St. Mary's gazette., 1865-12-21

With the close OF the late war, and the
subnission Of the Southern people 70. the
Federal power, we were prepared % Wit
ness many Of the exossses Of fanatieism.
but we did not anticipate the present state
a affairs at the National Capitol. We
had made due allowance, too, we thought,
for the unprinripled xealots that rule New
England, and for the sycCphants who IN
fest the Border States. We had expected
the negro to be freed, as tribute to the
.;ioyalty" Of tie former, and the right Of
Suffrage to be abridged, as guarantee Of
Office to the httcr We had expected,
likewise thatSpmncr and Wilson would rec
main true to their colors, and that their idi-
osyncfacies would be presented to the coun'
cils Of the nation. We further expected,
that negro suffrage would become hob
by with the radicals. when the wine
press no longer gave its elTusicn Of blood.
We did not imagine, however, that Re-
publicanispa Aad become mere synonym
Tor JacobinSnl. or that The Republican par
ty had esasc1to exist We had viewed
its tendency % radicalism with distrust and
suspicicn, but ssill thought il might be
useful ID the coming time. nhad stood as
abreak-Hater betweenthc Peniteniiary and
the guiIlotine, and had curbed she blood
letsing propensiBies Ofits more sanguina-
~ allies. Ithad repeatedly declared, more
over, that it simply waged war for the
preservation Of the Government. and the
maintenance Of the Constitution and the
laws thereof" j, came into power under
a pledge to maintain the rights Of the
States and, the ouly cardinal point at
variance between It and the Democracy,
was lie opposition 70 the extension Of sla-
very to the Territories.
Five years ago, this issue was presented
70 the American people and Mr.. Lincoln
was elected over the Democratic candidates.
The war. which followed SO cIosdly upon
hia election. may. have had some bearing
upon the political situation, but II could
not alter his pledge 10 the people who hsd
elected him. lie was stia bound to pro.
sect the rights Of the States, and the de-
cisions Of the Courts we're binding upon
him. How far he was controlled BY these
decisions, or whether he redeemed his
pledge to the people, IL BY no means per-
tinent 70 the matter before us, We deem
1t simply necessary to alludc to tho fact,
that he was reelected to the Presidency
upon the original Chicago platform, with
the simple addondum Of a pledge to prose-
cute the war. Tho war has been prosecu-
ted 10 8 successful termination, and this
additional pledge has been fully redeemed
As the survivor Of Mr.. Lincoln, Presi-
den. johnson stands to-day in the position
we have Ohronicled, and is pledged to the
maintenance Of the principles we have
snunciated. He has not deserted the prin-
ciples Of his party. but his party has de-
serted the tenets Of It's faith 1t has failed
70 convert him to tho dogmas Of radical
ism, and has arrayed itself In hostility to
him.
His Exccllcncy. therefore, has been de-
serted by tho party which elected him.
and he has no place 70 fall but in the arms
81 the democracy. The policy proclaimed
IN his late message has only the approval
Of the democracy in Congress and uper
the democracy he must rely for his future
support. The Republican party has bu'
sied its principles. nor can Il be hoped thai
shsy win, hereafter, be exhumed Radi
eaIism and Conservatism are the living is
sues before rs, and between them VIC must
for tho present, decide It behooves us
therefore, to give to President johnson
our support and approval, and this w
shall continue to do. until something shall
occur to alter our relations towards him.
We can only say to our readers, wht
may differ with US upon this point. .-tba
the war Is now ended--that the Southern
people are in favor Of reconstruction-tba
his Excellency has proclaimed himself il
favor Of conservative poliey--and that h'
has done this in tho face Of the part,
which elevated him 70 power, and in cp.
position 10 the now dominant factionin th'
country. Policy cannot be the basis Q
bis action honesty, alone, must be the
cornerstone.
ie Herald gratuitously adycrtiSes among
sta aI;toriol column. 90