The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1869-03-10
WASHINGTON. d. c., March 3.

WASHINGTON. ID. c., March 3.
To the people Of the United States
The robe Of office. by ConstI-
tutional limitation, this day falls
from my shoulders, to be imme.
diately assumed by my successor.
For him the forbearance and CO.
operation of the American people
in his efforts to administer
the Government within the pale
of the Federal Constitution,
are sincerely invoked. With
out ambition to crafty, party
ends to subserve, or personal quar-
rels to avenge at the sacrifice OF
the peace and welfare of the
country, my earnest desire is to
see the Constitution of the Re-
public again recognized and obey
ed as the supreme law of tina land,
and the whole people north, south,
east and west, prosperous and
happy under its wise provisions.
In surreudering the high office to
which 1 was called four years ago,
at memorable and terrible cri-
sis,it is my privileged trust,tO say
to the people eff the United States
a few parting words in Yindication
of an official course so ceaseless-
ly assailed and aspersed by politi-
cal leaders, to whose plans and
wishes my policy to restore the
UUion has been obnoxious. In a
period of difficulty and turmoil
almost without precedent in the
history of any people, consequent
upon the closing scenes Of a great
rebellion, and the assassination
of the President it was, perhaps,
too much on my part to expect
from the devoted partisans, who
rode on the waves of excitement.
which at the time swept all before
them, that degree of toleration
and magnanimitv which ! sought
to recommend and enforce, and
which l believe in good time
would have advanced the United
States infinitely further on the
road to permanent peace & pros
perity than we have thus far at
tanned. Doubtless had / at the
commencement of my term Of
office, ,unhesitatingly lent its pow
ers or perverted them to purposes
and plans outside of the Constitu.
ton, and become an instrument
to schemes of confiscation and o.
general and oppressive disqualif
cation, l would have been hailed
as all that was true, loyal anC
deserving, as the reliable head o
a party, whatever l might have
been as the Executive of nation
Unwilling, however, to accede tt
the propositions of extremists
and bound to obey, at every per
sonal hazard, my oath to the Con
stitution; need not, perhaps, bt
surprised at having met the fatt
of others, whose only rewards fo
upholding the Constitution, tn,
rights, and the laws have beer
the consciousness of having at
tempted to do their duty, and tn,
calmer judgment of history.
At the time mysterious Prov
idence assigned to me the offic
of President, was, by the term
of the Constitution, the Cemman
der-in-Chief of nearly a millio.
of men under arms. One of m
first acts was to disband and re
store to the yocatiOns of civil lif
this immense host, and to dives
myself, as far as 1 could, of tn
unparalleled powers then inc
dents to the office and the term
Whether or not, in this step,
was right, and how far deservin
of the appreciation of all tn
people, l can now, on reflection
judge, when reminded of the n
inous condition Of the public of
| ces that must have resulted fro
the continuance in the milital
service of such a vast number ,
men. The close of our domest
; conflict found the army eager
: distinguish itself in a new fiel
by an effort to punish Europe;
intervention in Mexico. By MAJ
it was believed and urged thu
aside from the assumed Justice
the proceedings, a foreign war,
which both sides could cheerful
unite, to vindicate the honor
; the national flag and further
: lustrate the national prove
would be the surest and speet
est way of awakening a nation
3 enthusiasm, reviving devotion
), the Union, and occupying for,
concerning which grave douf
existed as to its willingness, aft
:. four years of active campaign
I. at once to return to the pursu
4 of peace. Whether these spec
= lations were true or false,
will be conceded that they exi
ed, and that the predictions
the army for the time being We
= in the direction indicated. Taxi
advantage of that feeling, it W
have been easy, as the Comm
der-in-Chief of the Army g
Navy, with all the power and T
ronage of the Presidential of
at my disposal, to turn the c
- centrated strength of the nat
il. against French interference
Mexico, and to inaugurate mo
- ment which would have b.
received with favor by the n
tary and a large portion of
people.
1t is proper, in this connect
that l should refer to the ain
unlimited additional powers,
dered to the Executive, by
measures relating to Civil Rig
and the Frecdmen's Burear.
Contrary to most precedent
the experience of public men,
powers, thus placed within