The Sun.
London, England, 1866-05-21 00:00:00

ree3ognises his right to the protection and care
of the State. He thinks too that if it is worth
while to wage a costly and deadly war to
preserve the union it is as well to profit by the vic-
tory when won ; and that it is useless to maintain a
nominal junction of the whole system—social, po-
litical, and commercial,—is to be thoroughly disor-
ganised. The common sense of the people
is no doubt with him, but his office is
no sinecure notwithstanding. The Radicals are
strong enough to do mischief in Congress even
though they no longer adequately represent the
people out of doors. The extremes to which the
party have gone during this session have no doubt
disgusted moderate and sensible men of all parties,
but their progress is not arrested by that conviction.
The power is in their hands for the time, and they
will use it.— Mr. JOHNSON, when he boldly re-
sisted their schemes, and threw down, as it were,
his glove against them, carried the popular sympa-
thies with him, and his first veto was so warmly sup-
ported, followed up as it was bythe open attack upon
the policy of the Radical leaders, that the opposite
party were for the moment paralysed. They were
forced to pause, but they did not modify their in-
tentions. The second struggle between them and
the PRESIDENT resulted in their triumph, and the
Civil Rights Bill was forced through the House in
spite of the second veto. They have now proceeded
still further—all on the same road, however ; that
road which, little as they see it, tends inevitably to
the destruction of the American union, the downfall
of American prosperity, and the overthrow of
American power as at present constituted. The re-
port of the Reconstruction Committee advised
mere mischievous and comprehensive changes
in the _ constitution ; and it was known that
not only Mr. JOHNSON, but that nearly the
whole of the Cabinet were stronly opposed to
it. It was thought, in New York itself, that the
House of Representatives would reject the amend-
ment proposed, since a number of the Republican
members had declared themselves against it. On
this, as on previous occasions, however, the ultra
Radicals have proved too strong for the men of
moderate councils, and the latest news tells us
that on May 10th the House of Representatives
adopted the amendment of the Reconstruction
Committee by 128 to 57 votes. This will pro-
bably be the occasion of a fresh struggle between
the contending powers. The PRESIDENT is not a
man to be easily baffled; he will not be cowed or
threatened into abandoning his convictions. If strong
language and frantic opposition could shake him, he
would have been moved from his course before now.
If personal aggrandisement were his motive, he
would be more eager to conciliate opponents and
rally a party round him. If personal fear influenced
him he might be startled by the remembrance of
his predecessor's fate. It has been abundantly
proved, however, that ANDREW JOHNSON is swayed
by no such motives. Faults and weaknesses he has
no doubt, mistakes of policy and errors of judgment
he may commit ; but his whole public. career be-
longs to a different level than the manceuvring, in-
triguing, selfish, intolerant, and faction-loving
sphere of the Radical leaders. It is their failure to
influence their opponent by any of the usual methods
—their knowledge of his inflexibility, his boldness,
and his decision, which so greatly incense the prime
movers of the attack upon the South under the
guise of 100 for the negro. To the PRESIDENT
himself they are, as might be expected, bitterly hos-
tile, and they manifest their feeling very plainly by
their continual efforts to thwart and annoy him, as
well by deeper laid schemes to contract his authority
and influence if possible. The Africa brings
us the news that a bill has been intro-
duced in the Senate providing that the

S.ILLWIr
any officer appointed by consent of the Senate,
excepting members of the Cabinet. The new elec-
tions will probably reverse the positions of parties
in the House of Representatives, but until the
change has time to take effect, which will not be
for a considerable time from this, they have, ,
unfortunately, not only the will, but the power, to
do a good deal of mischief. The President loses
no opportunity of refuting their statements, and
has lately reminded a Methodist deputation that
the representations made of the state of feeling in the
Southern States are partial and unfair. Individual
cases are selected and spoken of as samples instead of
exceptions. It is no thanks to the Radical party
disaffection is not rampant through the Southern
States ; it is solely due to the efforts and policy of
the PRESIDENT himself, and the just confidence
which the Southern people feel that he
will do his best to secure fair and impartial
legislation for the whole mixed and various com-
munity. It is difficult to foresee what will be the
issue of the struggle, but it can only be regretted
by all who are sincerely desirous for the welfare
and prosperity of the great Western Republic.
Their form of government is assuredly on its trial,
and the spectacle is not without instruction to older
states. The tyranny of the many, it has often been
said, is more dangerous than the despotism of
one ; possibly because it is so easily disguised under
specious professions of enlightened and philanthropic
principles. It is from this tyranny, not open
but concealed and insidious, that the United States
have long suffered, and the great crisis in the na-
tional history has brought out the inherent weak-
nesses of the system in the most glaring light. There
is something wrong in the Constitution, which
permits a body of men to override all others, and
there is a lack of those harmonising influences
which in our own country reconcile opposing inte-
rests and smooth the progress of public affairs. It
is against the factious and noisy dogmatism of
parties like the extreme Radicals that Americans
have really to be on their guard. [t is such bodies
that endanger their wellbeing, which alternately
make their liberty of press, and speech, and action
degenerate into license, and invest a Republican
Assembly with the arbitrary character of a Council
of Ten. It is well, at least, that the head of the
State is fully sensible of the danger, and in the ar-
duous and responsible struggle he is maintaining he'
carries with him the sympathies of this country.

PROSPECTS OF COMMEMORATION.—There is no
truth in the report that. the Prince and Princess of
Wales intend to visit us this year ; but in spite of this dis-
appointment we doubt not that the Commemoration will
be as gay as ever. The annual ball will be held in a room
built expressly for the purpose at the Clarendon Hotel.
The Christ Church ball will also be held in the same place.
As far as we have at present heard, the arrangements for
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the week will be as follows :—Saturday, June
Amu9—Theatri-
s unadt eayr,
June 10—Show Sunday. Last Bam cßhaoonmge..
pton Lecture by Mr.
Liddon. Monday,, June 11—Flower show in Worcester
Gardens. Mr. Leslie's concert in the theatre. Procession
of boats. Freemasons' ball. Tuesday, June 12—Masonic
fete—Orpheus Glee Club. Christ Church ball. Wednes-
day, June 13—Enccenia in the theatre. University ball.
Thurday, June 14—Exeter College ball. New College ball
Thursday will of course be mainly devoted to picnics down
the river as usual.—Oxford Undergraduate's Journal.
NOVEL DEED DEPOSITORY.—An extraordinary
circumstance has transpired with reference to the
Thomas Newly, stonemason, who diedfrom accident. Af-
ter deceased was taken to the ho3pital his clothes were
examined. Feeling something in one of the sleeves of the
coat, the person who was examining it ripped open the
lining and discovered a number of deeds relating to pro-
perty. Upon inquiry it was found that the deceased, al-
though only an operative stonemason, was worth property
to the amount of £6,000.-4Yotecce9 Daily ,Thurnal.