Democratic enquirer. [volume] (M'arthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1867-1873, 1869-03-24
yALADICTORY ADDRESS OF PRES
IDENT JOMNSON.
wAsHIsaTos, D. O., March g.


of the American people in all his efforts t.
administer tho government within pal'
of the federal constitution are invoked
Without ambition to crafty, party onds Il
subserve or personal quArrels toavonge, a
the sacrifice Of the peace and welfare OF thu
country, my earnest desire IL to SEQ th'
constitution of the republic again recog
nized and obeyed as the supreme law o
tho whole people, north, south, east and
west, prosperous and happy under it,
wise provisions.
In surrendoring tho high office to which
I was called four years ago by n momora-
bio and terrible crisis, il ia my privilege,
trust to say TO tho people of the United
States n few words in vindication Of an ofll,
cial course, 30 ceaslessly assNiled and rs.
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 precedent
in the history of any people, consequent
upon the closing scenes of Il great rebel
lion md the assassination of the president,
ii was, perhaps, too much on my part to
expect from partsans, who rode on the
waves of excitement which Gt that time
swept all before them, that degree OF tolera-
ION and magnanimity which | sought
to recommend and enforce and which
| believed IN good time would have ad-
vanced us infinitely farther on the road
to permanent peace and prosperity than
Nehave thus far attained, Doubtless had l
at the commencement of my term of Office
unhesitatingly lent it's powers or perverted
them to purposes and plans outside OF the
constitution and become an instrument to
schemes of con65cntion and ofgeneral and
oppressive disqualification, ! would have
been hailed as all that was true, loyal and
deserving. As the head of party, what
ever might have been, as the executive OF
nation | was unwilling to accede to
propositions of extremists, aud bound to
obey at every personal hazard my oath te
defend the constitution. | need not, per-
haps, be surprised at having met the fate
of others, whose only reward for uphold
ing the constitutional rights and laws have
been the conscientousness of having at
tempted to do their duty. At the time a
mysterious providence assigned to me the
Office of President, was by the terms OF
the constitution the commander-in-chielo OF
nearly million of men under arms.
One of my first acts was to dsband
and restore TO the vocauons OF civil
life this immense host and divest myself as
far as / could Of the unparalleled powers
then incident to Office and datimes. Wheth-
er 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 public affairs thet must have resulted
from the continuance IN the military ser
vice of such a vast number OF men. The
close of our domestic conflict iound the ar
nv eager to distinguish itself in new fields,
by an effort to punish European interyen-
ton in Mexico. BY many it was believed
and urged that, aside from the assumed
Justice of the proceedings of foreign war,
in which both sides would cheerfully unite
10 yindicnte the honor of the national hag
and frtherilIustlate the national prowess,
it would be the surest and speediest way
of awakening national enthusiasm
revivinp devotion to the Union
and occupying force concern
ing which grave doubts existed MS to its'wi
linpness, after four years OF active cam
imagining, at once to return to the pursuits
? of peace. Whether the speculations were
= true or false, it will be conceded that they
existed, and that the predictions of the
army were for the time beng in the direc
! ton indicated Taking advantage of tha
4 feeling it would have been easy as com
: mander .in-chief of the army and nnvy,witl
all the power and patronage of the presl
. dental office at my disposal, to turn the
. concentrated strength Oftho nation Agains
. French intervention in Mexico, and 10 IN
j aucurate movement which would Law
D been received with favor by tho militar!
E and large portion Of the people
, II is proper in this connection tina
l should refer to the almost I'M
limited additional powers rendered to thu
Executive by the measures relating t.
civil rights and the freedmen's bureau; pre-
, cedentB in the inexperience Of the publ,
. men. The powers thus placed within m.
|! grasp were declined as being in violation o
the constitution, dangerous to the libertie
of the people, and tending to aggravat
rather than lessen tho discords natural,
+ resulting from our civil war With q larg
, army and augmented authority, it woul'
. have been not difficult task TO direct a
( pleasure the destinies of the republic, an,
make secure my continuance IN the highes
Office known to our laws. Lot the peopl
9 whom am addressing from the Presidenta
chair during the closing hours Of a labori
ous term, consider how different woul
have been the present condition had
/ yielded TO dazzling temptations OF forelg
. conquests, Of personal aggmndizment an
! the desire TO WELD additional power. LIE
them with Justice consider that if | hav
4 not unduly magnihod my Office, the publ
. burdens have not been increased by IN
acts, and other, and perhaps thor
a sands OF tens Of thousands of live
sacrificed to visions Of false glory
1t cannot, therefore, be charged that IN
ambition has been Of that ordinary @
: criminal kind which, TO the detTiment {
the peoples rights and liberties, ever seek
!, to grasp more and unwarranted power, ant
:, to accomplish its purpose, panders to
: often to popular prejudices and part
d aims What, then, have been the aspiri
= tons which guided me in my official acts
9 Those acts need not at this time an elabc
: rate explanation They have elsewhel
@ been comprehensively and fully discussed
y and become part Of the notorious histor.
y BY them am ready to bejudged, known
4 that however imperfect they show to Ii
d impartial mind that my ambition has bee
y to restore the union Of statee, faithfully
y execute the Office OF President and to II
best OF my ability TO observe, protect an
!. defend the constitution. cannt
n be- censured II my efforts have bee
II impeded in an earnest endeavor at atom
y ment shown and felt in the prompt Iatii
2 cation Of the constitutional amendmen
't by the Southern States at the close Of Il
9 war. Not accepting the war as coniesst
y false step on the part Of those who ina
> gurated it, was an error which now on
n time can cure and which even at this la
70 date we should endeavor to palliate. Exp
IN riencing moreover, as all have done, u
1t frightful cost OF the arbitrament Of h
er sword, let us cling closer than ever to II
y constitution as our only safeguard. II is
~ be hoped that not until the burdens nc
. pressing upon us with such fearful weig
be removed will our people forget the les
ons Of the war, and that remembering the
fr)m whatever cause peace between all sC