Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1869-03-12
pnr.InENr IonNsON,s ADpREss.


tation. mis- gay falls rom my shoulders u
be Immediately assumed BY my successor.
For him the forbearauce and cooperation
Of the American people In all his efforts 10
Administer the Government within the
male Of the Federal Constitution, are sin.
cerely invited. Without ambition TO graft.
fy.party ends to subserve or personal quar-.
reis 10 avenge at the sacrifice OF the peace
and welfare of the country, my earnest
desire Is 10 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, IL Is my privilege, trust. 10
say 10 the people of the United States a
few parting words In vindicstioR Of an Of
fcial course 30 ceaslessly assailed and as.
persed by political leaders, to whose plans
and wishes my policy TO restore the Union
has been obnoxious. In period of diff.
Guilty and turmoil, almost without prece-
dentin thehistory ofany people, consequent
upon the closing scenes of 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
toleration and magnanimity which
sought TO recommend and enforce, and
which believe, in good time, would have
advanced us infinitely further on the road
10 permanent peace and prosperity than
we have thus far attained. Doubtless had
/, at the commencement Of my term of of.
fee, unhesitatingly lent It's powers, or per
verted them to purposes and plans outside
.f ~, No, ,nNa 4. -.
ment to schemes of con6scation and OF
general and oppressive disqualification,
would have been hailed as all that was
true, loyal and deserving as the head
Of party, whatever l might have
been as an Executive of nation. Unwil.
ling, however, to accede 10 the proposition
Of the extremists, and bound to obey at
every personal hazard, my oath to defend
the Constitution, l 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
conscientousness of having attempted TO
do their duty, and the calmer Judgment
Of history. At the time mysterious
Providence assigned to me the office of
President, was, by the terms of the Con
stitution, Commander in Chief of nearly a
million of men under arms One of my
first acts was TO disband and restore TO
the vocations of civil life this Immense
host, and to divest myself, as Ear as could,
Of the unparalleled powers then incident
70 the office and the times Whether or
not, in this step was right, and how far
deserving of the appreciation of all, the
people can now, on reflection, judge, when
reminded of the ruinous condition of pub
lie affairs that must have resulted isOm 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 ef-
fort to punish European Intervention In
Mexico. BY many II was believed and
urged that aside from the assumed Justice of
.he proceedings, foreign war, in which
both sides would cheerfl)ly unite TO vindi,
cate the honor of the national flag, and fur
ther Illustrate the national prowess, would
be the sure I and speediest way of awaken.
ing national enthusiasm, and reviving devo
tion TO the Union, and employing a force
concerning which grave doubts existed
as TO its willingness, after four years of &C
tive campaigning, at once to return 10 the
pursuits of peace. Whether these specu
lations were true or false, IL will be con
ceded that they existed, and that the pro
dilections OF the army were, for the time
being, In the direction indicated. Taking
advantage of that feeling, II would hav,
been easy, as the Commander. in Chic
of the Army and Navy, with all The
power and patronage of the Presidential of
flee at my disposal, to turn the concentrated
strength of the nation against French in
reference In Mexico, and to inaugurate a
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
dered 10 the Executive by the measures
relating to the civil rights and Freedmen'l
Bureau Contrary TO most precedents In
the experience of public men, tn,
powers thus placed within my grasp were
declined as being in violation of the Con
stitution, dangerous to the liberties of tn,
people, and tending to aggravate rathe
than lessen the discords naturally result
ing from our civil war. With q large ARM
and augmented authority, II would hRvj
been no difficult task to direct at pleasure
the destinies Of the Republic and max,
secure my continuance in the highest of
fee known to our laws Let the people
whom am addressing from the Presiden
tial chair during the closing hours of 1
laborious term, consider how different
would have been the present condition
had l yielded 30 the dazzling temptation
OF foreign conquests, of personal az
grandizement and the desire to WELD ad
ditional power; let them with justice con
slider that, If have not unduly magnihe,
mine office, the public burdens have no
been increased by my acts, ant
thousands or perhaps tens of thousands o
lives sacrificed to visions of false glory
1t cannot, therefore, be charged that m,
ambition has beensof that inordinate o
criminal kind which, to the detriment c
the public rights and liberties, ever seek
10 grasp more and unwarranted power
and, TO accomplish its purpose, pander
too often TO popular prejudices and part
aims. What, then, have been the aspire
tions which have guided me in my of
cial actsf Those acts need not, At tn
time, an elaborate explanation. The
have elsewhere been comprehSnsively an
fully discussed and become part of II
nations history. BY them ! am ready
be judged. Knowing that however impe
feet, they at least show TO the imparti
mind, that my ambition has bee
to restore the Union of the States faitl
fully to execute the office of Presiden
and, to the best of my ability, TO observe
protect and defend the Constitution
CaunOt DC CtnsuIeu ii my eHOTtS nav
been impeded in the interests of party fat
tion; and ifa policy, which was intende
10 reassure and conciliate the people {
both sections OF the country, was mad
the occasion of inhaming and dividin
still further those who, only recently
arms against each other, yet as individual
and citizens were sincerely desirous, as
shall ever believe, of burying all hosti
feelings in the grave of the past The bi
ter war was waged ON the part of the Co
ernment 10 vindicate the Constitution an
save the Union, and If have erred !
trying to bring about more speedy al
lasting peace; to extinguish heart bur
ings and enmities, and to prevent troub
in the South, which was retaIding u
material prosperity IN that region, injui
Ously affecting the whole country, l a
quite content to rest NV case with the mo