Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1869-03-11
Address of President Johnson
TO TIE
PEOPLE OF THE UNITED STATES
In defence of his Policy and Government.
WAsu1Scroy. March 2. 1865.

THIS day ials from my shoulders, TO be imme-
diately assumed by my successor. For him the
tor6earance and cooperation of the Ameri !
can people, i'll all his efforts 10 Administer the
Government within the pale of the Federal Con-
stltution, are ssincerely invoked Without
ambition TO crafty, party ends 10 subscrvc, a
personal quarrcls TO ayenGe, at the sacrifice OF
the peace and welfare OF the country, my ear
n ST desire IL 10 see the Constitution OF the Re-
public again recognized and obeyed as the SUI
preme Law of the land, and the whole people
North, South, East and West prosperous and
happy under its wise provisions.
In surrendering The high office 10 which was
called four years ago AT n memorable and terri
bic Crisis, II Is my privilege | trust, TO say to
the people of the United States a few parit Q
words in vndicaion Of an official course so
ccaselesSly assaulted and aSpcrsed by political
leaders, TO waose plans and wishes my policy 10
restore the Union has been obnoxious.
In period 81 difficulty and turmoil almost
without precedent in the history of any peo
pie, consequent upon the closing scenes OF
great rebellion and the assassination of the then
PRESIDENT, II was, perhaps, too much on my part
to expect of the devoted parti-ans who rode on
the waves of excitement which M that time
swept all before them, that degree of liberation
an magnanimity which | sought 10 recommcna
and enforce, and which believed in good time
would maze advanced us Infinitely farther on
the road to permanent peace and prosperity
than We have thus far attained. Doubtless, had
| al The commencement OF my term of Office
hcsIiatln9iy lent its powers, or perverted them.
to purposes and plans outside of the Constitu-
ZION, and become an Instrument To schemes ui
confiscation and of general and oppressive dis
qualification. would have been hailed as al
that was true, loyal and discerning. as the rci-
able head Of party. WhatcVcrI might have been
a. the Executive ol a nation. Unwilling, how
ever 10 acc"dc 10 the propositions of eXtre-
miets and bound 10 obey ut every personal
hazard my oath 10 defend the Constitution, /
need not perhaps be surprised al having met
the late Of others, whose only .eward for up
holding constitutional rights and the laws has
Dten the consciousness OF having attempted to
do their duty,and the calm judgment Of history
Al TIE time mysterious Providence assigned
10 me the office OF President, | was By the terms
of the Constitution she Communicating Chief OF
nearly a million Of men under arms one oil my
hrst acts was To ai-baud and restore 10 Iii,
aNocatlonS otcRii life this immense host and
To diNcet myself, 80 far a. | could OF the unpqr
aleied powers then incident 10 the Office anc
Tue tunes. W neither or not IN this step | wa-
right. and how iai deserving of thu appreciation
OF ali the peol le. an can now, on reflection
judge, MhelI reminded OF the ruinOus condition
oi pubhc affairs that must have resulted from Tho
continuance IN tile military service of such Il
vast number OF men. The close of our domestic
CoAntt found the army eager 10 distinguish
Itself IN new field By an effort 10 punish Euro
prau Intervention III Mexico. ~ many ii was
pehc! ga, Aua urged, that, aside from the assumed
justice 81 the proceeding. a foreign var III
which both sides would cheerful Y inift.. 10 yin
d!cate the honor of the national flAg and further
Illustrate the national powers, would he III,
sufcrt ana spccdlcSt- way OF awakening natioua
tHtAuSla7m' ttNlNlhg devotion TO the Mon
ana occupying force concerning which gray,
doubts existed as to its Willingness alter foui
years 81 active campaigning, AZ onccto return
10 the pursuits OF peace Whether these sl,ccu
iI,Iuu~ were true or false, ii Will be conceded
that they existed, and that tine predictions OF
me army were, Tor the Time being ia the dIrec
uoh indicated. iakfn- advantage of that feel
ing. II would bave been ca.v as the command
crln-t hlef OF the my and Navy and with al.
the power anu patronage Of tire Presidential
office AT my disposal, 10 turn the concentrated
strength OF the nation against French intrrfer
Gnct II MEXICO, and 10 luauI uTate a movement
which would have been received with favor b.
