The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1867-03-27
Speeeh of Hon. Reyerdv Johnson

In the Senate on the I'd inst. on the passage If A.
military reconstruction bill over the Presidents vot
Mr.. johnson, Dem. Nd took the floor and said. wv
| While doing, as he most sincerely did, full ius;
to the conscientious purpose Of the President he con
not but regret that he the Presidency had felt hmsls
compelled to come to that result and to send HI;
message to Congress. There we're many proposit;o
in law contained in that message which could not 10
maintained. There were many errors Of judgments;
it which, upon examination, would be apparent oI
above ALL in the result to which he the Presdent bi
! been compelled to come in the exercise of bis ow
Judgment, which, there was no doubt, was console,
tousIy exercised, be (Mr. Johnson) saw nothing hnt
continued turmoil, danger and to the South and
to the entire country
He rose, therefore, for the purpose of stating rer
briefly, in addition to what he had already said whom
| the measure was before the Senate former ooca
SION why it that he had cast the vote he had cast
on that OCCASION and why it that he should piv
the same vote now. applause in the galleries. Wick
was repressed by the ehair) It will not be for mo-
ment supposed said Mr.. johnson, by those to whom
am addressing myself, that am governed now. o.
that governed then, by any hope of popular an
plause NY motives if know myself were perfectiv
Dure and patriotic | saw before a distracted and
almost bleeding country. l thought l saw and 7
think see now, the means by which it might be re-
stored to healthfll condition, and the Constitution of
the country in the end be saved. have arrived, Mr.
President at that period of my life when if any other
ambition animated me, can have no other ambition
now than that of serving my country.
Having referred to the views be had previously ex-
pressed on the question of reconstruction CONCLUDING
that when the ceased the States were restored to
their former relations and that conditions for their
representation requisite or constitutional, Mr.
johnson said that the present and the late Executive
thought differently. 1t was unnecessary for him to
say what the condition eXacted by the present
Executive. They in his Mr. Johnsons1 udg-
ment as unconstitutional any that could be found
in this BILL The Congress of the United States was of
H., -bo Of. r.,
ern States complied with the terms exacted by the
present chief magistrate, they could not be restored
without the sanction of congressional legislation and
this was the judgment of the country. Then how
were they to get back? Only by complying with the
conditions which Congress may impose, whether Con-
gress be the authority impose them not Or fail
ing comply to remain in the sad condition in which
they now He (Mr Johnson) imputed bad motives
neither to Congress lor to the Executive He thought
he knew his duty the institutions of the country too
well to call in question the motives of either. He ac-
corded purity of purpose and patriotic principles to
both. He differed from both, but sought the resto-
ration of the Union, and he way of accomplish
ing it now but by the adoption of the measure now
before the Senate. We are now, in my opinion in
state of quasi war-our condition rs revolutionary
States of the Union virtually held provinces
upon the ground that we have right to hold item
as enemies of the Union and the Government. In that
state of things to hesitate in the adoption of any
sure which promises, the most distantly put
an end this revolutionary condition is in my judg
ment to be false the interests and safety of the
country. In conclusion, Mr.. Johnson said he vas
glad to see from the public prints of the South and to
be informed by many of the leading of the South
that it the purpose of the Southern States to or
ganise under this bill They taking lessons from
experience. The constitutional amendment if it had
been adopted, would have brought into this chamber
and the other chamber, represea tatves from the
South Of that I have doubt. Now it will not
The bill which we passed, and which was afterward
amended in the House, would have accomplished the
ame purpose upon terms less exacting than the one
low before the Senate 1t amended, and the
amendment is the most obnoxious feature of the bill
The Senate passed it and voted for it. Why? Be-
ause thought knew had satisfactorily ascertained
hat this falling of more rigid character
measure founded upon the idea that the people of
be South were conquered enemies, their property la
lie to forfeiture would have been enacted.