The Idaho world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1864-1918, 1869-03-18
ANDREW JoHNsON's FAREWELL ADDRESS

The Associated Press dispatches give the fol
lowing synoptical report of ex-President John
sons Farewell Address:
After asking the consideration and forbear
ance OF the American people for his successor
johnson enters into an elaborate defense of hi
administration, and says, had he lent himscl
to schemes of confscation and oppressive dis
qualification, he would have been hailed as al
that was loyal and true. His oath bound hin
to defend tho Constitution. Hence he c0ul(
not accede to the propositions of the eXtrem
lists. AS Commander in chief of the army tht
first thing be did was to disband the Immense
host of soldiers. They were eager to dstn
gulsh themselves in new fields and punish Eu
ropean intervention in Mexico. Many urged
| foreign war Us the best means of unltirg NOrtl
and South. Taking advantage of that feeling
| there would have been no difficulty to direct ii
pleasure the dcstlnlts of the Republic, and Sc
cure to himself II continuance of his Presidcn
tlal career. He yielded not to the dazzling
temptation OF foreign conquest; and it could
not be- said that his ambition was of an inor.
dlnate kind. His only ambition was 10 restore
the Union, faithfully execute the office of Pres
ldcnt, and defend the Constitution He could
not be- ccnsurcd If his efforts were defeated by
party faction. The war was stupendous and
deplorabc mistake neither side knew the
other. We have experienced at trighttul cost
the arbitrament of the sword. Let us cling in
future closer 10 the Constitution, as our only
SAFE guard.
Who would have thought few Years ago
that cunScrptlon, cOntScatlun, loss 0t personal
liberty, snbjcctlon ot States 10 military rule
and dlsiranchlscmrut with the extension of suf.
tragc 10 gratit! party ends would have taken
place. Ii has been demonstrated bv recent
events that the President cannot prevent the
"ncroachmrnts on The Constitution. The luris
dlctlun ot the Judiciary has been crcumscribcd
aud the veto power rendered uugatury hy Il
PARTISAN majority IN Congress. He offers the
Suggestion that as the veto power Is exercised
on Constitutional grounds, II should. when ST.
applied aud returned with Executive reasons
be- referred 10 the Supreme Court for lis de-
rision. Ii il decided the bill CONSTITUTIONAL il
should then become law; II not, ii should fail
without the power al Congress Ia rc-rnact
He alludcs Ia the history OF the majority in
Congress. Thus, when the rebellion was being
suppressed by patriotic soldiers, these men
crcpt without question into place aud power
IN the national couuclls After all the danger
had passed. then Il WAS these pretended palri
ots appeared briur" the nation and began Ia
pirate about thousands at lives aud millions oi
treasure having been sacrificed for the sup
precision oi the rebellion; they have since per
sl,truty sought Ia I:!lmr the prejudice cugcn-
drrrd IN sections rrtard the restoration ot
peace and harmony and by every means keep
open and exposed Ia the poisonous breath of
party passion the terrible wounds Of Il four
years war; they have presented the return of
~ .tf fh..
rendered the war drusiyr II the purposes.
promises and pledges by which the army was
marshalcd against treason and the rebellion
crushed and made the liberties of tn" people
and the rights and powers Of the President OBJ
ects of constant attack they Wrcstcd from
the President his constitutional power and SUI
pr"mr command Of the army and navy they
DESTROYED the strength Of the Executive De-
partmcnt. making subordinate officers indie
pendent oi aud able Ia defy the Chief Magls.
tratc; have attempted to place the President
under the power ot a defiant and trcachcrous
Cabinet officer: have robbed the Executive OF
his prerogntlvc to pardon, and rendered null
and void the acts of crmcncy granted to thou
sands Of persons under the provisions ot the
Constitution have committed gross usurpa-
tons by legislative attempts to exercise tins
power IN favor of party adhcrcntS; have con-
spircd to change the system of Government by
prcfcrrng charges against the President in the
form of articles of Impeachment. contemplating
that before hearing or trial he should be placed
under arrest and held in durance, and when it
became their pleasure to pronounce sentence,
he should be driven from place and power.
They have. in time OF peace, increased the ma
tional debt by reckless expenditure OF the pub
lie moneys, and added to the burdens which
already weigh upon the people; they have per
mtted the nation to suffer the evils of n de-
ranged currency, to the enhancement in price
of all the neccssaries Of lite; they have main
taned q large standing army for the enforce
ment of measures of oppression; and the peo-
pie of ten States of the Union have been re-
duced to condition more ntolerabe than that
from which the patriots of the Revolution re-
belled. Millions Of American citizens can now
say of their opprcssors, with more truth than
our fathers did of British tyranny. "They
have forbidden Government to pass laws of
immediate and pressing Importance, unless sus-
pended till their assent should be obtained;
have refused to pass other laws for the accom-
mediation of large districts Of people unless
those people would relinqush the right of rep
resentatiOn in the Lcgisature-a right inesti-
mable to them and formidable to tyrants only
they have made Judges dependent on their will
alone for the tenure of their Offices and the
amount and payment Of their salaries; they
have erected multitude of new Offices, and
sent hither swarms of officers to harrass the
people and eat up their substance; they have
affected tn render the military indcDendent and