history of the impeachment of andrew johnson-第8节

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med　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　that　he　who　had　so　wisely　and　safely　conducted　the　Nation　through　the　conflict　of　arms　and　had　foreshadowed　his　beneficent　measures　of　peace　and　the　restoration　of　the　shattered　Republic；　was　taken　away　as　he　and　the　Nation　stood　at　last　at　the　open　door　of　successful　rehabilitation　on　a　broader　and　grander　basis　than　had　ever　been　reached　in　all　previous　efforts　of　man　at　Nation　building。　From　day　to　day　he　had　watched；　with　his　hand　on　the　key…board；　the　development　and　trend　of　events。　They　had　resulted　as　he　had　planned；　and　he　had　become　the　most　conspicuous；　the　best　loved；　and　the　most　masterful　of　living　man　in　the　control　of　the　future。　In　his　death　the　Union　lost　its　most　sagacious　and　best　trusted　leader；　and；　the　South　its　ablest；　truest；　and　wisest　friend。

It　was　under　these　circumstances　that　Mr。　Johnson　came　to　the　Presidency　as　Mr。　Lincoln's　successorwithout　a　moment　of　warning　or　an　hour　of　preparation　for　the　discharge　of　the　crushing　responsibilities　that　had　so　suddenly　fallen　to　his　direction。

Actuated；　doubtless；　and　not　unnaturally；　by　feelings　of　resentment　over　the　manner　and　circumstances　of　Mr。　Lincoln's　death；　Mr。　Johnson　at　first　gave　expression　to　a　spirit　of　hostility　toward　the　leaders　of　the　rebellion；　and　foreshadowed　a　somewhat　rigorous　policy　in　his　methods　of　Reconstruction　in　accordance　with　the　views　of　the　leaders　of　the　Republican　party　in　Congress　who　had　differed　with　Mr。　Lincoln　on　that　subject；　but　later　on；　under　the　advice　of　his　Cabinetnotably；　it　is　understood；　of　Mr。　Sewardand　under　the　responsibility　of　actionhis　views　became　modified；　till　in　time；　it　is　not　impossible；　but　by　no　means　certain；　that　he　went　even　beyond　the　humane；　natural　and　logical　views　and　purposes　of　Mr。　Lincoln　in　that　regard。

This　did　not　comport　with　the　purposes　of　the　Congressional　faction　that　had　opposed　Mr。　Lincoln's　plans；　which　faction；　under　the　pressure　of　the　general　indignation　over　his　murder；　quickly　rose　to　the　absolute　control　of　Congress。　Mr。　Lincoln　no　longer　stood