Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1869-03-13
Johnson's Farewell Address.

had he lent himself to schemes Of con6sca-
ton and oppressive disqualification, he
would have been hailed rs all that was 10y
al and true. His oath bound him to de-
tcnd the Constitution, and hence he could
not accede to the propositions of the ex-
trcnists. As Commander-in-Ch Chief Of the
army, the first thing he did, was to dis
band the immense host Of soldiers who
were eager to distinguish themselves in new
fields and punish European Intervention
in Mexico. Many urged foreign war as
the best means ofuniting North and South.
Taking advantage of that feeling. there
would have been no difficulty to direct at
pleasure the de,tinics of the republic and
secure to himself continuance Of his Pres
idential career. lie yielded not to the
dazzling temptation Of foreign conquest.
and it could not be said that his ambition
was Of an inordinate kind. His only ambi-
ton was to restore the Union, faithfully
execute the Office Of President and defend
the Constitution. lie could not be cen
sured if his efforts were defeated By party
faction. The war was stupcndous and
dcplorablc mistake; neither side knew the
other. We have experienced at frightfnl
cost the arbitrament of the sword. Let
US cling in future closer to the Constitution
as our only safeguard. Who would have
thought, u few years ago, that conscrip-
ton, confscation, loss OF personal liberty,
subsection of States to military rule. dis
reimbursement. with the extension OF SUIT
fragc, to crafty party ends, would have
taken place? 1t has been demonstrated
by recent events, that the President can
not prevent cncroachmcnt on the Con-
stitution The jurisdiction Of the judi
cary has been circun,scribcd, and the veto
power rendered nugatory by a partisan
majority in Congress. He offers the sug.
gcsiion that as the veto power is exercised
on constitutional grounds, it should. when
50 applied and returned with executive
reasons. be referred to the Supreme Court
for its decision Ifit decides the bill con-
s,itutional. it should then become law.
| If not it should fail without the power of
Congress to re-cnact. lie alludcs to the
history of the majority in Congress cur
ing the rebellion. which was being sup.
pressed by patriotic soldiers. These men
crcpt without question into place aud pow
or in the national Councils. After all the
danger had passed. then it was these pre-
tended patriots appeared before the nation
aud began to prate about the thousands OF
lives and millions Of treasure being sacri-
feed for the suppression of the rebellion;
have since pcrsstcntly ught to infame
the prejudice cngcndcred in sections, re-
tard the restoration of peace and harmony.
and by every means keep open and exposed
to the poisonous breath Of party passion,
the terrible wounds of few years war
have prevented the return of peace, and
the restoration OF the Union even; rem
dercd the war delusivc of the purposes.
promises and pledges by which the army
was marshalca against treason, and the re-
beiion crushed; made the liberties Of the
people and the rights and powers Of tie
| President objects Of constantattack; wrcs,-
cd from the President, Constitutional pow
or and supreme command of the army and
navy; have destroyed the strength Of the
Executive Department, making subor,l'n-
ate officers independent of and able to defy
the chief magistrate; have attempted to
placc the President under the power of
defiant and treacherous Cabinet; officers
have robbed the Executive of his preroga-
tive to pardon, and rendered null and void
the acts Of clcmency granted to thousands
of persons under the provisions OF the Con-
sttution; have committed gross usurpa.
tons by legislative attempts to exercise
this power in favor of party adherents.
have consprcd to change the system Of
Government by prefcrring charges against
the President in the form of articles Of I'M
peachment. contemplating that before hear
ing or trial he should DO placed under
arrest and held in durance, and when
it became their pleasure to pronounce SEN
tencc be driven from place and power;
they have in time of peace increased the
national debt by reckless expenditure Of
the public moneys and added to the bur-
dens which already weigh upon the people;
they have permitted the nation to suffer
the evils Of dcranged currency to the
enhancement in price Of all the neccssaries
Of life; they have maintained . large
standing army for the enforcement ofmeas.
ures of oppression. The people of ten
States of the Union have been reduced to
a condition more intolerable than that from
which the patriots Of tho revolution re-
bcllcd. Millions Of American citizens can
now speak of their oppressors, with more
truth than our fathers did Of British ty-
RAINY. They have forbidden States to
pass laws Of immediate and pressing i'm
portance, unless suspended till their as
sent should be obtained; have refused to
pass other laws for the accommodation of
large districts Of people, unless, those Poo
pie would relinquish the right Of represen-
tation in the Legislature, right inestim.-
BILE to the people, 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 multi.
tudc Of new Offices, and sent hither swarms