history of the impeachment of andrew johnson-第7部分

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edge　of　many　loyal　families　in　the　country。　*　*　*　When　he　sees　your　resolutions　that　you　have　adopted　here　by　acclamation；　he　will　respond　to　them　as　his　sentiments；　and　I　pledge　myself　by　all　that　I　have　to　pledge　before　such　an　assemblage　as　this；　that　whether　he　be　elected　to　this　high　place；　or　whether　he　retire　to　private　life；　he　will　adhere　to　those　sentiments；　and　to　the　doctrine　of　those　resolutions；　as　long　as　his　reason　remains　unimpaired；　and　as　long　as　breath　is　given　him　by　his　God。

Two　ballots　were　taken　on　the　nomination　for　Vice　President。　Mr。　Johnson；　whose　nomination　was　known　to　be　desired　by　Mr。　Lincoln　and　his　friends　because　of　his　prominence　as　a　Southern　Democrat　and　an　influential　supporter　of　the　Union　cause　in　his　State；　received　200　votes　on　the　first　ballot；　and　404　on　the　secondthe　delegations　of　Maine；　New　Hampshire；　Vermont；　Connecticut；　New　York；　New　Jersey；　Pennsylvania；　Delaware；　Maryland；　Louisiana；　Arkansas；　Missouri；　Tennessee；　Ohio；　Indiana；　Illinois；　Michigan；　Iowa；　Minnesota；　Oregon；　West　Virginia；　Kansas；　Nebraska；　Colorado；　and　Nevada；　voting　solidly　for　himMassachusetts；　Rhode　Island；　Kentucky；　Wisconsin　and　Minnesota；　only；　being　divided。

Thus　a　Republican　and　a　Democrat　were　made　the　nominees　of　the　Convention；　and　its　non…partisan　character　found　further　expression　in　the　first　three　Resolutions　of　the　Platform　adopted；　which　were　as　follows：

Resolved；　1st。　That　it　is　the　highest　duty　of　every　American　citizen　to　maintain　against　all　their　enemies　the　integrity　of　the　Union　and　the　paramount　authority　of　the　Constitution　and　laws　of　the　United　States；　and　that　laying　aside　ALL　DIFFERENCES　OF　POLITICAL　OPINION；　we　pledge　ourselves　as　Union　men；　animated　by　a　common　sentiment　and　aiming　at　a　common　object；　to　do　everything　in　our　power　to　aid　the　Government　in　quelling　by　force　of　arms　the　rebellion　now　raging　against　its　authority；　and　in　bringing　to　the　punishment　due　to　their　crimes　the　rebels　and　traitors　arrayed　against　it。

2nd。　That　we　approve　the　determination　of　the　Government　of　the　United　States　not　to　compromise　with　Rebels；　or　to　offer　them　any　terms　of　peace；　except　such　as　may　be　based　upon　an　unconditional　surrender　of　their　hostility　and　a　return　to　their　just　allegiance　to　the　Constitution　and　laws　of　the　United　States；　and　that　we　call　upon　the　Government　to　maintain　their　position；　and　to　prosecute　the　war　with　the　utmost　possible　vigor　to　the　complete　suppression　of　the　Rebellion；　in　full　reliance　upon　the　self…sacrificing　patriotism；　the　heroic　valor　and　the　undying　devotion　of　the　American　people　to　their　country　and　its　free　institutions。

3rd。　That　as　slavery　was　the　cause；　and　now　constitutes　the　strength；　of　this　Rebellion；　and　as　it　must　be；　always　and　everywhere；　hostile　to　the　principles　of　Republican　Government；　justice　and　the　National　safety　demand　its　utter　and　complete　extirpation　from　the　soil　of　the　Republic；　and　that；　while　we　uphold　and　maintain　the　acts　and　proclamation　by　which　the　Government　in　its　own　defense；　has　aimed　a　death　blow　at　this　gigantic　evil；　we　are　in　favor；　furthermore；　of　such　an　amendment　to　the　Constitution；　to　be　made　by　the　people　in　conformity　with　its　provisions；　as　shall　terminate　and　forever　prohibit　the　existence　of　slavery　within　the　limits　or　jurisdiction　of　the　United　States。

