The Sun.
London, England, 1866-10-01 00:00:00

Probable Results of the President's Tour.

The President's tour is likely to lead to a
result favourable to the future of America. Sin-
gularly enough, however, this result is the very
opposite of that looked for when he started from
the Union Convention platform on his celebrated
journey. The President set out breathing Peace
and Good-will ; but the further he left the White
House behind the stronger his old habits returned
—the less guarded his denunciations—till by fre-
quent contact with the mob he forgot the Presiden-
tial post, and remembered only his rough life in the
wilds of Tennessee. His speeches were curious
enough, considering that they were delivered by a
President, even early in the route ; but it was re-
served for Indianapolis to be the stage of a Pre-
sidential harangue, which, we fear, will be associated
with Mr. Johnson's name long after he has ceased
to be. His attempt to fasten the New Orleans
massacre on the Radical Congress—as he termed
the Legislature of the United States—is a wild ex-
travagance. The metaphor by which he endeavoured
to work out to an absurdity the charge of being a
Judas is positively blasphemous, and the denun-
ciations of the ruling power of the Union—his
threat to .veto every measure laid before him by
a Radical Congress, and his design of " kick-
" ing out" every Radical office-holder, are
unbecoming in the highest degree the dignity
and reserve of his station. The scene was
one worthy of the backwoods, and the President
must have been forcibly reminded, as he looked
down oh the contending masses, of his early career.
It was amid such scenes that Mr. Johnson was
educated. In the untamed regions of social and
political warfare the President first rose to emi-
nence. His sharp rapartee and quick acceptance of
any challenge shouted by an individual of the mob
was a return to the old battle in which he had led
as a master mind, and met and subdued his oppo-
nents. The strategy of these half-civilised settle-
ments ill became the great ruler of a mighty Re-
public, with the world for a stage. But here in
England we should not pronounce- too harsh a
judgment on what may seem so extravagant. Were
Mr. Johnson not the President of the United
States his speeches would be the most natural pos-
sible, and eminently adapted for the men to whom
they were addressed. He was accused of every
possible crime, and he met those charges with a fierce
denial, with energetic declamation, and with strong
counter-charges. He was at home on this platform,
and his old habits got the mastery. While ad-
dressing these people he lost sight of the
n heard
d
that he was speaking to the Union a
1 d
all over the world. He became a mere politica e-
magogue, the simple chief of a factious party, and
fact
so far forgot himself as
to inflict the most
damaging blow to the party whose cause he
espoused. The consequences,
we believe, will
be States, though so inju-
rious tone beneficial
se hen the declaration of the
b ehei
Philadelphia Union Convention was published, we
hoped that the sound and moderate sentiments
people as to induce them to declare autho-
enitnmdscioafttebd, would
a have acted so strongly on the
rmitatively what the policy of the Union on this mo-
il
fiercer
fl questionshouldam e tilthe
ebpep.
slitnogn Ipyafrat
inens da,nhdo wp
people
ovpe rl
e,
mo-
mentous
dinretoaded as they looked on the violence of the con-
tentioneircunis
ttabnacteitthinaitgshttirerveedn tuupatteheinauciivesileewna. Anytr
mass—
the great Conservative element of the Union—be-
fore whom President and Congress, politicians and
parties, must all bow—tended to a good result.
Happily for the Untioonur,
by the President's this. result The
people wi I l
arbe e secured
throw-
ing themselves by thousands into the arms of the
Republicans. The Vermont and Maine elections
show the strong drift of the tide, and if
no extravagance be committed by the leaders
of the Republican party it is now highly probable
that the people will speak so emphatically in favour
of Congress that nothing will remain but to carry
_ _

into effect the distinct utterance of the nation. Mr.
Johnson has on all occasions avowed his intention
to be guided by the voice of his countrymen, and if
this voice be clearly against him he must abandon
his policy, or resign his post. lie may " kick out "
the Radical office-holders who do not endorse his
policy, but the nation has a still clearer right to
kick him out if he persists in adhering to his own
against its declared wish. When the PRESIDENT, in
the quiet of his study, cools down from the excite-
ment of his receptions, he will see the extravagance
of his declarations, and this will be more strongly
and forcibly brought home to him by their effect on
the people. It is possible that his violent excitement
will end in a reaction, and that a policy of concilia-
tion and. moderation will be adopted. lie cannot
any extreme
either with or without civil war, carry out his policy,
measuresbut he can
that
tone
Congressdown mayconsiderablyd esidesire
to enforce. If
he is a wise man be will bow to events, and make
the most of circumstances.—Anglo-American noes.

We regret to state that the Marquis of Exeter is in a very
dangerous state of health.