Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1865-05-09
Spirit of the Democratic Press To-
ward President johnson.

Spirit of the Democratic Press To-
ward President johnson.
From The Chicago Times.l
PRESIDENT JOHNSON AND THE RADICALS.
President johnson has not, since his ac-
cession to the Chief Maglstracy, been more
emphatic in any declaration than in that
rejecting the State suicide doctrine. And
in the early moment which he seized to eX-
press himself in this respect, as well as in
the emphasis of his expression, we see the
| importance he attached both to his own
views on the question and to a perfect and
prompt understanding of them by the
country. He evidently regards-and right
| ly too-this the most vital question with
which he has to deal at the threshold of his
administration. 1t lies at the base of every
policy of restoration. If 1t be true that the
insurgent States are out of the Union-if
they have ceased to be States-it this is the
true doctrine, then the territory comprising
them is but territory, to be cut up into such
boundaries and governed in such manner
as Congress may determine. 1t is this doc
trine which President johnson has so
promptly and emphatically rejected. These
States, he declares, are not conquered terri
tory, to be disposed of as we would dispose
of foreign territory after we had conquered
it; they are States still, to resume all their
functions as such by the action Of their own
loyal people.
1t is on this question that the radicals are
| slowly, but surely, raising an issue with
President johnson. 1t was on it that their
journals all over the land assailed Presi-
dent Lincoln on the very m lrning that their
telegraphic columns cOntailed the intelli-
gence of his assassination. President Lin
coin had not in terms rejected the doctrine,
but in fact he had rejected it in the policy
of restoration which, among the last acts of
his life, he had foreshadowed. 1t is easy to
see why President johnson has not been as
swiftly assailed. He is new element in
the political cauldron, and is for the pres
ent to he treated differently than it was the
habit Of the radicals to treat Mr.. Lincoln.
He is to be reached by gradual approaches.
The mining process rather than direct at
tack, is to be employed.
This process has been sensibly COM
menced, and the leader put forward in the
work is General Ben. Butler-the same
who was to have been foisted into the Cabi-
net as Secretary of State II President john
son had only been little more plastic
General Butler made a speech in New
| York on Monday evening, in which
he substantially asserted the State sui
eide doctrine. 10 be sure, he did not
assert it in all its broadness. He wascareftil
not to do that. 1t was not time to do that.
But he asserted terms;-one of which, at
least, is extraordinary and preposterous--tO
which the insurgent States must agree as
conditions precedent to resuming their
s'practical relations" as States in the Union,
or he would hold them under military rule
as belligerents" until such time as they
would thus agree, 'whether the time needed
for this purpose was one year or century"
One of these conditions was that "any per-
son who had held military, civil or diplomat
| ic office under the so-called Confederate
States, or either of them, or had been any
agent thereof during the rebellion, should
have no political rights in the States; but
should be and remain alien thereunto for
ever.n 1t was in this manner that General
Butler asserted the doctrine of territorial
subordination. 1t was a covert way of at
| tack upon President johnson, but as cer-
| tainly an attack as though Whitingism had
been announced in all its fullness. ,, IN.
y A correspondent of The Philadelphia Age
wrote to that paper, suggesting that it pitch
into President JOHNSON in advance of the
development Of his policy. The Age thus
disposes of the aforesaid correspondent: ss
The suggestion of our correspondent
'Mahanoy," he will permit us to say, is, in
ourjudgment, premature. The Democratic
party can afford to wait. The policy of the
new Administration has notbeen developed,
and whatever relation the Democracy are
to bear towards it, will be determined by
principle alone. They would be glad to find
the policy and measures Of President John
son such as to entitle them to ocommendation
and support, rather than to censure and OPP
position. So far as weare concerned, "Maa
hanoy' will please wait patiently. If this
| do not please him, still he will probably
| have to wait. If he can not or will not
wait, we would be glad to know what he
| proposes to do about it. 1919 w p7'y