia l'yaly-
As tnry improved the terms could have been
relaxed. SLOWING true sFiut Vi cunce->iun
IN the night way.
Now / know wha; cay 10 De truth, be-
cause | nave had the very sentiments from
thee men a ytaI ago. Oiten men have sali
even mUIe than thus u me. Iury al inst
made bargains with theiT u,groer, pledgirg
themselves T. pay tntm whatever "'tuc 1ah-
Kvrs should saY was right They expec 81
sume severity, Tor they knew tuey had got
conquered ia IL bad cause We dvpl1rc the
txis,vuce vi military power amongst ur IN nc
tnan you can, especially under such a leader
10 \. johnson. Meare hrart-stIicscu an
discouraged O. See uIm tdk.us Tor us bosom
irIeuds and advisers the uieu wnO shut IS up
IN llIsOn-WhO hunted IL escaIlng 10 TIE
Federal lines We know ala tuyse dangers,
and lrvl them deeper than You can. Aud
We beg leave 90 Inform yOd t"at You are PUT
ting Jul liberty and safety in peril every
hour. Respectfully,
A SyVTHERN USfJNfsr.