The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1868-07-22
Letter From President johnson to
Citizens of New York.

The following is the letter which Presi.
dent johnson addressed to certain citizens
OF New York who asked permission to use
his name before the National Democratic
Convention
WASHINGTON, u. c., 1868
| Genhemen-To your friendly inquiry
whether, it be deemed desirable for the pres
ervation and unity of the conservative in
terests OF the country, I would permit nv
| name to be offered as candidate for the
| Office OF president of the United States. I
would respectfully reply that am not am
oitious OF further service. I may say, in
deed, OF further endurance In that elevated
and responsible position, unless bya call
so general and unequivocal that it would
be an endorsement by the people of nv en-
! beavers to defend the Constitution and the
reserved rights of the several Common
wealths, what was once in fact the federal
Union OF such approval, in the present
temper of parties, i can perhaps have no
reasonable expectation. All history proves
mat men who, in official position, oppose
Tor any reason cherished schemes devised
oy factions to acquire power, USUALLY find
more determined assailants than open and
earnest defenders. Hence, in resisting
measures, which, although sustained by
Congress, [ honestly believed to be en-
croachments upon the Constitution, my
task has been make arduous and seeming
~ unsracious, by an opposition powerfully
well organized and possessing controlling
influence in the halls Of legislation unpre-
cedented in the history of the country.
Compelled to devote my entire time to the
ISSUES That have been forced upon me, and
to contend against majority represented
by two-thirds of each house of Congress, I
have been unable while striving to protect
and maintain the liberties Of the people, to
check the extravaganza expenditures for OBJ
jects not contemplated by the Constitutlon
and to tighten the burdens of taxation,
which now rest so oppressively upon the
nation. In the midst Of these embarrass-
ments have not been discouraged, while
from the public prints Or from some unu.
sually frank and outspoken friends, have
heard that L have no party. The sugges-
ton has only served to remind me of a
memorable remark uttered, when faction
ruled high in Rome that Caesar had a par
ty, and Pompay and Crcesus each had a
party, but that the commonwealth had one
aiming only, as the representative of the
people, TO stand ny the rights of the COM
monwealth. May not pertinently make
the application to my own case. constrain-
ed in occupying my position as the federal
executive, to abide in silence the wrongs
and encroachments of the most insidnons
as well as desperate character; or some
times when incapable of arresting them,
permitted only to employ the futile pros
poets, compelled, with only the privilege of
remonstrance, or the terrible alternative of
counter revolution to resist revolutionary
projects, obliged to stand in the attitude of
a mere spectator, whilst the invaluable time
of the nation has been wasted in careless
assaults upon myself and Office, for the ben
eft ola party. cannot complain of the
people, who, while witnessing, have not
been able to make any case thoroughly
their own. The defense of the Constitu-
ton and laws was their own battle.
Until however, the peoples representa-
tive will recognize more plainly the impera-
tive needs of the country by tightening the
burdens of excessive and onerous taxation
and preventing successive iniposts upon the
same article, beginning with it's crude state
and following it through the successive
stages of manufacture to final use and cost
the people being thus mace to pay extor-
tionately an accumulated tax; till the time
appropriated in Congress to partisan
schemes is devoted more to legislating, for
the peoples wants the nation will have to
be content with the mere delusiye hope
and promise of better times. Since mere
,1ov fx, will - L. 4
ed of greater moment than the study and
practice of political economy. the reduction
of tariffs and making President of more
consequence than the diminution of nation
al indebtedness and return to sound cur
rency and specie payments, with the peo-
pie there must rest the correction of whate-
yer is wrong in the respect indicated, and if
their public servants find them careless of
their responsibility and the people will not
do their duty in seeing that their represen-
tatives perform theirs, then no executive
will ever have any power successfully to de-
feud their rights, andsfew will care to en-
dure the opposition consequent upon the
attempt. am now, however, as I have
ever been. in the hands of the people, and
at their disposal. My struggle for the
Union and the integrity of the government
begun long ago, and conscious of having
honestly discharged my duties, and salts
fed that the contest in which have been
compelled to engage will, in the end, at
least, insure to the benefit, and, indeed,
safety of constitutional liberty and human
rights, / can well afford, think, to look
calmly on the present aud await patiently
the verdict of the future. WhilstI know
that the struggle for the rights of the peo-
pie, and for the defense of the Constitu-
ton, is not yet over, yet believing that the
late palpable failure to 90 violence to that
great instrument and the executive Office,
the worst shat faction can do for the pre-
sent has been accomplished. / would only
in concluding this brief statement, Of my
views and feelings, express the hope that
in the selection by the convention of cam
didate for the Presidency, whose duty it
will be, if elected, to preserve. protect and
defend the Constitution, and to execute
the laws made in pursuance Of its provis-
ions, the public good and leading we'll
established principles must not be sacrif-
ced to the mere purposes Of party ascen-
dancy. In conclusion, gentlemen, permit
me to thank you most earnestly for the
kind expression of your confidence 10 me as
public servant, and to assure you that
the approval of the people is all that is
requisite to make me feel that the efforts |
have made to restore the Union on the
basis OF justice and Cancellation have not