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第8章

history of the impeachment of andrew johnson-第8章

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zations; hence the organization of the Union Partyif party it can be calledof which this Convention is for the purpose of its assembling; the accredited representative; and the only test of membership in which is an unreserved; unconditional loyalty to the Government and the Union。'

After perfecting its organization the Convention proceeded to ballot for a nominee for the Presidency; and Mr。 Lincoln was unanimously nominatedthe Missouri delegation at first casting its 22 votes for Gen。 Grant; but afterwards changing them to Mr。 Lincoln; giving him the total vote of the Convention506on the first and only ballot。

Nominations for the Vice Presidency being next in order; Mr。 Lyman Tremaine; of New York; an old time Democrat; nominated Daniel S。 Dickinson; another old time Democrat and a very distinguished citizen of that State。 In his nominating speech Mr。 Tremaine again emphasized that this Convention was a Union; and not a partisan body; in these words:

'It was well said by the temporary and by the permanent Chairman; that we meet not here as Republicans。 If we do; I have no place in this Convention; but; like Daniel S。 Dickinson; when the first gun was fired on Sumter; I felt that I should prove false to my revolutionary ancestry if I could have hesitated to cast partisan ties to the breeze; and rally around the flag of the Union for the preservation of the Government。'

The Indiana delegation nominated Andrew Johnson; also a Democrat; and the nomination was seconded by Mr。 Stone; speaking for the Iowa delegation。

In the earlier proceedings of the Convention there had seemed a disposition to exclude the Tennessee delegation; and Parson Brownlow; an old line Whig; being called on for a speech; evidenced in the course of his remarks the small part which partisan considerations were permitted to play in the purposes and proceedings of the Convention。 He said:

'There need be no detaining this Convention for two days in discussions of various kinds; and the idea I suggest to you as an inducement not to exclude our delegation is; that we may take it into our heads; before the thing is over; to present a candidate from that State in rebellion; for the second office in the gift of the people。 We have a man down there whom it has been my good luck and bad fortune to fight untiringly and perseveringly for the past twenty…five yearsAndrew Johnson。 For the first time; in the Providence of God; three years ago we got together on the same platform; and we are fighting the devil; Tom Walker; and Jeff。 Davis; side by side。'

Mr。 Horace Maynard; a conspicuous Republican of Tennessee; said:

'Mr。 President; we but represent the sentiment of those who sent here the delegation from Tennessee; when we announce that if no one else had made the nomination of Andrew Johnson; which is now before the Convention; it would have been our duty to make it by one of our own delegation。 That citizen; known; honored; distinguished; has been presented to this Convention for the second place in the gift of the American people。 It needs not that I should add words of commendation of him here。 From the time he rose in the Senate of the United States; where he then was; on the 17th day of December; 1860; and met the leaders of treason face to face; and denounced them there; and declared that the laws of the country must and should be enforced; for which he was hanged in a effigy in the City of Memphis; in his own State; by the hands of a negro slave; and burned in effigy; I know not in how many places throughout that portion of the countryfrom that time; on during the residue of that session of the Senate until he returned to Tennessee after the firing upon Fort Sumter; when he was mobbed in the City of Lynchburg; Virginiaon through the memorable canvass that followed in Tennessee; till he passed through Cumberland Gap on his way North to invoke the aid of the Government for his peoplehis position of determined and undying hostility to this rebellion that now ravages the land; has been so well known that it is a part of the household knowledge 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 Tennes

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