Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1868-08-28
A few Facts.

there is below but as the democratic par
ty in convention assembled, have en-
dorsed President johnson, some of the
items may be of interest at this time, cs-
pecially as portraying the party which
now supports him.
In his speech at the Patent Office,
April 5, 1865, after the fall of Rich
mond, before the assassination of Lincoln,
Vice President Johnson said:
"The query naturally arises now, who
has been engaged in this bloody OPPOSE
ton to the Government? The answer is,
the man YOU have fed, clothed, educated,
whose sole reputation and early honors
were won under your colors him we
find with the sword given him by the
government and the country to defend
them; him we find plunging it into his
mothers bosom"
Voices from the crowd-Hang him
Hang him!
Mr.. johnson" You say hang him..
| know men in this country are hung If
they murder one man but what shall be
done to him who tries to murder a ma
ton [? In Solons code no law was written
against parricide. The Athenian treated
it as crime none could be so base as to
commit. Mr.. Davis sought to kill his
mother"
Voices" Hang him !"
Mr.. Johnson Yes, say HANG HIM
TWENTY TIMES!
"Treason should be put in its proper
light as the greatest of crimes, and,
while magnanimity and mercy were with
one hand dealt to the deluded masses, he
believed signal and memorable punish
ment should be dealt the crafty instiga-
tors and bloody leaders.
"The property of the former should
be used to remmerate the loyal men
whom they had despoiled and prosecuted
After the assassination, April 10, IS,
when Mr.. johnson had become Presi-
dent, he spoke as follows to delegation
from Illinois
"When we turn to the criminal code
and examine the catalogue of crime, we
there find arson laid down as a crime,
with its appropriate penalty; we there
find theft, and robbery and murder given
as crimes; and there, too, we find the
last and highest of crimes treason
[Applause.]
The people must understand that it
is the blacklist of crimes, AND WILL BE
SURELY PUNISHED. [Applause.l
Let it be engrayen upon every heart
that treason is crime, AND TRAITORS
sHALLsuFFER ITS PENALTY" Applause
On the 22d of April, 1865, Mr.. John
son received a delegation from Indiana
and said, in the course of his speech:
"Then, if you take the life of one in,
dividual for the murder of another, and
believe that his property should be con.
fiscated, what should be done with him
who is trying to assassinate the nation
What should be done with HIM or THEN
who have attempted the life of nation
composed of thirty millions of people?
"We were living at a time when the
public mind had almost become oblivi
Gus to what treason is. The time has ar
rived, my countrymen, when the Ameri
can peopleshould be educa ted and taught
what is crime, and the highest crime
known to the law and the constitution
Yes, treason against State, Treason
against all the States, treason against thu
Government of the United States, is The
highest crime that can be committed
AND THOSE ENGAGED IN 1T SHOULD SUI
FER ALL ITS PENALTIES.
" 1t is not promulgating anything tina
| have not heretofore said to say tina
traitors must be made odious, THAT TRAI
TORS MUST BE PUNISHED AND IMPovER
IsHED." [Applause.l
The same day President johnson re
ceived a deputation of clergymen, wh'
advised him to be merciful. To thes
Mr.. johnson replied:
" In my opinion the time has com,
when you and | must understand anC
must teach that treason is crime ant
not a mere difference of political opin
ions"
Two days later, on the oath of April
1865, President johnson received dele
cation from New Hampshire, and sale
to them:
Treason is a crime and must be pun
ished as a crime. 1t must not be regard
ed as mere difference of political opin
ion. 1t must not be excused as an un
successful rebellion, to be overlooked anC
forgiven. 1t is crime before which all
other crimes sink into insignifcance, and
in saying this it must not be considered
that | am influenced by angry or reveng
full feelings.
Of course, careful discrimination
must be observed, for thousands have
been involved in the rebellion who are
only technically guilty of the crime Of
treason. They have been deluded and
deceived, and have been made victims Of
more intelligent artful, and designing
men-the instigators of this monstrous
rebellion. The number of the latter
class is comparatively small. The for
mer may stand acquitted of the crime of
treason. The latter never. The full
penalty of their crimes should be visited
upon them. To the Others, | would ac-
cord amnesty, leniency and mercy"
On the 18th of April, 1865, President