So　there　seems　to　be　good　ground　for　saying　that　this　was　in　no　sense　a　partisan　Convention；　but；　on　the　contrary；　that　it　was　a　Convention　of　the　loyal　people　of　the　Northern　and　Border　States；　of　all　parties；　who　were　ready　to　lay　aside　party　creeds　and　partisan　considerations；　the　better　to　make　common　cause　for　the　preservation　of　the　Union。

Before　the　war；　Mr。　Johnson　had　been　a　Democratic　Senator　from　Tennessee；　and　during　the　war；　a　gentleman　of　great　influence　in　support　of　the　Union　cause。　So　pronounced　and　effective　had　been　his　loyalty　that　Mr。　Lincoln　appointed　him　a　Brigadier　General　and　Military　Governor　of　Tennessee；　to　accept　which　he　resigned　his　seat　in　the　Senate；　and　so　judicious　and　successful　had　been　his　administration　of　that　office　in　behalf　of　the　Union　cause　and　of　Union　men；　that　Tennessee　was　the　first　of　the　revolted　States　to　be　readmitted　to　representation　in　Congress　after　the　close　of　the　war。

So　it　may　be　said　of　Mr。　Johnson　that　he　was　a　persistent　and　consistent　Union　Democrat　of　the　old　schoolfor　war　so　long　as　war　might　be　necessary　to　the　preservation　of　the　Unionfor　peace　when　the　war　was　ended　by　the　abandonment　of　the　struggle　by　the　insurgentsand　for　the　restoration　of　the　Union　on　terms　consistent　with　then　existing　conditionswithout　slavery；　which　was　deadand　the　return　of　the　people　of　the　South　to　their　loyalty　to　and　support　of　the　Government　without　debasing　exactionsafter　they　had　laid　down　their　arms。　Aggressively　radical　so　long　as　the　people　of　the　South　continued　in　rebellion；　he　was　considerate　and　merciful　so　soon　as　they　yielded　themselves　to　the　authority　of　law　and　of　the　Union。

Like　Mr。　Lincoln；　he　opposed　the　idea　strenuously　advanced　by　Sumner；　and　Stevens；　and　that　wing　of　the　Republican　party　which　they　led；　that　the　States　in　rebellion　had　committed　suicide　and　were　therefore　dead　and　without　rights；　or　entitled　to　consideration；　even；　in　any　proposition　that　might　be　adopted　for　their　rehabilitation。

This　record　very　effectually　disposes　of　the　criticisms　of　Mr。　Johnson's　course；　so　common　after　he　came　to　the　Presidency　and　growing　out　of　his　disagreements　with　the　extremists　of　Congress；　that　he　had　deserted　and　betrayed　the　Republican　party　after　it　had　elected　him　to　the　Vice　Presidency　and　thus　made　him　Mr。　Lincoln's　immediate　successorthe　facts　of　history　showing　that　neither　Mr。　Lincoln　nor　Mr。　Johnson　were　elected　by　the　Republican　party　as　Republicans；　nor　by　the　Democratic　party　as　Democrats；　but　by　a　union　of　all　parties　of　the　North　distinctively　as　a　Union　party　and　on　a　Union　ticket　and　platform　for　the　preservation　of　the　Union　and　the　destruction　of　slaveryand　when　those　purposes　were　accomplished；　the　war　ended　and　the　Union　party　disbanded　and　was　never　heard　of　again。　Mr。　Lincoln；　had　he　lived；　would　doubtless　have　still　been　a　Republican；　as　Mr。　Johnson　was　still　a　Democrat；　as　before　the　warthe　purpose　of　that　war　and　of　the　Convention　that　nominated　him　having　been　accomplishedand　under　no　obligations；　especially　of　a　partisan　character；　to　adopt　or　promote　the　partisan　purposes　relative　to　reconstruction　or　otherwise；　that　came　to　actuate　the　Republican　party。

