The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1869-03-24

: tne past four years will prove to the natiol
dressings II they produce so desirable
i Upon those who became Young me,
'mid the sound of cannon and tile din O
arms and who quietly returned to til,
farms, the factories and the schools of the
iand Will principally devOlve the solemn
duty of perpetuating the union of the
States, in defense of which hundreds o.
thousands of their comrades expired AND
hundreds of millions of national oblipa
tons were incurred AS many people will
not neglect the training necessary to re-
sist oppression; but they should be Jealous
lest the civil be made subordinate to the
military element
we need to encourage in every legiti.
mate way study of the Constitution for
whicn The war was ,wagcd, knowledge
those so soon to occupy tho places filed by
their seniors will be the only hope of pre-
serving the Republic. The young men of
the nation not yet under the control of
party, must resist the Capitalization, and
0utgrowth Of tho great rebellion, and be
familiar with the fact that the country
consists of the United States, and that
when the States surrendered certain great
rIghts for the sake of more pefect Union
they retained rights as valuable and inn
portant as those they relinquished for the
commonwealth, is sound old doctrine, far
different from tho teachings that led to
the attempt to secede; and q kindred theo-
~ that the States were taken out of the
Union by the rash acts of conspirators
that happened to dwell Within their Dor
ders, must be received and advocated with
the enthusiasm of early manhood, or the
people will be ruled by corrupt combine
lions of the commercial centerS, who, ple-
thoric from wealth, annually emigrate to
the capital of the nation to purchase spe-
clal legislation. Until the representatives
OF the people in Congress more fully ex.
hibit the diverse views and interests of
the whole nation, laws cease to be made
without full discussion at the behest of
some party leader and there will never be
proper respect shown by the having pow
or either to the Judicial or Executive
branch of the Government. ~'H
The generation just beginning to use
the ballet, it is believed, only need that
their attention should be called to those
considerations to indicate by their votes
that they wish their representatives to OBJ
serve all the restraints which the people,
in adopting the Constitution, intended to
impose upon them.
Calmly reviewing my administration of
the Government, l felt that, with sense
of accountability to God, having conscien-
tiously endeavored to discharge my whole
duty. have nothing to regret. Events
have provel the correctness of the policy
set forth in my FIRST and subsequent mes
sages. The woes which have followed the
of forbearance, magnanimnity
aud constitutional rule are known and de-
plOred by the nation.
1t is a matter of pride and qualification
in retiring from the most exalted position
in the gift of the people, to feel that in
long, arduous and eventfnl public life, my
action has never been influenced by de-
sire for gain, and that can in all sinceri-
ty inquire, whom have I defrauded
Whom have oppressed or, at whose
hand have received any bride to blind
my eyes Herewith.
No responsibility for wars that have
been waged or blood that has been shed
rests upon me. My thoughts have been
those Of peace, and my thoughts have ever
been to allay contentious among my coun-
trymen. Forgetting the past, let us re-
turn to the first principles of the Govern
ment, aud, unfurling the banner of our
country, inscribe upon it in incffaceable |
characters, '"fhe Constitution and the !
UniOn--ono and inseparable"
ANDREW JOHNSON.