The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1869-03-12

cult TASK 10 ulrect, al pleasure, tne, ,ueSti-
nies of the Republic, and to make
secure my continuance in the highest
Office, known to our laws. Let the people,
whom am addressing from the Presi- |
Dental chair during the closing hours
of laborious term, consider how differ
ent would have been their present con-
dition had / yielded to the dazzling |
temptation of foreign conquest, of per-
sonal aggrandizement, and the desire
to WELD additional power. Let them
with justice consider that if have not |
unduly magnified my Office the public
burdens have not been increased by my |
acts, and other and perhaps thousands
of tens of thousands of lives sacrificed
to visions Of false glory.
1t cannot, therefore, be charged that
my ambition has been of that ordinary
or criminal kind which, to the detri-
ment of the peoples rights and liberties,
ever seeks to grasp more and unwar-
ranted powers, and to accomplish its
purposes, panders, too often, to popular
prejudices and party aims. What then,
have been the aspirations which guided
me in my official acts? Those acts need
not at this time an elaborate eXplana-
ton. They have been elsewhere COM
prehensively stated and fully discussed,
and become part of the nations his
tory. BY them l am willing to be
judged, knowing that, however impor-
| IN Of ~ Gb tn M np r
mind that my sole ambition has been to
restore the Union of the States, faith
fully to execute the Office Of President,
and to the best Of my ability to pre-
serve and protect and defend the Con-
stitution.
cannot be censured IL my efforts
have been impeded in the interest of
party faction, and Of a policy which
was intended to reassure and conciliate
the people Of both sections of the coun-
try, was made occasion OF inflaming
and dividing still farther those who
were only recently in arms against each
other, yet as individuals and citizens,
were sincerely desirous, as shall ever
believe, of burying all hostile feelings
in the grave of the past. The bitter
war was waged on the part of the gov
ernment to vindicate the Constitution
and save the Union, and if l have
erred in trying to bring about more
speedy and lasting peace, to eXtinguish
heart -burnings and enmities, and to
prevent troubles in the South, which,
rctarding material prosperity in that
region, injuriously affected the whole
country, am quite content to rest my
case with the more deliberate Judgment
OF the people, and, as have .lready
intima'el, with the distant future.
The war,all must remember,was a stu
pendous and deplorable mistake. Mel
this simple fact and its conclusions been
kept in view, all that was needed was
, accomplished by the acknowledgment
: of the terrible wrong and the expressed
bitter feeling and earnest endeavor al
atonement, shown and feltinthe prompt
ratification ofthe constitutional Amend
, ments by the Southern States at the
close of the war. Notaccepting war as
confessed false step on the part o
. those who inaugurated it, was an errol
| which now only time can cure and whicf
, even at this late date we should endea'
vor to palliate. Experiencing, more
over, as all have done, the frightful cost
of the arbitrament Of the sword, LEI
| ;,,t f,,f, nj al
| to the Constitution as our only safeguard
: 1t IS to be hoped that not until the bur
. dcns now pressing upon us with such
. fearful weight are removed, will oul
= people forget the lessons Of the war
@ and that, remembering them, from
Z, whatever cause, peace between section
= and State may be perpetuatcd.
e The history oflate events in our coun
| try, as well as Of ancient and modcrI
: times, teaches that we have everything
to fear from the departure from the let
f ter and spirit of the Constitution, and
undue 1scendency Of men allowed tt
assume power in what are considered
special emergencies. Sylla, on becom'
: measures to crush his enemies and con
solidate the power Of his party. He es
tablished military colonies throughout
and deprived of full Roman franchis,
the inhabitants of Italian towns whU
, had approved his usurpation, cOnfisci'
, ted their lands and gave them to hi,
soldiers, and conferred citizenship On II
great number of slaves belonging tC
. those who had prescribed him, thus
, creating at Rome kind of body guart
, for his protection,
After having given Rome over tC
slaughter and tyranny beyond all exam
pie over.those opposed to him and his lie
u gions, his terrible instrument of wrong
! SylIa could yet feel safe in laying dowl
= the ensign of power, so dreadful!
:. abused, and In mingling freely Will
!, the familiars and friends of his myria,
victims. The fear which he had in
=, spred continued after his voluntary ab
. dication; and even in retirement, hi
: will was law to a people who had per
= mitted themselves to be enslaved. Wha
- but Il subtle knowledge and cOnvictbo
:. that the Roman people had becom
, changed, discouraged, and utterly bro
ken in spirit, could have induced thi
o daring assumption? What but publ
!. ind ference to consequences so terribl
as to leave Rome open to every calam
it ty which subsequently belel her, coul
J. have iustifel the conclusions of tn
1 dictator and tyrant in his startling e'
20 pertinent?
% We find that, in the time which hi
h since elapsed, human nature and ex
r gencies in government have not great
a changed. Who, a few years past,
O. contemplating our future, could hay
n nunnnrnl Ahnt In n hrinr nnrinI of LII