Year: 1868




ment Of the Congress Of the United States. He was
forced to act, IN constituting the powers and duties
e c s rms OMd


he msconceived his duty or his power; II he fell


INTO an error into which you may say Mr.
Lincoln, his lamented predecessor, had fallen,
let me- ask you. gentlemen, is there to be
no charity, no toleranon, no liberality for q
the spirit that governed the world two hundred years
agof Are we like those who burned heretics at the


standard OF judgment, and forget that the spirit of
the Gospel has been spread abroad and that spirit
Of berality infused into the minds of the people Of
this agef ask, Senators, II the President Is to be
judged In the spirit Of the dark ages OF the middle
ages, or in an enlightened, patriotic and Christian
that President in his position OF the chief executive
ocer OF the naton Is entitled TO the credit OF hav
@ ana Sng y Ps
this court or in any court under heaven honesty
sacon ana integrity q Of motive motive is shield and Rro
high or low. The servant that knew his masters
want who did not know his masters will who
erred in an honest exercise OF his Judgment and
glance at the history OF the country and at the
difference Of opinion that exists between Congress
and the President Is sufficient to show that he was
he ought not to be judged In the spirit in which the
honorable Managers ask that he shall be Judged
ne intended to act contrary to what he deemed to be
his duty under the. circumstances. Now, with
sre or TING i4s o aanr e 6e
Of Senators to the subject beg leave
to that re%aa sccclns ne ae M 1a ssad
In another investigation, which has been published
under the authority and sanction OF Congress, the
President OF the United States endeavOred to carry
out what he believed to be the policy or
Mr.; Lincoln. | will refer you to some few
this and shall then pass from it without under
taking to discuss the merits or differences of
opinion between the Senate ana President. i do so
m hn Cha of
being usurper, traitor tyrant and man guilty
Qf every CRIME known under heaven How Mr.. Lin
ed that While he had failed to approve the
first Reconstruction bill passed by Congress yet
he expressed an unwingness to set aside the con-
stitutiQns of Arkansas and Louisiana, and in his
emancipation proclamation Of 1868 he invited the
rebel States to form CONSTITUTIONS to be adopted
by not less than onetenth in number OF the votes
cast In each State at the Presidential election of 1860
each baving taken the oath prescribed by his proca-
nation. Mr.. Johnson, as you know, when he came
into power recognized Governor Pierpoint as the
Governor Of West Virginia. which the Congress OF
the United States thought (and rightly was SUM-
cently well organized to justify them in consenting
tors to 'hs win paron %e new fan State n sn
is like carrying Goals to Newcastle for any of us TO
argue these questions before Senators and the House
OF Representatives, who are more familiar W th them
than we are; and If fan into they are errors
of ignorance and not OF design. l know the great
superiority that the honorable Managers have in this
respect over US, and acknowledge it; because each
member OF the House of Representatives and every
Senator, in reference to these subjects, has been
concerned In them. Bnt still, Senators, beg leave
to remind you that Mr.. Johnson recognizes
her Governor. That State recognized as
the people. Under that election west virginia was
formed INTO new State; and all this was done IL
am not mlsinlormed without any act of reconstruc-
ton being passed by the Congress OF the United
States. Now when The President came into power
when he saw that the Congress OF the United States
State he not justified in the belief that he was
pursuing not only the policy Of Mr. Lincoln and the
patty that elevated him TO power, but the
policy of the Senate and the House of Representa-
tves of the United States And if he committed an
error repeat 1t was an error of the head and not Of
the heart, and Il ought not TO be made matter 70
accusation against him. Let me now call your at
tention TO the fact that between the OF May and
the 18th of July, 1865, he appointed provisional Gov
ernors for North Carolina Mississippi Georgia
Texas. Alabama, South Carolina and Florida. Now
let me pause moment and ask you question here.
Up to the time OF the assembling the Congress OF
the United States In December 1866, who was there


in all this broad land, from end of IL the other
that dared to point the Slow unmovng finger OF
scOrn at Andrew Johnson and say that he had be-
trayed any trust that had been reposed in him,
that he MAS taitOrY lie was faithfully carrying
what he believed to be the policy of Congress- and his
predecessor who was anxious that the Union should
troubled watersr and to "hea the living wound- Of
his distracted aud divided country; and If he erred


1t was IN error which was intended to restore peace
and harmony TO our bleeding country; It was an
error which designed to Danish the recollection of
war, and which was intended TO bring into irater-
nal embrace the brother and sister, husband and
wife who had been separated during the awful ca





rble civil war that drenched the land in human
gore say II he committed an error In these things
It Is not an errort that should be imputed to crime
however you may dliIer with him. Ii you pro-
nounce on his conduct that Judgment which !
invoke elevated judges 10 pronounce; II you will
pronounce that cool, dispassiOnate judgment which
must be exercised by every of you who Intends
faithfully to redeem the pledge which he has made
will acqut OF this accusation that has been made
against him. Now one other thought and leave
this branch Of the subject On the Goth August, 1865
o. rp~ af [fata ,t.
rebellion at an end, ana on the 2d Of March, 1867 an
act was approved entitled "An act to provide for a
temporary Increase OF the pay OF officers in the
army OF the United States and for other purposee
by the second section OF that act il is enacted that
section one of the act entitled AN act to increase the
pay oil soldiers IN the United states Army and for
other purposes approved June 20, 1855 be, and
the same Is hereby continued In full force effect
for three years from and after the close Of
the rebellion as announced by the President
OF me United states by proclamation bearing date
recognition OF the fact that the war Is ~ an end
there Is recognition OF the Presidents power pro
claim, and without discussing these uicsfions-lor
have said will not enter upon the discussion or
these topics-i ADVERT TO II, ami my reason for
peated remarks that have been made nv the honor
able Managers that this did not show that the egiy-
latlve recognition OF the Presidents proclamation
announcing the termination OF the civil war and the
close of the rebellion recognition of the fact !
that the southern States not out OF the tnion
to justify, the view which the President took |
In reference 10 the restoration OF these States |
10 HdrfHOuOtS fcltiD1s VITA the government
Of the country. And now. Senator's having dispoen1
TO some extent, but not entlray those per sonal
charges made against the President and having re- |
viewed briefly and imperfccy something of his per-
sonal and political history, invite You tO look back |
upon the record OF his whole life, and In hls name
ask YOU, ask the country to-day TO remember his |
course. We anpea with proud confidence to tho |
whole country to attest the purity and integrity of |
his motives, aud while we do not claim that his l1g-
ment ~ infable or that he may not have commit |
ted error tand who In his position may not commit
great and grievous errorsD, while we claim no
yva slp claim In
fore this Senate and before the world that
he IL an honest man. that he Is a OF integrity of
pure and upright motives, and, Notwithstanding the
calnor that has been raised against him. he appeals
TO the judgment Of this Senate and Or the world 10
vlndcate him. Having thus endelvored to dispose
OF the charges OF surpatlon &C., based the pres
dents conduct in former years. Mr.. Nelson said he
would consider the important question whether or
not this body s a court. He denied that authority or
precedent TO be found for L. rnlance In Palin.