Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1865-06-08

the CIVIL POWER
special Corresporrienee Of TIE Chicago Tines
WASHINGTON, June 2-The estimate which
the Times mas formed Of President johnson.
based upon bis education as a Democratic states
nan. and upon bis Democratic antecedents, will
very soon be strikingly justified The sudden
ness with which Mr. johnson was called to the
Executive Office found him absolutely and en-
tirey unprepared for its high duties. The idea
of being President during Mr. Lincoln second
term had never entered bis mind At once, in u
moment. the high Office, with ts vast response
bilites, was thrust upon him Happily for the
country, he was equal to the great task.
The difficulties surrounding him we're OF no
ordinary nature. The war was over; peace was
at hand But the work before him, the work OF
reconstruction, was far more difficult than the
work of supDressing the rebellion IL was not
the Southern people alone with whom he had TO
deal He found himself surrounded by a set OF
men. in the Cabinet and out of il. whose views
on the subject of reconstruction he ascertained
TO be utterly al variance with his own, and who
persisted IN obtruding their views upon him, and
insisting upon their adoption. Happily for the
country again, Dir. johnson has strength of mind
and decision OF character enough TO intimate very
plainly 70 these men that he Intended to be Pres
dent OF the United States, not in name alone,
but in very deed; and that he intended the work
of reconstruction TO be done in such q manner
as would be just to all parties concerned; as
would ooliterate the hard feelings caused by the
war; aud as would bind together the North and
South in far " more perfect union " than ex
listed before the began.
This determination on the part OF the Pres-
dent, so different from what expected by
those who were his parIsans elk or seven months
ago, haa raised terrible storm in TIE political
atmosphere of the capital The men who, Eve
or Sill weeks ago. fondly hoped and confidently
believed that they could control the new Pres-
dent and give tone and direction to his admins
tration, now fud themselves sadly mistaken and
utterly poweress. They are positively of no
more account in the Government than a lot of
old rubbish
The questions that have presented themselves
ia Mr. johnson, for immediate solution, during
the Sill weeks that he has been President, are
such as require craftsmanship OF the very highest
order to decide Alright. and the right decision of
most of them require much thought and rehec
ton. Therefore it is that President johnson
has, as yet, moved slowly. The work before
him is vast He approaches it with full ap-
probation OF its importance. But he will accom-
plish it at last, in accordance with those con
seryatlve principles of government upon WHICH
| the Democratic party is founded, snr which
formed the basis of his own political education
| This Is the fact which has at last forced itself
upon the unwilling minds of the radical leaders
OF the Republican party; which has caused much
CONSERVATION in the radical camp, and which, be
fore six months have passed. will cause the com
plete disruption of the Republican party
Mark the prediction! Before the end of the
present year, the very men who. during the last
tour years, have denounced all opposition to the
Administration the highest of crimes and
have denounced all Democrats as "disloyal" aud
''copperheads" simply because they honestly
differed from the ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS very
men will now array themselves IN open oppOs-
ton tothe Administration of Andrew johnson.
The disgracetul exhibition now going on in
this city-the mock trial OF q dozen human
beings in defiance of all the rules of law and
justice-wouId never have been permitted by
President johnson II time had been allowed him
for reflection. The circumstances of the Case,
however, we're SO peculIar-.he popular demand
for vengeance against the assassins of the laie
President Was so universal-the asseveraton of
the Secretary OF War THAT the proofs against the
prisoners were conclusive" was solemn-that
the President yielded very reluctant assent 10
the formation OF Military Commission for this
trial This, and the Osoon Court Martial in
New York, will be the last trials OF civilians be
fore military tribunals that will be permitted
while Mr. Johnson remains President OF the
In iew days the President will issue proc
lamation, restoring the operations of the writ of
hqbeas corpus in all the Northern States The
intention OF this, on the part OF the President, is
| TO restore to every citizen right OF which he
ought never to have been deprived IL is design
ed, on the part of the Executive, that the proc
lamation shall operate, first, in deyerance from
! Imprisonment the hundreds of men who are yet
unjustly confined in various military prisons,
principally for alleged political offenses The
writ will bring them before a judge of some
Court, and il there Is no good cause for their i'm
prisonment, they will be at once discharged. 1t
is believed that this course will be preferable to
proclamation absolutely discharging from i'm
prison ment all alleged political offenders.
In regard 10 negro suffrage at the South, can
assure your readers that the President is firmly
opposed TO it, and will never sanction it, unless
it be the unmistakable wish Of the white popula-
ton of each Southern State interested. Nj
Johnson knows the negro character, and partc-
ularly the character of the Southern negro
thoroughly de knows, and realizes fully. that
the Southern blacks are utterly unfit for the
rights and duties of citizenship. and he does not
intend that those rights and duties shall be
thrust upon them, ia defiance of the wishes of
the actual citizens of the Southern States. He
thinks that the present generation of negroes
has been rewarded quite sufficiently in having
their freedom secured TO them; and that il they
are really worthy OF becoming voters they will
demonstrate that fact by their industry and good
conduct. t.