The New York herald., 1865-04-24


large he has cast his political fortunes into the
hands of the peace democracy-a poor and
= contemplate faction. For his own sake, how
ever, we shall be glad to hear that on the
receipt Of the intelligence Of the late appalling
: calamity at Washington, General Sherman will
have realized the extent Of his indiscretion, and
repair it in the capture or satisfactory surren-
der of Johnston's army in advance of the
arrival of General Grant. This appears now
4 TO be the only chance for General Sherman to
q 8repair the single but stupendous mistake
s which go Unexpectedly interposes to over
shadow his glorious reputation.
UThe Principles and tho Policy OF Presi-
z dent johnson az Declared by Himself.
: The speech Of President johnson to the
q Indiana delegation, delivered on Friday last and
published in full in the HERALD of yesterday, was
Tby far the most important of his recent ut
Sterances. In it we find his principles and his
#policy most distinctly and emphatically enun-
4 ciated. GAS to making declaration, or mani
: festc, or message, or what you may please to
Z call it," said the President "my past is better
4 foreshadowing Of my future course than any
4 statement on paper that might be made" To
& his past course, which we have already reviewed
4 at length, the President then appropriately re-
4 ferred. Taking its most salient points, and
l lunequivocally repeating and endorsing his
\ former expressions Of opinion, he tersely laid
y down tie several planlSs of the platform upon
(which he intends to administer the government
.3of the country.
q Having in all probability been informed Of
4 the recent efforts of Northern copperheaGs to
B connect themselves with him and identify some
of their opinions with his own, he deliberately
remarked that "treason is none the less treason
whether il be in free State or in slave State;
but if there could be any difference in such a
crime, he who commits treason in free State
4 is greater traitor than he who commits it in a
slave State. There might be some little excnse for
q man who based his treason upon his possession
of slave property; but the traitor in free State
) has 10 excuse but simply TO be O traitor" The
President then reiterated the statement which he
has significantly introduced into every cle of his
& Saddresses, that as burglary arson and murder
aare crimes and must be punished, so treason, the
3greatest Of al crimes, mus. be punished also,
Sand that, as treason is the worst Of crimes, it
Sshould be punished by the biiterest Of penal
sities. These declarations show that President
Z johnson has decided that The rebel leaders
:ssshall not escape justice, and that he is not in
/ favor of permitting unsuccessful treason to be
1 lis own only rcbu&e.
But Che President further said that the rebel
leaders "must not only be punished, but their
social power mus be destroyed He admits
I that mercy was very good thing; but, with
the grim humor of Cromwell, he added tina!
in sach cases as this rebellion tie attribute of!
mercy should be left to Him who rules us all
;"Thcn," said President Johnson 'f innocence
has been invaded, il wrong has lecn done, the
Controller and Givor Of All Good--ons of
whose attributes is narcy--wil set it right."I
These ere powerful words, which may well
make rebels sliudder. Nor arc The wordsI
which follow less clear AND srong:-I
"Trators must be nude odious; treason must
be made odious; traitors mast tie punished
and impoverished" Jacksonian ideas en-
bodied in Jachsonian phrases. Evidently the
Confscatior ac,s are to be risi1iy enforced and
loyal citizens are not to be made 10 pay the ox-
penses Of The coniederacy. On the contrary,
Presilcnt johnson inlisis that "aftcr making
trcion odious, every Union man and the
government should be renunerated out OF the
pocket OF those vino have inflicted this great
sasloIng upon the country" He said tis, not in
anger, bus in spirit ol justice, ami while pro.
missing punishment and colhscaton 20 the rebe,
leaders, no also promised "lemenoy, conciilaiicn
mialcd and deceived" oloyal man could desire
better platform than this, aud tao deluded
3peeple OF The South will Thankfully occept ii.
AS for The leading rebels, they win now see that
JEFF. Davis was shrewd in seizing all he specie
within reach and swiftly making for Mexico.
In regard TO the grave question OF Inc proper
method Of reconstruction, President Johnson
agrees with President Lincoln, aud disagrces
with the radicals under Sumner. The Union
he believes, was designed and Is destined to be
perpetual, and twas sent upon great mission
( among the nations of the ear;h." Tie pointed
out the fact that in the constitution provision
: is made ior tho admission Of new States; but
no provision is made for tho aecession Of
old oncs.' The Union, he con ended, Is an
insoger, made up Of integral parts which are
States and these again are made UP OF other
! integers, which are individuals OF these va
rious parts he insisted that 'oach is essential to
! the whole, and the Whole is essential to each
part" In tie Constitution it IA provided that
the United States shall ,aran; &c 10 each State,
and therefore 10 every individual in eech State, !,
a republican fern OF government Applying|
shis theory TO he present crisis, the PRESIDENT
holds that the rebellion has maroiy suspended
The Vitality OF the seeded Stetes; that the mo-
mont their interest in he rebellion ceases their
vitality returns; that they arc in the Union and