The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1866-10-04
WASHINGTON, Sept. 30, 1866.
Resignation of the Hon. Isaac N. Arnold

SIR: / hereby resign the Office of
Auditor Of the Treasury for the Post Of
fee Department.
Three days before his assassination, the
position was rendered to me by President
Lincoln to facilitate the preparation of
record of his Administration and the over
throw of slavery in the Republic, which
| then hoped he would live to consum-
mate. When accepted the commission
from you, which death prevented him from
issuing, | did it in the full faith, based
upon your patriotic record during the re-
beliion and your repeated declarations
over the dead body of the martyred Presi-'
dent, that your policy would make trea-
son "odious" and that you would be faith
full to the loyal men, North and South,
who had saved the Republic; that you
would endeavor to carry out the princi-
Piles which will make Lincoln's Admins
tration illustrious to all time.
| will do you the justice to say that |
believe if, while you were addressing the
Illinois delegation who waited on you and
rendered you the same support they had
=
moment, when your heart seemed full of
loyalty and fidelity, and you told US that
"the people must understand that treason
is the blackest Of all crimes and will sure
ly be punished" and that "when the
question of exercising mercy comes be-
fore me it will be considered calmly
judicially; for we must not forget that
what may be mercy to the individual is
cruelty to the State"-if at that time your
future course could have been held up
before you, and your apostacy could have
been foretold, you would have indignant
ly exclaimed, "Is thy servant dog, that
he should do this thing?"
You have betrayed the great Union
party which elected Abraham Lincoln,
which, as an incident Of the election,
placed you in the Office of Vice Presi-
dent You have deserted its principles.
and are to-day in open, cordial commu
MON with those who sought the over
throw of the Republic; of those who for
four long years made war upon our flag,
and who crowned their long catalogue of
crimes by the murder which placed you
in the Executive chair.
You are to day prosecuting and de-
nouncing as traitors the life e-long friends
of Abraham Lincoln; those upon whom
his great arm leaned for support in tho
hour of Supreme peril for the Union you
are denouncing and prosecuting those
friends of Mr. Lincoln for no offence but
fidelity to the principales and party which
you have deserted.
You have chosen as your friends and
couusellors from the lately rebellious States
not the prosecuted, abused, faithful, he
roic Union men, but those whose hands
are yet stained with the blood of loyal
men. In the loyal States your suppor-
ters and eounsellors are to a great extent
with those whose sympathies were ever
with rebels and traitors.
In your present position, aud with such
associates, it is natural you should hate
those whose fidelity must be constant
reproach to you. You are furnishing in
Illinois aud elsewhere the old personal
friends Of Lincoln at the instance of his
life long enemies.
Mr.. President, the American people,
in their hour of bitterest anguish, when
almost stupefed with grief over the muir
der of the noblcst, grandest character
which has adorned our history, heard
your voice uttering bold, indignant, 10y
al and patriotic words They took you to
their hearts and gave you their conf
dence. Where are you today? Who
are your associates and advisers? What
promise made over the dead body of Lin.
coin have you kept? What pledge, then
uttered, have you not broken?
Sir, you are welding immense power
and patronage, but | tell you, not in an.
ger, but in deepest sorrow, there are few
names other than that of the rebel CHIEF
as yet in Fortress Monroe SO odious a
mong loyal men and so popular among
traitors as that of Andrew johnson. With
fidelity, you would today have been the
| first of American statesmen; with fideli
| ty on your part, there would to-day hav,
been harmony in all departments of the
Government, and peace and security
throughout the Republic; with fidelity
it was yours to have saved the country
God and the people will prevent your
treachery from destroying it.
will not now contrast your policy with
that of your illustrious predecessor; but
| shall ask your attention to one point on
ly. TO the loyal black man and the 10y
al men of the South, Mr.. Lincoln prom
ised protection and security. lie KEEP
his promise. When the rebel emissaries
such as you pardon and take to your con
idence, proposed to him to return to sla
very the black soldier of the Union army
and thus win the masters they had fought
Mr.. Lincoln Indignantly replied, +" shouC
| do so, should deserve to be damned il
time and in eternity!
How can you, Mr.. President, occupy
the Executive Mansion as the successor
of Lincoln? How could you visit hi.
grave with the bloody outrages of Mem
phis and New Orleans unpunished? Dc
you remember that Mr. Lincoln said "Ne