The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1865-06-16
Treat the President FairIu.

public affairs there is no danger. The
peril begins when men feel compelled from
motives of personal safety or party policy
to suppress or only half utter their con-
vlctions. We are now entering upon a
period of discussion likely to prove very
exciting, from the great principles and in
terests involved and the wide differences
of opinion that prevail. Let us hope that
among patriotic men, who seek chiefly
the general welfare, an effort will be made
to preserve good degree of candor and
calmness, and that neither the truth nor
the welfare of the country will be put in
peril by the substitution of party passion
for patriotism.
The true supporters of the Union and
liberty must not allow themselves to be
divided. 1t was never more essential than
now that they should act together The
forces of rebellion and slavery, defeated in
the field will transfer their efforts to the
domain of politics, where all their former
successes were won, and their only hope
lies in divisions among the friends of liber-
ty 1t is impossible that there should not
be differences of opinion, but these differ
enceS must be tolerated, and all attempts
at tactious opposition to the government
must be discountenanced. There is abso-
lutely no other course, unless we wonld
throw away all that has been won in SO
many years of sacrifice and death.
The President has distinctly declared
his policy in the reconstruction of the
Southern state governments 1t is consis-
tent with his frequently declared princi-
pies, and with his own course in the re-
construction of Tennessee, as approved by
President Lincoln, all known and under
stood by the republican party when they
nominated him for vice president. Com
mon political comfy forbids that the
party should break with him for being
consistent with himself, and it will not.
Those who think that the time has come
for taking action in advance of the Balti-
more convention, in regard to negro sutf-
rage, or any other matter, of course do
right to say so and to urge their views up
on the people and the government with
what force they can. If they can per-
suade the President to take what they
think an advance step, very well. If not,
let them at least forbear reprOaches and
abuse Let them not echo the common
Scold of Boston and denounce the Pre>l-
| dent of the United States as 1.-The sycho-
plant of jeff Davis" Let them not de-
cry him as an enemy to liberty. Nay,
they are bound in all decency and candor
to 20 still farther, and accredit the Presi-
dent with conscientious motives If he
declares that he does not bestow the bal
| lot on the lately emanci patel negroes of
the South because he believes he has no
power to do it, and would violate his
oath to the constitution if he undertook it.
they are bound to hold him honest i'll his
opinion. and to honor him for his fidelity
TO it. against the solicitations of the most
vehement ii not the largest wing Of his
own party. If Mr. Johnson had been
: elected by another party, instead of being
the man of our own choice, we could
hardly accord him less than this.
| Ii different course is pursued; if the
unjust and mali gnant assaults upon the
President are persisted in, ii is easy to fore
see the result. The unity of the party of
freedom will be broken; all the elements
Of opposition will rally and unite against
! the administration the restoration of har-
mony in the South will he delayed, and
We shall have period of reaction such As
generally follows excess, even i'll a good
cause. What we want is steady progress
in the direction in which all affairs now
come. North and South. and ii will come
soonest by legitimate and reasonable eff
forts in It's behalf. The question is now
fully opened, and the discussion will not
end till the right result is reached. for the
American people are too logical and too
proud to resist the legitimate consequent
ce> OF their own theory of government
The suffrage will be eventually bestowed
on all men capable of using it, without
regard to race or color And this desired
end will be reached by the free action of
the present voters, constrained by a sense
otju>ticc. |; will be better 50 for all con
cerned than if forced by the bayonet at
the decree of the central government. AT
any rate let us deal fairly and kindly with
the President, and give no countenance to
any attempts to organize a factious and
malignant opposition to his policy. He
has right to claim thus much from
those who elected him.-Swmgfeu Repub-
Hcan