The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1869-03-13
JOHNSON's FAREWELL AD.
DRESS.

After asking the consideration and for
bearanca Of the American people for his
successor, johnson enters into an elabo.
rate defence Of his administration, and
says had he lent himself to schemes of
confscation and oppressive Disqualified
ton, he would have been hailed as all
that was loyal and true. His oath bound
him to defend the Constitution, and hence
he could not acccde to the propositions
Of the extremists. AS Commander in
Chief Of the army, the first thing he did,
was to disband the immense host of SOL
diers who were eager TO distinguish them
selves in new fields and punish European
Intervention in Mexico. Many urged
foreign war as the best means of uniting
North and South. Taking advantage Of
that feeling, there would have been no
difficulty to direct at pleasure the desti-
mics Of the republic and secure to him.
self continuance of his Presidential ca
reer. lie yielded not to the dazzling
temptation Of foreign conquest, and il
could not be said that his ambition was
of an inordinate kind. His only ambi-
tion was to restore the Union, faithfully
execute the Office Of President and de-
icnd the Constitution. lie could not be
censurcd if his efforts were defeated by
party faction. The war was a stupcn-
dous and deplorabIe mistake, neither side
knew the other. We have experienced
at frightful cost the arbitrament Of the
sword. Let us cling in future closer to
the Constitution as our only safeguard
Who would have thought, few years
ago, that conscription, confscation, loss Of
personal liberty, subjcction Of States to
military rule and disfranchiscmept. with
the extension of suffrage, to gratify par
ty ends, would have taken place? 1t has
been demonstrated by recent events, that
the President cannot prevent the en-
eroachmcnts on the Constitution. The
jurisdiction Of the judiciary has been
circumscribcd, and the veto power rem
dered nugatory by partizan majority in
Congress. He offers tho suggestion that
as the veto power is exercised on consti-
tutioual grounds, it should, when so ap-
piled and returned with executive rea-
sons, be referred TO theSupremc Court
for It's decision. IF it decided the bill
constitutional, it should then become n
law. If not it should fail without the
power Of Congress TO reenact. He al
Iudes to the history Of the majority in
Congress thus open to rebellion, which
was being supp-essd by patriotic soldiers.
These men crept without question into
place and power in the national Councils.
After all the danger had passed, then it
was these pretended patriots appeared
before the nation and began to prate
about the thousands Of lives and millions
of treasure being sacrificed for the sup
preston Of tho rebellion; have since per.
sistently sought to infame the prejudice
cngendcrcd in sections, retard the resto.
ration OF peace aud harmony, and by ev-
cry means keep open and exposed to the
poisonous breath of party passion, the
terrible wounds of a few years war; have
prevented the return of peace, and the
restoration Of the Union even; rendered
the war delusive of the purposes, prom
ises and pledges by which the army was
marshaled against treason, and the rebel.
lion crushed; made the liberties of the
people and the rights and powers of the
President objects of constant attack =
wrcsted from the President his Constitu.
tional power and supreme command oi
the army and navy; have destroyed the
strength of the Executive Department
making subordinate officers independent
of and able to defy the chief magistrate
have attempted to place the President un.
der the power of defiant and treacher.
Gus Cabinet officers have robbed the
Executive of his prerogative to pardon
and rendered null and void the acts oI
clemcncy granted to thousands of person.
under the provisions of the Constitution
have committed gross usurpations by leg
islative attempts to exercise this power
in favor of party adhcrents, have con
spired to change the system of Govern
ment by preferring charges against tht
President in the form of articles of i'm
pcaS hment contemplating that before hear
ing or trial he should be placed under ar
rest and held in durance, and when it be
came their pleasure to pronounce sent
cnce should be driven from place am
power; they have in time of peace il.
creased the national debt by reckless e,
penditurc of the public monies and addeI
; to the burdens which already weigh upoI
the people; they have permitted the nj
= ton to suffer the evils of deranged GU.
rcncy to the enhancement in price of d
the necessarics of life; they have mai
' tanned large standing army for the
forcement of measures of oppression
: The people of ten States of the Unid
/ have been reduced to condition mo-
intolerable than that from which the nj
tliots of the revolution rebelled. NJ
t lions of American citizens can no
speak of their oppressors, with more truN
2 than our fathers did of British tyran
1 They have forbidden government to pd|
laws of immediate and pressing imporl
ance, unless suspended till their assel
t should be obtained; have refused to pal
Q other laws for the accommodation of larg
districts of people, unless those peopI
' relinquish the right of representation il
: the Legislature, right inestimable I
them, and formidable to tyrants only
c they have made judges dependent o.
their will alone for the tenure of thei
a Offices and the amount and payment Q
Q their salaries; they have erected mul
titude of new Offices, and sent hithe
D swarms of officers to harrass the peopl
2 and eat up their substance; they hav
e affected to render the military independ
ent and superior to the civil power, an
y combined with others to subject the Uni
h ted States to a jurisdiction foreign to Il