Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1865-1869, 1865-10-12
PRESIDENT JoHNsoN's POLICY.

From the London Times, September 21l
" hen the people OF the Northern States
elected Mr.. Lincoln for the second time they
were moved by happy impulse to choose as
the second magistrate of the country Andrew
johnson, Of Tennessee. The office Of ' Ice
President is in itself Of little Importance,
and though on two former occasions Vice
President has succeeded to the Government
of the Republic through the death OF his su-
peri0r, we may presume that the eXpects-
tion of Mr. lohnson's accession 10 the higher
Office was hardly present to the mind OF any
Que Of those two millions Of electors. Those
who chose him wished to pay compliment
TO the most energetic and Jealous among the
few Southern men who had remained faithful
to the Federal cause, and it may have seem
ed to them that by electing TenGesseean
they declared emphaticaily the non-Sever
ance of a seeded State from the Union. But
the great crime of April last has given su-
preme power to the politician who otherwise
would have filed for the next four years the
dignifed but powerless office of President OF
the Senate. All parties were startled at
this sudden change Of men, aud there were
probably few but the most extreme who
looked on it without alarm. Mr.. johnson
must LOW receive the credit Of having dis
armed groundless fears and disappointed ex-
travagant hopes. We cannot tell what
thoughts have passed through the shrewd
and energetic mind during these five months
of unexpected rule, how much he may owe
to the SOLDERING responsible ties of his high
office, how much 10 the cOnnsels of two or
three able men who have been schOOled To
government amid the difficulties and caami-
ties of war, how much to his own Southern
extraction, and to the fellow feeling which
he avows Tor the seceders ia every
thing but their secession. But, what
ever the motives which influence his policy,
the Americans have found in Mr.. Johnson
| an able and successful magistrate. Mr.. Lln-
coin is said 10 have meditated in the last days
of his lie a large amnesty and the restora-
ton of the outh to its due place in the
Union. hen he fell it was rot unnatural!y
thought in America that sterner rule was
| to be instituted, and the zeaiots Of the Re-
publican party hastened to accept Mr.. John
son as their leader, with the hope, perhaps,
that they might use him as their tool. These
expectations have, however, vanished
Within a month after the Presidents acces-
sion TO o'Fce his leaning towards moderate
policy began TO appear, and though it was re-
ceived with marked disappointment by a
strong party of his own supporters, the ef-
feet OF it on the conquered south was so ia
vorable snd tranquilizing that he has per-
severed in it, and it may be expected 10
characterize his whole term of Office.
There is no one on this side the Atlantic
who will fail TO rejoice at the prospects which
this policy opens to the newly cemented
Union. The Americans, with the suppleness
OF young people, are adopting themselves
10 their altered conditions. The Southerner
who has fought so fercely for disunion no
sooner finds it is impossible than he rises