Year: 1866

President Johnsoa has late been obyi-
oasly disposed TO put himself on record, on
divers questions. To the colored delcga-
ton he announced himself opposed to col
ored suffrage At present. and in favor of
leaving al questions Of suffrage 10 The
States 10 setlle for themselves. To the
delegation from Montana Territory be de.
elared that be was not candidate for re.
election and in bis reply 10 the Virginia
delegation he announced himSelfas 10 favor
Of con6ning 10 strictly loyal men all places
Of responsibility and power at the South,
and that done be was in favor Of admitting
the Southern representatives to Congress.
We quote from this last significant speech
of the Presidents. IL win be remembered
that a delegation Of the Virginia Legisla.
turc bad waited on him aud presented an
address and resolutions adopted by the
General Assembly Of Virginia. In his
reply Mr.. johnson said


In going into the recent rebellion or in
surrection against the government OF the
United States you erred, and IN returning
! am free 10 say that all responsible posi-.
tions and places ought to be confined dis
tinctly and clearly to men who are loyal.
1t there were only FIVE thousand loyal men
in State, or less number, but sufficient
to take charge Of the political machinery
Of the State, those five thousand men, or a
lesser number, are entitled 10 il, and all
the rest should be excluded. look upon
it as being fundamental that the exercise
OF political power should be confined to
loyal men, aud regard il implied inl the
doctrines laid down on these resolutions
and in the eloquent address by which they
have been accompanied. may say that,
furthermore, alter having passed through
the great struggle in which we have been
engaged we should be placed upon much
more acceptable grounds in resuming rela-
Iions to the general government il unmis-
taxable and unguestionably loyal men
were presented TO fill the places OF power.
This being done | feel that lie day is not
Distant speak confidently in reference
TO the great mass Of the American people
when they will determine that this Union
shall be made whole and the great right Of
representation in tho councils Of the. nation
be acknowledged. Gentlemen, that is tie
fundamental principle. NO taxation
without representation" was one Of the
principles which carried US through the
revolution. This great principle will hold
good yet; and il We but perform our duty,
if we but comlpy with the spirit Of the res
olutons presented TO me to-day, the AM
eriean people will maintain and sustain
the great doctriue upon which the govern
ment was inaugurated IL can be done,
and will be done, and think that iftLs
effort bs iaircly and fully made with for
bearance and with prudence, and with dis
cretion AMI wisdom, the end is not very far
off. When the States which seeded and
their people shall have complied with
the requirements Of the government shall
be in favor Of their resuming their former
relations. do not intend TO say anything
personally, but at the opening OF the re-
cent gigantic struggle between the differ
ent sections, North and South, there were
extreme men North and extreme men
South. This great government was kept
on the anvil and hammered during the re-
belliou, and has been hammered since the
rebellion, and there seems to be DISPOSE
tion to continue the hammering until the
government is destroyed. have opposed
that system always. oppose it now
The Government in the assertion of its
powers and in the maintenance of the
principles OF the Constitution has taken
hold OF one extreme, and with strong arm
of physical power has put down the rebel
lion. NV as we swing around the circle
of the Union with fixed and unaltered
determination to stand by it, we find the
counterpart or duplicate of the same spirit
that played to this feeling and these per-
sons in the South. This extreme which
stands in the way must get out of it. The
Government must stand unshaken and un-
moved upon its basis. This Governmen
must bo preserved. But | hope that all
the people Of this country, in good faith
and in the fulness of their hearts, will, up
on the principles which you have enunci-
ated here to-day for the maintenance Of the
Union, lay aside every other feeling Tor the
good OF the common country, and with up
lifted faces 10 Heaven, swear that our gods
and our altars and all shall sink in the
dust together rather than this glorious
Union shall not be preserved.