The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1869-03-24
1DHNS0N'S FAREWELL ADDRESS.
WASHINGTON, MARCH 4, 1869.
70 the People of the United States:


The robe of Office, by constitutional limi
tation, this day falls from my shoulders, t.
he immediately assumed by my successor
For him the forbearance and cooperation
of the American people in all his efforts t,
administer the Government within the pale
of the Federal Constitution are" sincerel,
invoked. Without ambition to CRAFTY
party ends to subserve, or personal quar-
. rels to avenge to the sacrifice of the peact
and welfare of the country, my earnest de
sire is to see the Constitution of the Re.
public again recognised and obeyed as the
supreme law of the land, and the whole
people-N orth, South, East and West
prosperous and happy under its wise pro
visions.
Tn surrendering the high office to which
was called four years ago, in memorable
and terrible crisis, it is my privilege, l
trust, to say to the people of the United
States few parting words in viudication
of an official course so ceaselessly assailed
and opposed by political leaders to whose
plans and wishes my policy to restore the
Union has been obnoxious. In a period OF
difficulty and turmoil, almost without pre-
cedent in the history of any people, conse.
quent upon the closing scenes of great
rebellion and the assassination of the Pres
ident, it wrs perhaps too much on my part
to expect devoted partisans who rode on
the waves of excitement, which at that
time swept all before them, that degree of
liberation and magnanimity which sought
to recommend and enforce, and which / be-
lieve in good time would have advanced US
infinitely further on the road to permanent
nd &hoy
attained.
Doubtless had at the commencement o f
my term of Office unhesitatingly lent its
powers or perverted them to purposes and
plans outside of the Constitution and be-
come an instrument to schemes of confis-
cation and of general and oppressive dis
qualification, | would have been hailed as
all that was true and loyal and deserving as
the reliable head of a party, whatever |
might have been as the Executive of ma
ton. Unwilling, however, to accede to
propositions of extremists and bound to
obey at every personal hazard my oath to
protect and defend the Constitution, |
need not perhaps be surprised at having
met the Fate Of Others whose only reward
for unfolding constitutional rights and
laws have been the .conscientiousness of
having attempted to do their duty, and the
calmer judgment of history.
A mysterious Providence had assigned
TO me the Office of President. | was, by
the terms of the Constitution, the commar
dsr-iu-chief of nearly million of men nm.
der arms. One of my first ac,s was to
disband and restore to the vacations of
civil life this immense host, and to diyest
myself, as far as l could, Of the unp.ralled !
powers then incident to the Office Wheth-
er or not in this step was right, and how
tar deserving Of the appreciation of the
people, they can now on reflection Judge, |
when reminded of the ruinous condition of
public affairs that must have resulted from
the continuance in the military service OF
such vast number of men. The close of
our domestic conflict found the army eager |
to distinguish itself in new field by an
effort to punish European Intervention in |
Mexico.
BY many it was believed and urged that |
aside from the assumed Justice of the pro-
ccedings, a foreign war, in which both sides |
would cheerfully unite to vindicate the
honor of the national flag and further illus:
trate the national prowess, would be the
surest and speediest way of awakening ma
tional enthusiasm, reviving devotion to the |
Onion, and occupying force concerning
which grave doubts existed as to it's will
ingness, after four years of active campaign
ing, at once to return to the pursuits of
peace. Whether these speculs.tions were
true or false, it will be conceded that they
existed, and that the predictions of the
army were for the time being in the direc-
ton indicated.
Taking advantage of that feeling, it
would have been easy, as commander-in-
chief of the army and navy, with all the
powers and patronage of the Presidential
Office at my disposal, to turn the concen-
trated strength of the nation against French
interference in Mexico, aud to inaugurate
movement which would have been received
with favor by the military and large por-
lion OF The people IT is proper in this
connection that should refer to the al
most unlimited additional powers rendered
TO the Executive by the measures relating
to the civil rights and the Freedmen's
Bureau.
The powers that were placed within my
grasp were declined as being in violation
Of the Constitution, dangerous to the lib
critics of the people, and tending to aggra-
'1so ioShcf Iuttii ieSS0u lie ulSCOluS Hdbu"
rally resulting from our civil war; With a
large army and augmented authority, it
you'd have been no difficult task to direct
at pleasure the destinies of the Republic,
and to make secure my continuance in the
highest Office known to our laws. Lot the
people, whom am addressing from the
Presidential chair during the closing hours
OF iaborious term, consider how different
would have been the present condition of
affairs had yielded to the dazzling invita-
ton Of foreign9 conquests, of personal ag-
grandizement and desire to WELD addi-
tional power.
Let them with justice consider that if I
have not unduly magnifed my Office, the
public burdens have not been increased by
my acts, and perhaps thousands or tens of
thousands of lives sacrificed to visions of
i.ise glory. 1t cnnnot, therefore, be charged
that my ambition has been of that ordinary
or criminal kind which, to the detriment Of
the peoples rights and liberties, ever seeks
10 grasp unwarranted powers to accom-
piish its purposes and pander to popular
aud party aims.
what, then, have been the aspirations
which guided me in my official acts p
Those acts need not at this time an elabo-
rate explanation. Thay have everywhere
been comprehensively and fully discussed,
and become n mart of the nation,s bistor,, |