The Sun.
London, England, 1867-12-05 00:00:00

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LONDON, THURSDAY, DEC. 5, 1867.

The PRESIDENT'S Message to Congress at the
opening of the Session has naturally excited a good
deal of interest. It is now before us, at least
in a condensed form, and we ara able to judge of
the policy which Mr. JOHNSON intends to adopt
under the newer and more hopeful political circum-
stances. It will not surprise the reader, after the
confidence inspired by the late elections, to find the
PRESIDENT assuming a bold and resolute tone. Mr.
JOHNSON, indeed, has never shown any signs of
weakness or vacillation, but his hands have been
fettered by his position. It was useless to indulge
n threats which the opposite party knew that ho
was powerless to enforce. It was idle to take
action which must end in failure, and would only

endanger the public safety instead of serving it. lie
did nat measure his language certainly in speaking
of the Radical leaders, and he professed unshaken
confidence in the ultimate support of the people in
the darkest and most threatening times. But, as
far as political action was concerned, he contented
himself, for the most part, with strong and repeated
protests, based on constitutional arguments, and
directed against the violent and subversive policy
av:tich has lately found favour with Congress.
\\That he could do, as PRESIDENT, in checking the
extremes to which the Radicals were eager to
rush in their various official capacities, he has
dome, but he was careful to keep within the
the limits actually assigned to him by the Constitu-
tion. It was not until there were manifest signs of
a reaction in the popular feeling that Mr. JOHNSON
took the decided step of suspending Mr. STANTON
from his post of War Secretary. Now, however,
all is change]. Mr. JOHNSON speaks with the con-
fidence naturally inspired by the recent decided
utterance of the country in his favour. Ile knows,
too, that the truths he has been so long reiterating,
unheeded,, have at last forced themselves upon
popular conviction. Thus, in boldly urging Con li
-
gress to repeal the Act which places the
Southern States under military rule, Mr.
JOHNSON does not hesitate to declare
that, if the Act continues in force, it will
increase taxation, and may finally produce national
bankruptcy. This is something more than a piece
of verbal bombast, when the War Department
estimate for the year, mentioned in the same Mes-
sage, is seventy-seven millions of dollars. Mr.
JOHNSON says—probably without exaggeration—
that a standing army and an expenditure of over
two hundred millions per annum would be required
to maintain the supremacy of negro government.
We cannot expect the Southern people will always
submit as patiently_ as now to their painful
and humiliating position. They have not yet
recovered from the crushing effects of the
war ; and, moreover, they perceive that affairs
are in a transition state in the North, and have
consequently been able in the darkest times to hope
for a change in the tactics of the Federal Govern-
ment. The PRESIDENT himself, and the several
members of his Cabinet, were known to be in
favour of a moderate and conciliatory policy. But
the term of Mr. JOHNSON'S power is drawing to a

close, and it is impossible to foresee the action of
his successor.. Men of intelligence and ability
will not always submit to be under martial law,
to see their civil officers appointed or removed at
the pleasure of some military commtnander
who likes to show his power. Sooner or later
if this system is kept up the South will
rebel. The youths will have grown men, the boys
youths, the men of the civil war will have recovered
from their depression. Some foreign power will
assist the fresh outbreak, which in the disorganised
state of Northern politics will not be easily re-
pressed. It needs no second sight to perceive the
natural tendency of the Radical policy, but even
were its ultimate consequences less perilous the loss
to the national exchequer caused by the desolation
and unproductiveness of some of its most vast and
fertile states would be sufficient to call forth the
indignant protest of every patriotic statesman.
So far then as the military government of
the South is concerned Mr. JOHNSON is no
longer likely to speak to heedless ears, but
he is evidently doubtful of the course
which the existing Congress may pursue during its
brief remaining term. Ile boldly declares that it is
the duty of the Executive to oppose unconstitutional
legislation, and that if Congress should pass an act
even through all the forms of law to abolish a co-
ordinate department of the Government of the
country the President must take the high responsi-
bility of his office to save the life of the nation at
all hazards. This sentence, which is likely to pro-
voke a good deal of criticism and comment, is pro-
bably directed against some intended movement of
the Radicals. It will certainly be distorted by Mr.
JOHNSON'S enemies into some arrogant and despotic
meaning. But the President, it must be remembered,
speaks of unconstitutional legislation, and refers espe-
cially to a design to abolish a co-ordinate department
of the Government of the country, or, in other words,
the office of the Presidency itself. The PRESIDENT
on assuming his position takes an oath to maintain
the constitution of the country, and there can be
no doubt that such an attempt would be not omy
subversive of the Constitution be has sworn to
guard, but directly opposed to the collective feeling
and good sense of the American people. There-
fore, in the remote but perhaps not impossible
event of such a desperate proposal, Mr. JOHNSON
would certainly be justified in employing strong
measures,in the public interest and in resisting to the
utmost the decision of Congress until ho had, at
least, submitted it to the deliberate judgment of
the whole nation.

With regard to the currency question, the PRE-
SIDENT recommends a return to specie payments at
the earliest possible moment, and declares the

public faith with regard to the debt should be
sacredly observed. This declaration is not unne-
cessary, after some of the recent propositions, and
we are glad to find the Head of the State making it
in unmistakeable terms.

Coming to foreign affairs, Mr. JOHNSON says that
noserious disturbance has ariseu. The Alabama claims
are still unsettled, and he had declined arbitration,
on account of the reservations which accompanied
it ; but he adds that no apprehension need be felt
that Great Britain will refuse to satisfy these just
and reasonable claims—a sentence which will not
find a very cordial echo on this side of the Atlantic.
Mr. JOHNSON urges Congress to declare that the
naturalisation of a foreigner as an American citizen
releases him from allegiance to his own Sovereign
a suggestion apparently intended for the benefit of
Fenianism.

It seems that the Austrian Government are de-
termined to proceed on their course undaunted by
any obstacles that may be put in their way, and
undeterred by any diversity of opinion. The last
news from Vienna informs us that the Imperi d
Cabinet has notified at Rome that this course of
legislation will be pursued without reference to the
obligations of the concordat, if the Pope declines
to release the Emperor as a Constitutional
Sovereign from the treaty into which he
entered while he was ruling as an absolute one.
If this be a correct version of the affair, it
may yet turn out in this, as in other cases, that
decision and promptitude have prevailed when in-
activity and incertitude have failed. At any tate
there can be no mistake now as to the course which
the Emperor FRANCIS JOsEPIE and his Cabinet will
take. They are resolved upon pursuing their work
of progress with zeal and determination, and if they
persevere only for a short time in this direction
the country will soon appreciate their efforts and
acknowledge their services. The Committee of the
Upper House of the Reichsrath have considered the
amendments to the Constitution .which were laid
before the House, but not with a very satisfactory
result. Baron BEUST made an impressive speech,
which was not met in a corresponding spirit. He
urged upon them the necessity that existed for
meeting the advances of the Government in a con-
ciliatory manner, and entered into a long state-