The Plymouth weekly Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1860-1869, 1869-03-11
PRESIDENT J0HNSON'S ADDRESS.
q the Peonle of the United States.

De 1mmeQlately assumed DH my SuCCtSsoi-
For him the fOrbearance and cooperation
of the American people in al his Efforts 10
administer the Government within the
pale of the Federal Constitution, are SIN
cerely invited. Without ambition to grail
fy,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 the recognized and obeyed
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 to which ] was
called four years ago by memorable and
terrible crisis, it is my privilege, trust, to
say to the people of the United States a
few parting words in vindication of an Of
fetal course so ceaslessly assailed and as
persed by political leaders, to whose plans
and wishes my policy to restore the Mon
has been obnoxious. In period of diff
Guilty and turmoil, almost without prece-
dent in thehistory ofany people, consequent
upon the closing scenes of a great rebel
lion, and the assassination Of the President,
it was perhaps too much on my part to ex-
pect of the devoted partisans who rode on
the waves of excitement, which at that
time swept all before them, that degree OF
liberation and magnanimity which l
sought to recommend and enforce, and
which believe, in good time, would have
advanced us infinitely further on the road
to permanent peace and prosperity than
we have thus far attained. Doubtless had
i, at the commencement of my term OF of
flee, unhesitatingly lent its powers, or per
vcrted them tn purposes and plans outside
of the Constitution, and become an instru-
oh Of IF
general and oppressive disqualification, |
would have been hailed as all that was
true, loyal and deserving as the head
of party, whatever | might have
been as an Executive Of a nation. Unwil-
ling, however, to accede to the proposition
OF the extremists, and bound to obey at
every personal hazard, my oath to defend
the Constitution, | need not perhaps be
surprised at having met the fate OF others,
whose only rewards for upholding consti
tutional rights and laws have been the
cOnsclentiousness of having attempted to
do their duty, aud the calmer judgment
of history. ct the time mysterious
Providence assigned to me the Office of
President was, by the terms of the Con-
stitution, Commander Chief OK nearly
million of men under arms. One of my
first acts was 10 disband and restore to
the vacations of civil life this immense
host, and to divest myself, as far as could,
of the unparalleled powers then incident
to the office and the times. Whether or
net, in this step | was right, and how far
deserving of the appreciation Of all, the
people C II now, on reflection, judge, when
reminded of the ruiuOus condition of pub
lie affairs that must have resulted from the
continuance in the military service of such
a vast number of men. The close of our
domestic conflict found the army eager to
distinguish itself in new field, by an eff
fort to punish European intervention in
Mexico. By many it was believed and
urged that aside from the assumed justice of
The proceedings, foreign war, In which
both sides would cheerfully unite TO viz di
cate the honor of the national flag, and fur
Their Illustrate the national proves, would
be the sure t and speediest way Of awaken
ing national enthusiasm, and reviving devO-
ton to the Union, and employing force,
concerning which grave doubts existed
as to its willingness, after four years of ac-
tive campaigning, at once to return 20 the
pursuits of peace. Whether these specu-
lations were true or false, it will be con-
coded That they existed, and that the pre-
objections OF the army were, for the time
being, in the direction Indicated. Taking
advantage Of that feeling, it would have
been easy, as the COMMANDMENTS Chief
of the Army and Navy. with all The
power and patronage of the Presidential of
fee at my disposal, to turn the concentrated
strength Of the nation against French in
reference in Mexico, and to inaugurate
movement which would have been received
with favor by the military and large
portion of the people. 1t is proper in
this connection, that / should refer to the
almost unlimited additional powers ten
dercd to the Executive by the measures
relating To the civil rights and Freedmen's
Bureau. Contrary to most precedents in
the experience of public men, the
powers thus placed within my grasp were
declined as being in violation of the Con-
sDtution, dangerous to the liberties of the
people, and tending to aggravate rather
than lessen the discords naturally result
ing from our civil war. With large army
and augur ented authority, it would have
been no difficult task to direct at pleasure
the destinies Of the Republic and make
secure my continuance in the highest Of
fee known To our laws. Let the people
whom | am addressing from the Prcsiden-
tial chair during the closing hours of a
lab0TiOus term, consider how different
had yielded to the dazzling temptation
of foreign conqUests, of personal ag-
grandizemeDt and the desire to WELD ad-
ditional power let them with justice con-
slider that, if l have not unduly magnified
mine Office, the public burdens have not
been increased by my acts, and
thousands or perhaps tens Of thousands of
lives sacrificed to visions of false glory.
1t cannot, therefore, be charged that my
ambition has been of that inordinate or
criminal kind which, to the detriment of
the public rights and liberties, ever seeks
to grasp more and unwarranted power,
and, to accomplish its purpose, panders
too often to popular prejudices and party
aims. What, then, have been the aspira-
tons which have guided me in my Off
cial acts? Those acts need not, at this
time. an elaborate explanation. They
have elsewhere been cOmprehensively and
fully discussed and become part of the
nations history By them am ready to
bejudged. Knowing that however imper-
feet, they at least show 10 the impartial
mind, that my ambition has been
to restore the Union of the States faith
fully 10 execute tn, Office of President,
and, to the best of my ability, to observe,
protect and defend the Constitution.
cannot be censured if my efforts have
been impeded IN the interests of party fac
ton; and ifa policy, which was intended
to reassUre and cOnciliate the people of
both sections of the country, was made
the occasion OF in6aming and dividing
still further those who, only recently in
arms against each other, yet as individuals
and citizens were sincerely DESTROYS, as l
shall ever believe, of burying all hostile