the military aud large portion,of the people,
Ii - proper i'll TINS connection thai / should
refer tn tuc almost unlimited additional bower,
rendered 10 the Executive by the measure
relating to civil rights and the Freedmen:>
bureau. Contrary 10 most Prccedcnts, and thu
experience OF public men, the powers tIlel
placed within my grasp were declined a. beinA
IN violation OF the Constitutions dan gt.r9lI- /,
The liberties oi the people and tending Il
agZravale rather thln lessen the di~cord. |
naturally resulting from oGr civil war Wiz
a large army and augmented authority, il woulu |
nave beei ne d}iheuit Task /, direct AT leiSur, |
the deztlnics ~ the Republic, and To- max, |
secure my continuance ~ the highest Office 1
known TO our Laws. Let tlp prultl NhDu am /
addressing from this the Presidential chair /
during the closing hours of laborous term
consider huw dtucrvut would have been then /
present condition had yielded 10 the dazzling |
temptation OF itrelGu conquest. OF persona |
a Irandlzcmcnt and the dcsirc To wicId add |
uonal power. Let them win justice consider |
that II ! have NOT unduly magniued my office /
tliC pahIit huINtu- nave not DCen Increased b. |
my acts ana orer- and perhaps thousands 81 |
tens OF thousands OF lives saGriACed to the vision
of false glory II cannot. therefore, be charged /
that my ambition has been of that ordinary a, |
criminal kind, which. TO the dctriment Of thu /
people rights and liberties. ever seeks to gra4l |
more and unwarrantcd powers and to accom- |
push Us nrposcs plHdets too often To populai |
preludlcer and parry aims.
W hat then, nave been the a pirati6uS which
guided me ia my official acts Those acts nrcu
not at TINS time an elaborate "ynia"a'i,a. Thss
t4ffA aNlag - 10 II |
fully discussed and become part of the ma. |
lion history By them am ready to be judged
Knowing that. however imperfect, they al leaSl
show to the impartial mind that my sole am |
lition has been to the Mon of the |
states faithfully TO execute the Office of Presi |
lent, and, To the best ol my ability. to pre-
serve, protect and defend the Constitution I
cannot heCeusurcd if my efforts have been i'm
prdcd III the interest OF party faction: and If n
policy, which Was intended 10 reassurc and con
.ilatc the people Of both sections of the country
was made the occasion of iuiiaming and diyid-
M still further those who were only recently
IN arms against each other yet a. individuals |
and citizens were sincerely DESTROYS (aS | shall
ever believe of burying all hostile feelings in |
the grave OF the past The bitter war was
waEcd on toe part OF tile Government to yindi
cate the Constitution and Save the Union and
If have erred in trying 10 bring about Il NOR,
speedy and lasting peace, to eXtinguish tn,
heart bunings and cnmities, ana to preycni |
troub es III the South, which retarded the mate |
rial prosperity in that reuion. iniuriously affect
cd the whole country ] am quite content to RESI- |
my case With the mori, deliberate Judgment q |
the people, and, as | have already intimated |
with the distant future.
The war, all must remember was n simon |
dous and dcporable mistake. Neither side nm. |
derstoodthc other; and had this simple facl |
and It's conclusions been kept in view all, thai
was needed was accomplished by the acknowl.
Of the terrible wrong, and the ex
pressed better fee ing and earnest endeayor al |
shown and felt in the prompt ratilca-
ton of the Constitutional amendments by The
thar AtDfa pf fifa rln Of
accepting the war Us a confessed false step Oh
the part of those who inaugeratcd H. was an
error which even at this late time, we should
to palate. Experiencing moreover |
rs ali have done, the frightful cost of the arbi |
rament of the sword, let us IN the future cline
closer than ever to the Constitution as our only
1t is TO be hoped that not until the burdens
no" pressing upon us with such fearful weight
IRE removed will our people forget the lessons
d war ana that, remembering them, from what
ever cause. peace between sections and States
may be perpetual. The history of late events In
mis- country, as well as of the greatest govern
nent OF ancient and modern times, teaches that
we have everything to fear from a departure
rom the letter and spirit of the Constitution,
ana the undue ascendency of men allowed to as
sumo power in what are considered desperate
Sylla, on becoming master OF
Rome, at once adopted measures to crush his
enemies and consolidate the powers of his party
DE established military colonies throughout
Italy, deprived of the full Roman franchise the
mia ltttils Vi the itiIldu tOWns VINO had ODDOs-
ed his usurpation. confscated their lands and
gave them TO his soldiers and conferred citizen
ship upon great number of slaves belonging to
those who had prosecuted him-thus creating at
Rome kind Of body guard for his protection.
After having giving Rome over to slaughter.
fyranized beyond all example over those Oh.
posed to him and the legions-his terrible in
strument of wrong-Syla could yet feel safe in
laying down the ensigns of power SO dreadfully
abused, and in mingiing freely with the fami-
lies and friends OF his myriad victims. The
fear which he had inspired continued after his
voluntary adbcation, and even in retirement
his will was law TO people who had permitted
themselves to be ems aved. What but Q subtle
knowledge and conviction that the Roman peo-
pie had become changed, discouraged and ut
terly broken in spirit, could have induced this
daring assumption What but public indiffer.
ence to consequences so terrible as to Leave
Rome open TO every calamity which subsequent
~ befel her could have justified the conclusions
Of the Dictator and tyrant, in his startling ex-
pertinent
We ind that in the time which has since