Holmes County farmer. [volume] (Millersburg, Ohio) 1857-1926, 1865-09-28
JOhnsoBs New Policy.

couhry' heretofore changes IN the Pres
Identlal policy have indicated little more
than further step toward radicalym and
Mr.. johnson seems 10 have
made a step forward in the direction Of
Democracy, reconciliation and conservatism.
After witnessing 50 many strides towards
consolidation and despotism the fact that
President of the United States has begun
10 consider Justice and common sense as in
gradients in his policy, is calculated to ar
rest attention, and perhaps inspire great
or degree OF confidence than the actual sig
nihcancc OF the event warrants. Since An.
drew johnson assumed the Presidential
char, there has been little to complain Of
as to his words, but much as to his acts,
HeSpoke fairly, but his acts were not con.
sistShit with his speeches. He referred r.
his past record as Democrat. as the guide
to his Presidential policy; but his words
were rose-water and his acts we're blood
Many allowances were made for the fact that
he was surrounded by a crowd of wicked
counsellors, who, 10 protect themselves from
punishment for their crimes, urged him TO
partakc Of their responsibility, and perhaps,
intrigued him into acts which he would
have gladly disavowed. Among these were
the dlabOllcal execution of Mrs. Surratt.
the maltreatmcnt Of jeff. Davis and A. ii.
Stephens, the refusal to issue general am
nesty after the revolution had subsided, and
the failure to rec6gnize tie States of the
South in the manner indicated in Sherman :
truce with johnson. While we recognized
these thingSas errors, we cannot forget that
they may have been regarded By President
johnson himself as indispensable to his Of
ficial and physical existence, and that they
might be paliated under the law of self
preservation. But the time for persisting
ing in these acts passed long ago; formonths
he has had the power and been in the posi-
tlon to have reversed his policy and started
the ship under his own control in the right
direction. If he has done this NOR. we are
prepared to yield to him that support which
is lmpcratively required to put down the
fanatics, denagogues and destructives bv
whom the government has been controlled
and ruined. Asking nothing of the Presi-
dent but that he shall obey the Constitution
and apply to the difficult problems before
him and to the facts as they exist, oseth
simple and sound principles derived from
the Democratic founders of the government,
the people have right to regard him as
an unwise and an unjust ruler if he fails to
make the most out of the opportunity now
offered him. by restoring to the country
tranquility and to the people their rights.
Three things have transpired within the
fortnight last past calculated to awaken the
belief that he is disposed to do right. In
the exercise of that legitimate authority
which he derives from the Constitution to
control the army, he has put an end to
the arbitrary and insolent Interference of
the military authority in the domestic af-
fairs of a State, by revoking the order of
Major General Slocum who undertook to
nullity proclamation of the Provisional
Governor of Mississippi. 1t is not mate.
rial to discuss at this time the question
whether Governor Sharkey has a right tc
exercise the powers of Governor of Mis-
sissippi. The fact that he isa better repre-.
sentative of the people of that State than
Slocum is sufficient for the purpose In
rebuking Slocum's order, the President de-
clares his intention to relieve Mississippi of
the foreign soldiery within her borders, and
to this extent recognizes her existence as a
State. This is declaration of war against
the New England Abolition theory of hold
ing the Southern States as subject provin-
ces. johnson was undoubtedly aware of
this when he took this step, and has finally
determined to break with the fanatics F"
This is an act which every patriotic man in
the country can heartily and sincerely ap-
prove.
Another assurance of this determination
is given in the speech he made to a delega-
ton of southern citizens on the llth inst
in which he notified them that he intended
to go back to the Constitution and regulate
his policy in accordance with its provisions.
This was merely speech, but taken in con-
nection with his recent acts the sentiments
he expressed are significant, and will be ac-
ccpted by the country as an augury of a
speedy termination of the violent and bloody
revolution through we are passing.
Another, and perhaps the most signifi-
cant of all johnson recent acts, is the or
der directing the muster out of all the CO.
lored troops now in the South from North
ern States, and general reduction of the
army of black .ianizaries. These colored
organizations are composed Of combustible
and insurrectionary materials, and there is
reason to believe that if permitted to re-
main in the South arms in their hands, they
would have soon stirred up fearful COM
motion among the more ignorant and Vi
cious Southern negroes, and put a climax
upon the horrors of the times by an indis
criminate massacre of the whites. ENNIS
saries are doubtless now among these troop,
laboring to have the negroes assert then
manhood by some such proceeding, with
the insane idea that their equality would be
established through the in intimidation Of
the whites. The action of Pl esident John
son in commencing the withdrawal of thc
negro troops, while it was demanded by
the painest dictates of humanity, is emit
tied to praise and commendation, because il
was taken in direct opposition to the large
class of virulent and malcvolent Abolition
radicals who had their hearts firmly fxet
upon different policy.
These three things in Mr., johnson
course we can cordially commend, The,
are wholesome signs. Let the Presiden
continue in this course; let him clear ava,
the rubbish of despotiSm which clogs thu
progress of the people and menaces theil
rights; let him use his tremendous influ
ence to restore the Federal Government II
legitimate functions, and although he viii
encounter the implacable animosity of the
party which has elevated him to power, ht
will destroy its capacity to do further mis-
chief and receive as his reward the credi
of rescuing his country from its creates
peril. -Crsis.
NnxU VnUL STATE TiCEat