The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1865-10-13
The President and hts POlicu.
BY REV. ROBERT NJ. HATFIELD.

ed within the reach OF Andrew johnson.
His elevation to the presidency occurred at
a time when the nation was overwhelmed
with sorrow, and when the people were
ready to give him their love and confidence
in no stinted measure. We followed our
ascending Elijah with wistful and tear
dimmed eyes, and consoled ourselves with
the thought that his successor had caught
his falling mantle There were some who
ventured to hope that double portion of
the spirit of Elijah rested on Elisha
Among loyal men there was everywhere
the purpose and determination to yield to
his administration hearty and generous
support. And Andrew johnson had good
and sufficient grounds on which to claim
this confidence and support. In dark and
perilous. times he had been known as a
patriot OF the stanchest kind. When 9TH
ers taltered, he stood firm and unyielding
as rock. He had spoken brave and man.
ly words in denunciation of secession and
treason. He had told the rebel leaders,
even before they withdrew from Washing
ton, that they were earning for themselves
a halter and everlasting infamy, and that if
he possessed the power their crimes should
be adequately punished. When he took
possession of the presidential chair the re-
bellion was dead or dying, and he had only
to carry into effect the principles he had
enunciated and defended, and his place in
the hearts of his countrymen, and in the
temple Of fame, was secure forever. Side
by side with Washington and Lincoln he
would have lived, one of the few immortal
names that are not born to die Six short
months ago, and Andrew johnson held
position and commanded opportunities for
which the proudest king in Europe might
be glad to barter his throne and his scepter.
1t is useless to deny that great change has
taken place since then. The loyal people
Of the country have not withdrawn their
confidence from the President. and it is well
they have not The men who elected
him to office are not willing to believe that
he has abandoned them, and renowned the
principles on which he was elected
The organs of the Republican party
evince unusual delicacy and moderation in
criticizing the features of his policy from
which they are compelled to dissent. But
the President and his advisers cannot be
ignorant of the fact that tens of thousands
of the men who rallied around the admin
istration of Mr.. Lincoln, and whose sup
port made it a glorious success, are disap-
pointed and grieved at the present aspect
OF our national affairs The religious
people of the country were ALWAYS with
Mr.. Lincoln, and their influence gave his
administration moral power that was al
most omnipotcnt. And it is Just this class
OF thoughtful and conscientious men whose
confidence in President Johnson Is
wrenched and shaken. And it is easy to
see why it is 50. They believe that Justice
Is something more than name. and that
its sacred claims are not to be set aside
even by the chief executive of the nation.
They hold that it is the duty of the Pres
ilent to see that the rights and honor of the
nation are vindicatcd They are not VIM
dictive. and have no desire that single
blow should be struck in a spirit of re-
vengc but they believe, as President John
son does, or once did, that mercy to the
guilty is often cruel injustice to the inno-
cent. They do not believe that miserable
wrctches like the aSsaSsinS of the President
and the miScreant now on trial at WASH
ington should be made scape-goats for the
leaders of the rebellion. Up to this time.
no rebel has been tried and punished for
the crime of treason, and they believe that
treason Is the parent crime that neccssi-
:atcs and draws after it the lesser ones of
robbery, arson, and murder. The future of
the Presidents policy has not been clearly
revealed, but seems to be torcShadowed bv
the declaration that SIRE must trust the peo-
pie of the South" From the manner in
which this is said, it mi .ht be inferred that
we have erred in the past, in that We have
not trusted the Southern people But the
truth is, that the calamitics and horrors of
the last four years have largely resulted
from stupid and credulous confidence in
these same people of the South. We were
once told that we must trust the solution of
the slavery question with the South, and
that they in time would abolish the system.
Instead of doing this, they riveted more
firmly the bondman's chains, and moved
heaven and earth to extend and perpctuate
the accused institution. We were exhorted
to trust the Christians of the South, and
they corrupted the church, rent asunder
the great religious bodies of the land,
and prostituted Christianity to the sup
port of the sum of all villanies. We
trusted these men of the South, and
they otlicered our army and navy. shap-
ed the whole policy of the general gov
ernment, and dictated to the Supreme
Court of the United States the decisions it
should make, and allowed of none that
were inimical to slavery. We went on
trusting them while they mobbed and
murdered the citizens of the Free States,
who were quietly pursuing their lawful av-
ocations. We continued to trust them till,
having stolen everything upon which they
could lay hands, they pulled down the stars
and stripes, and made war upon the gov
eminent. They aggravated the horrors of
war by atrocities such as are possible only
among savages and Shareholders They
mutilated the dead bodies of our soldiers
who fell at the first Bull Run. and made