The Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1863-1886, 1867-04-04
lFrom the N. Y. Evening Post.l
A Lesson for Politicians.

In Mr. Thaddeus Stevens speech
in favor Of confscation Of rebel es-
tates he remarked that for the bill
which he had introduced neither
his party, nor Congress, moi COM
mittee of Congress, was yesponsi.
ble-but only he. and tho Presi-
dent. Mr.. Stevens said:
mo committee or party is re-
sponsible for this bill. Itis charge
able to the President and myself.
Whatever merit it possesses is due
10 Andrew Johnson. In the sum-
mer of 1864 he said in public
speech: Gs
"Let me say, nov is tho time To
secure. these fundamental prnci-
Iples, while tho land ie rent with
anarchy and upheaves with the
throes of mighty revolution
While society is in this disordered
state, and we are seeking security,
lot US fix the foundation Of the
government on tho principles OF
eternal justice, which will endure
for all time. Shall he who brought
this misery upon the state be per-
mitted to control its destines2 II
this be SO, then all this precious
blood Of our brave soldiers and Of.
ficers, so freely poured out will
have been wantonly spilled, All
the glorious victories won by our
noble armies will 60 for naught
and all tho battle fields which have
been sown with dead heroes dur.
ing the rebellion will have been
made memorable in vain. Why
all this carnage and devastation
II was that treason might be put
down and traitors punished.
say the traitor has ceased to be q
citizen, and in joining the rebellion
has become public enemy
Treason must bo made odious, and
traitors must be punished and i'm
poverished; their great plantations
must be seized and divided into
small portions, and sold to honest
industrious men. The day for pro
tccting the land and negroes Of
these authors Of rebellion is past
1t is high time it was. I have
been most deeply panied al sons
/ things which have come under my
observation. We got men in com
mand, who, under tho influence O
flattcry, fawning and caressing
grant protection to the traitor
while the poor Union man stand!
outin the cold
} "All this was tho eloquent Ian
guage Of Andrew johnson as 'h'
was This was tho text which
took up and elaborated in a speech
to my constituents at Lancaster, II
September, 1865, and which ha
boon much criticized by huinap'
, sympathizcrs with rebels. Andrew
johnson was the apostle who's,
preachings | followed. His doc
trinc pervades and animates tn,
whole bill. Whatever Of justice Il
in it IL due to him."
I
OF course Mr.. Stevens spok,
ironically, but there is sobel
truth suggested by his words whol
we desire TO commend to pub
lie men in general, and that is
that they must not assert befor,
: the country principles and polio,
in which they do not believe, anC
which they would not carry out ii
practice.
Mr.. johnson during tho wal
made frequent speeches; tho scnti
mOnts ho uttered attracted groa
attention, the more because us ,
, southern man no was believed t
! speak from experience and knowl
> odge, when no asserted in such pos
; tive terms the danger of suffering
: tho southern stascs to fall agail
! under the rulo OF the men VIII,
ruled them before tho war. AL
that he said during tho war tended
to this one end, that, to uso his owl
words, for tho safety Of the Who'll,
country "tho old leaders must b.
! put aside, and now men brough
/ forward" When no demanded
|, con6scation, hanging, exclusion
a from offlco and voting; whom h,
a declared himself ready to be th,
, "Moses" of tho freedmen; when h,
asserted "treason is o crime, th,
} greatest Of all crimes in a free coun
: try, and must DO punishod"-al
| this, and much more, had for il
0 foundation tho principle, which h,
r laid down as most important ofall
that the old leaders must never b
permitted to rule or load in th
" southern states again; that th
safety of tho whole country re
n quircs their rigid exclusion and re
o movaf. up.
+ 1t must DO added that ho on
Il forced this doctrine with great Wig
! or and ability; he spoke as a ma
: familiar with the oldsystem, know
Q ing by personal experience all il
Q wrongs, all the mischief il was ca
a pable Of all the danger that la,
in its revival, He spoke SO con
: yineingly' that he persuaded tn
: whole country to his views; b
! made Himself so thoroughly th
" exponent OF this faith which h
preached that the people electe
him Vice President--think
useful to have q man at tho morci
I ful Lincoln's elbow who could an
would impel him to stern justice.
Having thus converted the cohn
, try, Mr. johnson himself by.and
] by fclIirom tho faith; and the pee