The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1868-05-08


The arsenals were all shut. The noise
of cannon had died away. The army
was disbanded. Not a single enemy
confronted us in the field. And he
was eager for pacilication. The hand
reconciliation was stretched out TO
him, and he took it. Was this kind
ness, this forgiveness, crime? Kind
ness crime Kindness is omnipo-
tent for good, more powerful than gun
powder or cannon. Kindness is states
manship. Kindness is the high states
manship of heaven itself. The thun-
der of Sinai did but terrify and distract.
1t is the kindness Of Calvary that sub
dues and pacities. What shall [ say
of that man? He has ever walked i'm
the path and by the light of the Con-
stitution. The mariner, tempest tossed
on the sea, is not more sure to turn to the
stars for guidance than this man in the
trials of public life, to look to the
star of the Constitution. He does love
the Constitution. Ithas been the study
of his life. He is not learned or
scholarly like many of you. He is not
a man of many ideas or much specula-
ton but he is a man of intelligence.
He is a patriot second to no one of you
in the measure of his patriotism. He
may be full of errors. L will not can
vass now his views. He loves his
country and / believe would die for il
if need be. His courage and his patri-
7 Otism are not without illustration.
My colleague referred the other day TO
the scenes which occurred in this cham
ber, where he alOneOf all the Senators
from his section, remained, and even
when his own State had seceeded.-
That was trial to which many of you,
by reason of your locality and your life
long associations, know nothing. How
his voice rung out in this hall on that
occasion in the hour of alarm, and in
denunciation of the rebellion! But he
did not remain here. This was a plea
SAINT and easy position. He chose a
more difficult and arduouS and peril
Gus service. That was a trial of his
courage and patriotism Of which some
ofyou who now sit in judgment upon
him, know nothing. / have thought
that those who dwelt at the north, at Il
safe distance from the collision of war,
knew but little of its actual trying dan
gers. We who lived upon the border
know it. Our horizon was always red
with flame, and it was sometimes borne
so near us that we felt the heat upon
the Outstretched hand. Mr.. Johnson
went into the very borders of the war
and there he served his country long
and well. Which of you has done
more? Not one. There is one among
you whose services, as L well know, can
not be Overstimated, and l withdraw
all comparison. But it is enough to
say that his services were greatly need
ed, and it seems hard, it seems cruel,
that he should be struck here upon
these miserable technicalities, or that
any one who has served his country
and borne himself we'll and bravely,
should be treated as a criminal and
condemned upon these miserable char
ges. Even if hehad committed acrime
against the laws, his services to the coun-
try entitle him to some consideration.
But he has precedents for everything
that he has sdOne-eXcellent precedents.
The voices of the great dead come to
us from their graves sanctioning his
course. All our past history approves
it. How can you single out this man
now, in this condition of things, and
brand him before the country? Will
you put your hand upon him because
he made an cd interim appointment,
and attempted to remove Edwin Nj.
Stanton? l can at a single glance,
Senators, fix my eye on many of you
who would not endure the position
which the President occupied. You
did not think it right yourselves you
framed this very Civil Tenure act to
give every President his own Cabinet,
and now the Presidents whole crime
is that he wants an officer in the War
Department with whom he can conf
municate on public business and enter
tain friendly relations.
Senators, am tired, and no doubt
you are. There is great deal crowd
ing on me for utterance; but it is not
from my head, it is rather from my
heart, and would be but a repetition of
what / have been saying this last half
hour. Andrew Johnson, administra-
tor of the Presidential office, is to me
as nothing in comparison with the
possible consequence of your action to
the Government of this country. No
good can come of conviction on these
articles of impeachment, but how much
will the heart of the country be rejoic-
ed if it learns that the Senate of the
United States was not unmindful,
amid the storm and passion and strife
of this hour, ofthe constitution of its
country and of its own dignity!
"A gangof negroes murdereda white
man at Hurricane Bottom, Mississippi,