History of the Impeachment of Andrew Johnson, President of the United States, by the House of Representatives, and his trial by the Senate for high crimes and misdemeanors in office, 1868Ross, Edmund G. (Edmund Gibson)
History
History of the Impeachment of Andrew Johnson, President of the United States, by the House of Representatives, and his trial by the Senate for high crimes and misdemeanors in office, 1868
Ross, Edmund G. (Edmund Gibson)
Johnson, Andrew, 1808-1875 -- Impeachment
What else did he do? He talked with an officer about the law. That is
the Emory Article. He made intemperate speeches, though full of honest,
patriotic sentiments; when reviled, he should not revile again; when
smitten upon one cheek he should turn the other.
"But," the gentleman who spoke last on the part of the managers, "he
tried to defeat pacification and restoration." I deny it in the sense
in which he presented it--that is, as a criminal act. Here, too, he
followed precedent and trod the path in which were the footsteps of
Lincoln, and which was bright with the radiance of his divine utterance,
"charity for all, malice toward none." He was eager for pacification. He
thought that the war was ended. The drums were all silent--the
arsenals were all shut; the roar of the canon had died away to the last
reverberation; the armies were disbanded; not a single army confronted
us in the field. Ah, he was too eager, too forgiving, too kind. The hand
of conciliation was stretched out to him and he took it? It may be
he should have put it away; but was it a crime to take it? Kindness,
forgiveness a crime! Kindness a crime! Kindness is omnipotent for
good, more powerful than gunpowder or canon. Kindness is statesmanship.
Kindness is the highest statesmanship of heaven itself. The thunders of
Sinai do but terrify and distract; alone they accomplish little; it is
the kindness of Calvary that subdues and pacifies.
What shall I say of this man? He is no theorist; he is no reformer; I
have looked over his life. He has ever walked in beaten paths, and by
the light of, the Constitution. The mariner, tempest-tossed in mid-sea,
does not more certainly turn to his star for guidance than does this man
in trial and difficulty to the star of the Constitution. He loves the
Constitution. It has been the study of his life. He is not learned and
scholarly like many of you; he is not a man of many ideas or of much
speculation but by a law of the mind he is only the truer to that he
does know. He is a patriot, second to no one of you in the measure of
his patriotism. He loves his country; he may be full of error; I will
not canvass now his views; but he loves his country; he has the courage
to defend it, and I believe to die for it if need be. His courage and
patriotism are not without illustration. My colleague (Mr. Nelson)
referred the other day to the scenes which occurred in this Chamber when
he alone of twenty-two Senators remained; even his State seceded, but he
remained. That was a trial of his patriotism, of which many of you,
by reason of your locality and of your life-long associations, know
nothing. How his voice rang out in this hall in the hour of alarm for
the good cause, and in denunciation of the rebellion! But he did not
remain here; it was a pleasant, honorable, safe, and easy position; but
he was wanted for a more difficult and arduous and perilous service. He
faltered not, but entered upon it. That was a trial of his courage and
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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