Des Arc weekly citizen., 1869-03-16

nc, ndS fuVAcu iutV ' uAtiot 0u~ ooS" """s others have often seen--and of course he means no dsrespect to his own kind.
 ALEX. President JOhnSOn'S Farewell Address to the American
 zse0plc.
  WASHINGTON, March B. 1869. To the People of the United States:
 The robe of office. by constitutional limitation, this day falls from my shoulders to be immediately assuMcd by my successor. For him the forbear- oesass.oce and cooperation of the American people in all his efforts to administer 7 the Government within the pale of the S Federal Constitution arc sincerely ln- Evoked. Without ambition to gratify, party ends to subserve, or personal < s;uarrcls to avenge to the sacrifice oi , the peace and welfare Of the country, my earnest desire is to sec the Consti- tuition of the Republic again fecogniz- 7 ed and obeyed as the supreme law of 1ho land, and the whole people-North, South. East and West--prosperous and hnppy under its wise provisions.
 In surrendering the high office to i. vhich I was called four years ago, in q memorable and terrible crisis, 1t is my privilege, trust, to say to the people Iaf the United States few parting words in vindication of an official ss. course 50 ccaselessly assailed and op- \ | osca by political leaders to whose plans and wishes my policy to restore .hc Union has been obnoxious. In a 4 period of difficulty and turmoil, almost without precedent in the history of any \ people, consequent upon the closing A scenes ofa great rebellion and the as- passination of the President, # was perhaps too much on my part to expect x devoted partisans who rode on the waves of excitement, which at that Mime swept all before them, that degree of toleration and magnanimity which Bought io recommend and enforce, and yhich I believe in good time would ave advanced us infinitely further on i. he road to permanent peace and pros Serity than we have thus far attained. Doubtless had I@at the commence ment of my term of office unhcsitating- ly tent its powers or perverted them to ,purposes and plans outside Of the Con- stitution and become an instrument to schemes of contiscation and of general and oppressive disqualification, would have been hailed as all that wasrrue and loyal and deserving as tbsreliable head of party, whatcver-< might nave been as the Exccutive oi nation. Unwilling, however, 10 accede to prop~ .ositious of extremists and bound to obey at~srery personal hazard my oath ,o ,,sscs ct aud defend the Constitution,
 aot perhaps be surprised at hav-
 athe fate Of others whose only
 for upholding constitutional
 and .aws have been the consci- 8usness of having attempted to do r duty, and the calmer Judgment f story.
 Mysterious Providence had as-
 to me the office of President l saby the terms of the Constitutior, Ncommandcr-in-ch of nearly a As1on of men under arms. One of seArst acts was to disband and res 20 10 the vacations of civil life this sense host. and to divest myself, as .s could, of the unparalleled pow x ther incident to the office. Wheth- ssr nat in this step was right, and sfar deserving of the appreciation Be people, they can now on reflec- aiudge, when reminded of the ru- cs condition of public affairs that ,i<st have resulted from the c0ntin- ance in the military service of such q Sst number of meu. The close of our somcstic conflict found the army eager .distinpuish itself in new field by gal,.eflort 10 punish European interven- on-in Mexico. i, many it was believed and urged ,at aside from tho assumed justice of nrocccdinqs, a foreign war, in ;eh both sides would cheeriully ite to yindicatc the honor of the Na- nal flag and further illustrate the 2 sSz ssonoI urowess, would be the siucst sdspce;liest way of awakening Ma .onal epthusasnl, reviving devotion fAe Y7uinn, and occupying q force ser,iing w hich grave doubts existed AsAe it's wiuina,. ,ss, alter four years , of active cam mpaig gning, at once to res tnrn- to the parsnits of peace. Wheth- CT these speculations were true or false, it will be conceded that they ex- Wcd, and that thepredilections of the nny were for the time being in the section indicated.i
 Taking advantage of that feeling, 1t zyoNfd have been easy, as commander shief of the army and navy, with all
 wcrs and patronage ofthe Presi-
 OUlcc tt ny uispoS"i, " susu
 %centratcd strength of the nation
 MFrcnch interference in Mexico,
 insugnrate a movement which
 #haye been received with favor
 8military and a large portion of
 k>pIe. It is proper in this con
 8that I should refer to the al-
 hnted additional powers ten-
 the Executive by thc meas
 ting to civil rights and the
 a's Bureau.
 towers that were placed within
 were declined as being wi
 the Constitution, dangerous
 .yer5 >of the people, and tend
 sssgryzte rather than lessen the
 4drally resulting from our
 With large army and aug
 aihofity, it would i've been
 tt task to direct assure