New-York tribune., 1869-03-04
THE PRESIDENTS FAREWELL
,,n SWINGS AROUND THE CIRCLE ONCE MonE[ Rl.v
yIYDIcATEs "MY PoMCY"-LEAyEl,S.T Tnn BrnpIF, TTE
sTITUTION IN THE HANDS OF TIE '' h0'
.Nn pHoSOuNCEs HIS BENEDICTloN'

AND pRoNoUNCEs HIS BENEDlCIIoN'
To the People Of he United States -, ,;,,ito-
The robe of Office, by cohstltu',on". 1,,a,oIv
ton this day falls from my shoulders 10 OI ad
assumed by my SUCCESSOR For nn 'io Sts aerts 70
yoro,ion of the American people ih al MS eA0ivo
sl,t.,a ,ho aovernnont within the pale OF tne fer
- Csr,,,,iou are sincerely invoked "Hhout ANU
go, ., o-st,fv party ends to subServe' OF persona q
ii, q, svenqe az tls sacrifice OF the peace anu 49, 49,.
:. ~, rprv nv earnest desire Is to see the Cohs'ltu
,on OF the Republic agan Recognized aLu oo'' -,
.nnreme law Of the land and the whole peope-'o's'
snth East and heterogeneous and happy ui'"o % iS'
wise provisions In surrendering the hlgh on'0o W ,
was called four years ago, at lnemoraoie anu
crisis It IS my privilege, trust To say 10 'ue Pof
the United States few parting Woi"S ~ ',N |
ton OF ar official course so ceaseiesSV a"
sailed and aspersed by poliocH ieaucrs' W
xbose plans and wishes my pOhey W
restore the Union has been obnoxious In Perloo o
difficulty and turmoil almost without precedent IN tne
history Of any people, consequent upon inc eloNns
scenes OF great rebellion and the assassination OF the
then President was perhaps. too much on my part U
expect from devoted partlsans who rode on the waves
otexceneut Wheh at that swept all before then
that degree Of liberation aud magnanmty Wmeh
sought to recommend and enforce, ana whch DeheNe
IN good time wou have advanced us Infinitely further
e the road 10 permanent peace and prosperity 'hah We
have Tins far alta ned. Doubtless had at the com
r,encement OF my term of of, o, unhCsilaungy lent
It's powers. and perverted them TO purposes
and plans outside Of the Constitution ""'
become an instrument to schemes of cohhse"u"i!
and Of general and oppressive disquallhcauon "ouN
he heen hailed as all that was true, loyal, and discern
ING as the reliable bead Of party, whatever m'Sh'
have been as the Executive OF nation uh"uhng uo"
ever to accede to propositions OF extremists aie pouu
10 obey at every personal hazard my oat 10 deehu o
Constitution need not perhaps, be surprised at having
et the fate of others whose only rewards for uphodg
Constitutional rights aud have been the conscious
mesa Of having attempted TO do their uuty' ana '"o
ealm alignment OF history. At the time mysterious
Providence assigned TO me the office OF Freeh' was
by the terms the Constitution, the ComihahdefnOhel
Of nearly million Of men under arms one OF ny lst
acts was TO dsband and to the vocatons or evl
life this immense host, aud TO diyest myself 50 lar rs
could Of unparalleled powers tnen incident 10 the
Office and the times. Whether or not in this step was
right aud how deserving OF the appreciation OF all inc
people all can now, reflection, judge when re-
minded Of the ruinous condition Of pubic affairs that
must resulted from the continuance IN the military
service such number OF men. The close OF our
domestic conflict found the army eager to distinguish
Itself IN field by effort 10 punish European III
tervention IN Mexico. BY many 1t was believed ana
nrged that aside the assumed Justice Of the pro-
e.dngs foreign in which both sides Tonld cheer
fully viudcaIe the honor OF the national nag
illustrate the national prcwess should be the
urest aud speediest of awakening national eDthus
,sp revIving devotion to the Union and occupying
force concerning which grave doubts existed as to It's
Willingness four years OF active campaigning AT
once 70 return pursuits OF peace whether these
erulaons were true or false 1t will be conceded that
they existed thatthe predictions OF the army were
,or the time being in direction Indicated Taking
advantage Of that feeling it would have been easy as
the COmmandern-CEef of the army and navy ana WIN
oil the power and patronage Of the Presidential once AT
ny disposal concentrated strength OF the ma
on against French Interference in Mexico, and to In
sugurate movement which would have been received
with favor by military and large portion OF the
people IL proper in this connections that lshouldrefer
10 the almost unlimited additional powers rendered 10
the Executive by the relating to Civh Rights
and FrcedeDs Bureau contrary TO most precedeDts III
the experiences Of public The powers thus
placed within my grasp were declined as being In viola
ou Of the Constitution dangerous TO the liberties OF the
people, aud tending TO aggravae rather than lessen the
diseords naturally resulting from our civil war; WIN
large army and augmented authority, 1t would have been
no difficult task to direct pleasure the destnes OF the
Repnbiic. aud make NY continuance In the
highest oice known TO our laws Let the people, "hon
am addressing from the Presidential ehafr during the
closing hours laborous term, consider how different
would have been their present condition had yielded to
tie dazzling temptation Of foreign conquest OF personal
and the desire TO WELD addonal pow
e aud perhaps thousands tens Of thousands OF hVes
,acrced to visions OF false glory Let them with justice
consider that II not unduly magnihed my once
the public burdens have not been increased by my acts
IL cannot therefore, charged that my ambition has
Of that ordinary criminal kind which to the det-
Of the peoples rights and liberties ever seeks TO
grasp and unwarranted powers, ana 10 accomplish
lie purposes panders often TO popular preudices
and party aims What then have been the aspira-
tions which guided me IN my official acts :
Those acts need at this time elaborate expaton
They have elsewhere been cOmprehensyely stated and
fully discussed aud become part OF the Nations his
tory BY them / ready to be judged, knowing that
However imperfect they at least show to the impartial
mind that sole ambition has been restore the Union OF
the states faithfully execute the office Of President
and the best Of ability to preserve protect and de-
tend the Constitution cannot be censured If my ef-
forts impeded in the interests OF party faction
ard IL policy which was intended to reassure and con
sste the people OF both sections Of the country was
made occasion OF nfanng and dividing stl further
those only recently IN against each other
yet individuals and citizens, sineerely desrOus,
as shall believe of burying all hostile feelings In
the grave OF the past The bitter waged the
part Of tie Government 70 vIudcate the Constitution
aud save the Union; and IL have erred In trying 70
bring about speedy aud lasting peace. to extin
guish heart bungs and enmes and to prevent troubles
n the South which, rearding material prosperity In that
Tcgon ujuriousy affected the whole country, am quite
content my with the more deliberate jndg
ment Of the people, and have already inmaed with
the distant future. The war, all must remember,
stupendous aud depOrable mistake Eethhrsd under
stood the other aud had this simple fact agd its concu
sions been kept view. sll that needed
pisEed BY the acknowledgment Of the terrible wrong
aid expression OF better feeling and earnest eDdeavor
statonenen and felt In the prompt ratification Of
Constitutional Amendments by the Southern States at the
sOse Of the war. accepting the confessed
false step OF part OF those who insuguraed IT,
ALI error only time cure. and which,
late day, should endeavOr paiate, expert
tDcng, as all have done the fnghtful cost Of
the sIbtrament Of the sword Let the future cling
closer than ever TO the Constitution only safe
guard. II is TO be hoped that not until the burdens
M with