The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1865-05-05
President Johnson,s Policy.

v
SONS speech to the Indiana delegation with
unspeakable relief. We have never cared,
and probably no loyal man has ever cared,
how stern fate is melted out to the lead
ers of this nefarious rebellion. No con-
ceivable punishment can be at all COM
mensurate with the magnitude of their
crime. We believe, however, that the
great masses of the Southern people are
comparatively guiltless Of this horrid war
probably qsite asfree from sin in the preml-
ses as any one of the myriads OF agita'0fs
and radicals at the North, who nave Oeen
stirring up and fostering this stFlle iof 'ne
last twenty years.
Terribly have the masses OF the peopie
at the South already atoned for their share
in this great crime. We are glad' tnefe,
fore. that President JOHNSON means tnat
these people shall be forgiven, protected
and restored to their rights.
Let the leaders be given over to Presl-
dent JOHNSON, to do with them, as to
him seemeth good.
IA "a, the Northern agitators, we are
content to leave them to the justice OF
Almighty God, which will be sure to over
&ake them sooner or later.
What, however, caused us especial solici-
tude, was the policy Mr.. Johnson might
adopt relative to the rights and existence
of States. 1t is well known to be the de-
sire of a large but active faction OF the
Republican politicians to obliterate and
wipe out all the States engaged in the rebel
hon-or rather whose people, or some por-
ton Of them, have been engaged in the
rebellion-and to treat the territory con-
stituting these States as newly acquired
territory, to be divided up and laid out into
new States or Territories at the pleasure
of Congress. rn s'
It is true that such policy could only be
maintained upon the theory that the states
Is such had actually seeded, and hence
had the power of thus seeding thus re-
oognixing the validity of the grounds upon
which the secessionists had professed to
rest their action and the Justice Of their
cause, and acknowledging the sntenable-
ness Of our own position and the conse-
ausut injustice of the general government
IN undertaking to resist and crush the &C
ton Of the seceesionists.
In other words, those who proposed to
treat the States in which there had been
insurrection a. extinct, were as reoolu.
sionary and as disloyal to the Union and
constitution as the seoessionists them
selves. We do not mean to be under
stood as charging this class Of men with
Intentional treason. We merely mean
that the course which they propose to
adopt is absolutely subversive Of our con-
stitution.
It is perfectly apparent to every think
ing man, and has been distinctly held by
the great body OF the American people,
sinoe the war commenced, that the Fede-
raj Government could not recognize the
possibility of disunior, and hence could
not recognize the possibility Of a States
seeding or being out of the Union; that
It WAS the peculiar duty and function OF
the general government to put down in
surrection in States where it occurred, and
to maintain and secure such States in all
the integrity of their rights. This view of
course forever excluded the idea Of State
obliteration as consequence of the insur-
rection Of the whole or anyportion ofthepeo-
ple within the territorial limits of State.
Had the policy Of, the radicals been carried
ont. our whole Government would have
been practically recolutionised. The con-
sequence, both immediate and future, can
not be conceived.
It's precisely here that our apprehen-
SONS of danger, in the result Of this con-
fict, arising especially after the military
power of the confsderacy had been over
thrown, have been from tho beginning
most lively. 1t is only few months
since the feeling of doubt and distrust as
to Mr.. LKoo1ns policy on this point had
been full dissipated.' 1t was natural, there
fore, tina. every conservative man In the
country should feel anxious as to the views
Of Mr.. JoRssoN on this question.
Bat President JOHNSON has now spoken
on this very point and 10 terms of distinct
ness that can leave no doubt as to the
policy Of to b pursued by him and must
give the most lively and profound satisfac-
ton to every patriot in our land. The
States are to b preserved in oil their
fssegray; tie possibility Of their ezsinc-
ton il not to Be recognized.
10 protect and secure the States in a
,.,nhlioan form Of government il IN n.