The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1865-04-18
President johnson.

ANDREW JOHNSON, now President of the
= United States, was bornin Raleigh, N. G., Dec.
20, 1873, and was few months older than his
predecessor, whose tragic death the nation
now mourns. He has risen to high political
station by the exhibition of those rare quail
tiles which ordinarily command success In
free country. he has been civil governor OF a
powerful State. representative and senator
ia Congress, and subsequen fly military COVER
nor of Tennessee by appointment Of Presi-
don't Lincoln In all of these positions he has
carried himself with ability, and no word has
ever been uttered against his personal integ-
rity. We are In position to state that he
has had the confidence Of the present admin
istration during the war, and while numerous
other military governors have SO conducted
their business as to disappoint the appointing
power and TO render their removal necessary,
Mr.. johnson has always stood well. There
can be no doabt that he is an able man,
thoroughly loyal, fearless In the performance
of duty, and standing high in the confidence
of those who know him best. -ss.-,t
We say with the Boston Advertiser that we
are not unmindful Of the fact that Mr.. John
son has recently In y measure lost the public
confidence, and, In common with. the whole
country, we deplored the exhibition of a weak
ness which was so Injurious to our nation in
the eyes Of the civilized world. But there is
good reason to believe that this was an ex-
ceptional Instance Of a failing which was re-
GREETED by none more than the Vice President
himself, and surely the history OF memorable
services is not to be forgotten in the errors of
single day, nor a lifelong character for hon
furnished by the momentary fault Of anshour.
or one trait in the character Of our Presi-
dent the country may be perfectly assured,
and that is Of his incorporating loyalty and
his unalterable determination to maintain the
Union and to enforce the laws. Nor are his
opinions of a recent date. A personal friend
and great al mirer Of Andrew Jackson, he
is Of that old school Of democratic politicians
who belieyein the Constitution and the I'm
ion, and in the use Of. all necessary means to
protect and preserve them. In the last days
Of Mr.. Buchanan's administration he took a
firm and manly stand for the right, and in the
memorable debate OF March 2, 1861, on the re-
port of the peace conference, Mr.. johnson de-
nouuced with remarkable energy and marked
ability the projected treason, for which he was
set upon by the whole crew of disloyal men,
led on by Joseph Lane, the senator from Ore
gon.
In his famous reply to Lane, when treason
mao arnr,ninu ont in all Ao0artpron%o ~ eha
Government, he said: S aas 1agaaa
sMr. President: was going to remark, in
reference to a general allusion to treason that
IL individuals were pointed out to me who
were engaged In nightly conspiracies, in Sc
cret conclaves, and issuing orders directing
the capture OF our forts, and the taking OF our
custom houses, would show who were the
traitors; and that being done, the persons
pointed out to me as coming within the pur-
view and scope of the provision OF the Cons IT.
tuition which have read, were the Presi-
dent of the United States, would do as Thorn
as Jefferson did with Aaron Burr in 1906; i
would have them arrested, and il convicted,
within the meaning aud scope OF the Consti-
tuition, by the Eternal God, would execute
them. Sir, treason must be punished. Its
enOrmity and the extent and depth of the or
fence must be made known. The time Ii not
far distant, ii this Government is preserved
its Constitution obeyed, and its laws executed
IN every department, when something of this
kind must be DONE"
Such a man may be trusted to deal with the
red handed traitors of to-day. He may be
trusted in the present emergency; and 1t Is
the manifest duty Of all good citizens to sus-
tain him by their influence, and to bring to
his support all those influences which may aid
him in the execution Of the high and impor-
tant duties which he has now assumed.