As　stated。　Mr。　。Johnson　had；　during　the　later　years　of　the　war；　been　acting　as　Military　Governor　of　Tennessee；　of　which　State　he　had　been　a　citizen　nearly　all　his　life。　His　administration　had　been　so　efficient　that　Tennessee　was　practically　restored　to　the　Union　at　the　close　of　the　War；　and　so　satisfactory　to　the　loyal　people　of　the　country；　that　though　an　old　line　Democrat　and　a　Southern　man；　Mr。　Johnson's　nomination　by　the　National　Convention　for　Vice　President　on　the　ticket　with　Mr。　Lincoln　for　President；　was；　as　has　been　shown；　logical　and　consistent。　Though　a　pronounced　State　Rights　Democrat　and　a　citizen　of　a　Southern　State　in　rebellion；　he　regarded　himself　as　a　citizen　of　the　United　States；　to　which　he　owed　his　first　allegiance。　State　Rights　meant　to　him；　the　rights　of　the　States　IN　the　Union；　and　not　OUT　of　the　Union。

In　evidence　of　the　confidence　and　esteem　in　which　Mr。　Johnson　was　generally　held　by　those　who　knew　him　and　knew　of　the　valuable　services　he　had　rendered　the　cause　of　the　Union；　the　following　letter　from　Mr。　Stanton；　then　secretary　of　War　under　Mr。　Lincoln；　is　here　reproduced。　It　was　written　to　Mr。　Johnson　on　his　tender　to　the　War　Office　of　his　resignation　of　the　Military　Governorship　of　Tennessee　to　accept　the　office　of　Vice　President　of　the　United　States：

War　Department；　Washington；　March　3；　1865。

Sir：This　Department　has　accepted　your　resignation　as　Brigadier　General　and　Military　Governor　of　Tennessee。　Permit　me　on　this　occasion　to　tender　to　you　the　sincere　thanks　of　this　Department　for　your　patriotic　and　able　services　during　the　eventful　period　through　which　you　have　exercised　the　highest　trust　committed　to　your　charge。　In　one　of　the　darkest　hours　of　the　great　struggle　for　National　existence；　against　rebellious　foes；　the　Government　called　you　from　the　comparatively　safe　and　easy　duties　of　civil　life　to　place　you　in　front　of　the　enemy　and　in　a　position　of　personal　toil　and　danger；　perhaps　more　hazardous　than　was　encountered　by　any　citizen　or　military　officer　of　the　United　States。　With　patriotic　promptness　you　assumed　the　post；　and　maintained　it　under　circumstances　of　unparalleled　trial；　until　recent　events　have　brought　safety　and　deliverance　to　your　State　and　to　the　integrity　of　the　Constitutional　Union；　for　which　you　so　long　and　so　gallantly　periled　all　that　is　dear　to　man　on　earth。　That　you　may　be　spared　to　enjoy　the　new　honors　and　perform　the　high　duties　to　which　you　have　been　called　by　the　people　of　the　United　States；　is　the　sincere　wish　of　one　who　in　every　official　and　personal　relation　has　found　you　worthy　of　the　confidence　of　the　Government　and　the　honor　and　esteem　of　your　fellow　citizens。

Your　obedient　servant；

Edwin　M。　Stanton。

His　Excellency；　Andrew　Johnson；　Vice…President　elect。



CHAPTER　III。　MR。　JOHNSON'S　ACCESSION　TO　THE　PRESIDENCY。

THE　RECONSTRUCTION　ERA。

Mr。　Johnson　succeeded　to　the　Presidential　office　on　the　death　of　Mr。　Lincoln；　April　15th；　1865。　The　conditions　of　the　time　were　extraordinary。　The　war；　so　far　as　operations　in　the　field　were　concerned；　was　at　an　end。　The　armies　of　the　rebellion　had　been　vanquished　and　practically　disbanded。　The　States　lately　in　revolt　were　prostrate　at　the　feet　of　the　conqueror；　powerless　for　further　resistance。　But　the　general　rejoicing　over　the　happy　termination　of　the　strife　had　been　inexpressibly　saddened　by　the　brutal　assassination　of　the　President　who　had　so　wisely　and　successfully　conducted　his　great　office　and　administered　all　its　powers　to　the　attainment　of　that　happy　result；　and　it　was　not　unnatural　or　strange　that　the　shocking　event　should　greatly　re…inflame　the　passions　of　the　strife　that　the　joys　of　peace　had　at　last　well　nigh　laid。

It　was　an　especial　misfortune　tha