Mineral Point weekly tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1859-1868, 1868-04-01

loved of all loyal men, was basely
murdered by an assassin. Was not
this an extraordinary occasion? In
my opinion, II ever plain duty rest
ed upon mortal ruler, Andrew John
son was that ruler; aud to call Con
greSs together as the first act of his
official life as President was that du-
ty. 1t was not performed. And why ?
Because hat Congress was elected in
part by ne soldiers who at such a sac.
rihce had overthrown the rebels. and
believed that to the loyal people OF
this country belonged the right, and
that upon them rested the duty of set
thing, III the interest of loyalty, OF
universal liberty, and universal sutf.
rage, the conditian of that country
which they had rescued from the des-
potism of the rebellion.
Andrew Johnson never believed he
had the right to set up state govern
ments IN any of the rebel states; nei-
ther did any of his cabinet but he
believed that if he could accomplish
1t by usurpation of power, that such
was the desire of the people for peace
after the long war Of ideas and of
force, that they would tamely submit
Hence, when Congress assembled in
December, 1865, he pointed them to
ten sovereign states which he had set
up in less than half that many months
He pointed reconstruction as an ac-
complished fact, and asked, nav
demanded, of Congress that it should
open wide its portals and admit sena-
tors and representatives from such
states, most of them prominent rebels;
all of them elected by rebel votes. and
loyal men, the soldiers of the Repub-
lie, being excluded from the polls
This, | believe, was a usurpation of
power IN the interest of reaction, OF
counter revolution, and Of tyranny
over a portion of the loval people Of
the United States, for which the Pres
ident ought long since TO have been re-
move dfrom Office
Mr.. Chairman, nv time viii not ad-
nit of more than an allusion to the
shameful scenes of February -, 1866,
when the President, addressing a
crowd composed IN great part of re-
turned rebel soldiers III gray uniforms,
sought to arouse tecir passions against
the representatives of the people,
singing out and coupling with terms
of ribaldry two members of either
House, who, by virture of their long
and faithful services in the cause of
freedom had become prominent lead
crs Of public opinion. And l certain
lv cannot follow the President in his
" Western tour, commonly known as
swinging around the circle" more
than to allude to his dcnunciation OF
Congress as an illegal and unconstitu-
tioual body. Indeed, it is needless to
enumerate the particular acts of the
President further to show that his
whole course, from the commen e.
ment of his Administration has been
in the interest Of the defeated rebel
lion. Being firmly convinced that
his object has been to shield all that
was left Of rebeldom from the just
consequences Of its great crime, to
save the property, the influence, the
pride, and the pejudices Of the rebels,
| have scarcely been surprised at any
thing he has doue-certainly not al
his completely in the New Orleans
massacre, the removal of the gallant
Sheridan, or his attempt to remove
the Secretary of War
The President of the United States
is po sessed Of gr, g. patronage. If he
is good and wise man this enables
him to accomplish much good but if
be Is low, tricky, dishonest man it
becomes in his hands an engine Of cor
ruption and great abuse How this
patronage has been used by the pres.
ent Executive let the disorgauized
condition of all branches Of the public
service answer.
Mr.. Chairman, there Is no one ac-
cusatiOu against the President which
| have not heard made on this floor
but which, in my opiuion, Is not the
least one which he viii have to ans
wer to at the bar Of public opinion
The manner in which he has made
the appointments in the regular Ar
my to fill the original vacancies caus-
ed by the increase Of the Army. Up.
on the disbanding Of the volunteer
forces there were many hundred young
men who had served with great gal
Iantrr and efficiency, and had become
so habituaed TO Army life. and have.
ing served their country during those
years Of their lives when Young men
usually learn trade or study pro
fession, they were desireous to OBJ
tain commission, in the regular serv-
ice of their country.
Who shall describe the feelings OF
these expectaut waiting bows ia blue
when 1t became evident to them that
the President, from whom their com
missions must come. had gone over to
the enemy; that their recommeHda-
toms, signed By such Of their old com
manders as Butler Logan. Schenck,
Sheridan, and Paine were worse than
waste paper al the presidential count
er, and that the royal road to the
Presidents slate lay through the IN
2uence Of certain heroes who had been
distinguished tor resisting the draft
and voting NO" on all measures for
supporting the Army or defending the
country IN any manner.
Mr.. Chairman, | can scarcely al
lude to the well-known aud dogged