Year: 1868

yeeAerday and to-day, then I am willing to confess


-' - 4 monster Of such frshtful misn.


am willing to admit that II he was guilty of any
OF the charges which have been made against him,
he is only worthy Of the censure Of this Senate
but you should place


rss-- To lash him naked through the land.


He should be pointed at everywhere as monster
to be banished from society, and his name should
become word to frghten children with throughout
the land, from one end to the other and when any
one should meet him or see him -.


ss dp aSsn ss' ss ss;nS SssssPa. ss spS


II he was, then l agree that neither nor those
asking "Who is Andrew Johnson ;" nroceeded se To-
sketch the Presidents early life and career,
and passed high encomium on his patri.
Otism and public services, referring also to
the fact that his neghbOrs, and those who
ike himself (Mr. Nelson) knew him BEST sus-
son felt he was not addressing merely Senators or
politicians but judges, whom he begged to rise above
prejudice or party considerations and do impartial
justice. Referring to the immense outside pressure
which 1t was impossible to conceal unworthy pers ons
and journals sought to bring to bear upon them he
Indignation. II he could believe that the result OF
the trial was foregone conclusion, humble indi-
vidual that he was, he would scorn to address
them. He asked them as far as possible to put
themselves in the Presidents place, to Judge of
his feelings and motives and intentiOns-a
Continuing, Mr.. Nelson said:-I agree that it
requires an almost superhuman effort to do it
to divest yourselves OF all preconce!yed
and place. Then as to his life as politician-whO
is the President OF the United Satess Why, demo.
struction-an Old JacksOn-JelfersOnian democrats
man who proclaimed his democracy in the accept
ance which he wrote at the time when he was noml.
mated for the Office Of Vice President of the United
States; and you and the whole country were told
that he was democrat, and he endeavored to rouse
the old democratic party to what he called the pure
and correct doctrines of democracy and to stand by
the country In the great cOnnict in which it was
Of We s ok aa at ss ana an noR


record every question In which the constitution cf
the United States was involved, where do you find
the President? You find hlm, under all circum-
stances, strict cOnstructOnist OF the constitution,
adhering with strict tenacity to the principles and
spirit of the constitution and Of that party faith In
which he had been trained; and when you look at
the great difference between him and the House OF
Representatives upon the great questions whce agi
tate the country, ask you Senators, If he may not
entertain an opinion different from your own with
out blameY Do accord to hlm something Of that
freedom Of opinion which you accord to every man
on trial. Accord to him something of the privilege
which is accorded to the meanest criminal Accord
to him the presumption that he is innocent until he
is declared guilty. Look at his motives Look at
the manner In which he has acted and, II there has
been an unfortunate difference Of opinion between
him and the Congress Of the United States upon
great constitutional questions why, attribute That
difference, II you please TO the training, TO the edu-
cation, to the habits of thought OF his whole life
But do not attribute 1t, in the absence Of proof to
unworthy, base, dishonOrabe, mean motives, as you
are asked to do upon the other side. | beg leave,
Senators, to remind you Of the resolution to which


adverted u moment ago, for, in the view which
take OF this CaSe that resolution furnishes Key to
the whole conduct the President i'll the controversy
out OF which this unfortunate prosecution has arisen.
That resolution, adopted i'll 1861, declares that
Congress- in the prosecution Of the for the sup
preston OF TIE rebellion, viii recOect only its duty
to the whole country, that the is prosecuted in
no spirit OF revenge for the purpose OF overturn-
ing any Of the existing institutions OF the country,
but to defend The constitution and all laws made in
pursuance thereof, and to preserve the dignity,
equality and rights of all the States imparially and
that as soon rs these ends were accomplished The
war should cease There IL the chart which has
guided the President Of the United States I'm the dis
charge Of his Official duties. There is the platform
upon which he has stood, and II he has not viewed
1t in the light in which Others have re-
garded 1t, still ! ask If it is not capable
viewed itS II it Is then claim that we shall
from this prosecution all idea of improper motives.
the other side In view of all that IL known to the
contrary, with the exception Of single instance,
the President of the United states has stood up, in
letter and IN spirit to what he believes to be the doc
trne Of this resolution, which was adopted with all
but perfect unanimity by the two houses of Congress
in 1881 In the progress Of the war he felt 1t
sary for him to yield the question of slavery
so lar as he had any influence in the section Of
went as far as the farthest in proclamng emancipa-
tion i'm the State over which he was placed Mill
tary Governor and IN other respects he has endeav
ored to carry out that resolution i'm the spiri: in
which it was introduced by the venerable Crittcnden
whose memory will ever be respected by those OF you





u name as long as talent, genius, independence


aithluness and nrmness shall be venerated, long
In our own and in other lands, who declared
In tile resolution which he offered that the
war was prosecuted not for the purpose OF conquest
or suhjugation, but that the dignity and equality
anu rights Of all the states should be impartiay
maintained. Do not misunderstood me, Senator'S, it
Is not my purpose TO enter into any discussion upon
the differences of opinion between the President and
Congress In regard to the reconstruction policy
which has been pursued by them / onIy advert TO
A a tbera n
pledge OF equality OF rights to be preserved
in 1850 and 1861, when the galleries OF the
the multitude, when '.faIr women and brave
men" were not ashamed to express their admiration
you for the course he then took. If he had advO-
Gated doctrine which was exceedingly obnoxious
TO the Southern people, what was its IL was that
the Congrass Of the United States had the power
compel obedience To the constitution and laws OF
the United States. He denounced the doctrine Of
secession and denied that any State had the right
10 withdraw from the Union without the consent OF
all the States. He insisted that the great power
OF the gcvernment should be brought into
Union, and when the war over, when
Lee had surrendered, when the government
and Unexpectedly, I'm the sudden emergency In which
he was called upon TO act hastily and speedily so as
10 bring the war To a termination as soon as possible
whaf did he doY There was no time to call Congress
together no time 10 assemble the representatives of
o nation, and such was the state Of the country az
To demand immediate and prompt action. What did
the President Of the United States do? The Presi-
dent undertook TO carry out what he believed to he
the policy OF his lamented predecessor. lie under
took this in good faith. He manifested no desire 10
segrcgate himself rom the party by whom ne
had been elevated 10 power. Tie endcavored
faithfully to out the resolution OF 1861 to pre-
serve the dignity, equality and rights OF the States
and not impair them I'm the slightest degree and now
the question Is, suppose he Ia wrongi Suppose the
Congress is righty IN the of all that is great
and good ask any one OF You ii he IL a traitor 10
mis- principles traitor TO the party that elected
him? II s mere difference OF opinion, an unfortu-
nate difference, very unfortunate difference. be-
tween him and the Congress of the United states:
but VINO can say In the spirit OF candor and truth,
that he was not eDdeavorng and did po,
try In all his acts to carry ont what
he believed 10 be the policy or the paify
by whom he was elevated 10 power and after he
had taken his stand he did all he could 60 have the
policy OF the amented Lincoln carried In regard
u Arkansas and Louisiana, believing that when Mr.
Lincoln made his proclamation Ia regard to- the restor
alton Of the states he designed 10 restore them TO the
state In which they were before the war conmcnceo
ASK who can say there was guilt In thatS You NAV
drcr In nI.iniLn lhiuk he