Holmes County farmer. [volume] (Millersburg, Ohio) 1857-1926, 1865-11-23

hands of Congress, will make the relations
between him and the radicals very cordial
in their character
The radicals will control the President -
That you may rely upon They have the
power, despite his patronage, to make it to
his interest to work into their hands. And
the tendency Of their demands, and his com.
pliance, will be to the establishment Of a
strong consolidated central government
! The late war has done something more
than abolish slavery. 1t has changed the
character of our Government from one of
consent to one of force, and the point with
the party in power will be to establish Con.
grcssional and Executive precedcnts under
popular sanction, that, shall be equivalent
to amendments of the Constitution. The
war has established many such, which have
been approved 10y the people, and which
are now and will be hereafter regarded as
established and living gratis upon the Con
stitution. The Republican party originated
and made them precedents of as much au-
thority as the Constitution itself They as.
simulate our Government to the despotic
governments of the old world. The Demo.
Gratis protested against these Innovations
upon the caractcr of the Government. and
some OF them suffered banishment and i'm
prisonment for their opposition to these en-
croachments upon the character that had
been Impressed upon the Government by
its constitutional founders. A strong cen.
trai government and less popular liberty-a
government ofiorcc in place of a government
ofconsent-arc the changes that the Repub.
llcan party has produced in the character of
the Federal Government TO make the
change permanent and impressive is the
future wor k Of the Republican party.
1he leaders are afraid that if the Southern
States are restored to their old relations in
the Union, without some dimnution of
Their powerin IN Congress, their intentions to
make permanent the great change in the
character OF our Federal Government may
be defeated. They are, therefore, detcrmin
! Gu 10 cohipel the President to exercise arbi.
trary power to help them carry out their de.
signs. This last requirement of the South
erh states, to adopt the constitutional
amendment, by the President, is in compli
ancc with the dictation of the radicals IfI
the President has the right to dictate ony
terms to the Southern States as conditions
precedent to their restoration to their old
relations in the Union, he can require them
to adopt the constitutional amendment or
negro suffrage. SO say the Republican
leaders, and they are logically correct. And,
while they are correct, and have the power
IN Congress they possess, the President is in
great degree in their power, and will be
compelled to conform to their demands. In
this way, rr, ccdents will be established,
Congressional and Executive, that will have
the force OF constitutional amendment. and
which WILL in so much, assimilate our Gov
es.rnment to monarchies, and weakenpopu
liberty.
Democrats had hoped that the President
would have the backbone to resist the de-
mands OF the radicals; but they are doomed
to disappointment He has exercised SO
much arbitrary power that he has placed
himself completely in the power of the rad.
Gals, who will have the control of the com
ing Congress. A person in Mr.. Johnson's
position, who takes wrong steps at the start,
can not easily retracc them, while master
minds are urging him on the same path. II
The same leaders, whose pressure Mr.. Lin
coin said it was impossible for him to resist,
are now bearing with their whole force upon
Mr.. Johnson
You must not therefore, look for a spccdy
restoration of the Southern States to their
old relations to the Union, unless they shall
comply with every demand the radicals
shall maxi upon them. They must either
enfranchlsc the negro, adopt the constitu-
tlohai amendment, or agree to an amend |
ment Of the Constitution, making voters
and not population the basis of suffrage, or
stay out in the cold, and be governed by
military power as conquered provinces
o.