The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-09-08
The Presidents Mistake.

From the Times.
President johnson, in his speech at Cleveland,
remarked that he 'did not care about his dig
nifty" In our judgment this is greatly tc be
regretted. The American people care very much
about it, and can never see it forgotten or laid
aside without profound sorrow and solicitude.
Dir. johnson is not speaking or travelling as
simple citizen. He is President of the United
States at Cleveland as well as at Washington
while addressing mass meeting as well as when
presiding at a Cabinet council; and whatever he
NAV do OF say at either place carries with it all
the Wcio hit and influence of his high position
So far as its effect upon the public mind is con-
cerned what he says in a public speech has
precisely the same Importance as what he says
in a message to Congress; and he should, in
Justice to himself, to the people, and 10 the tran
scendent interests consigned to his care, be just
as consderate, Just as calm, and just as dispas-
sionate in the one as in the other.
The President at Cleveland, as elsewhere upon
his tour, has met thousands of those who do not
indOrse his policy, and among them as matter
OF course, there have been a good many men OF
rude manners and very low conception OF the
properties of such occasions and he has been
subjected at their hands TO taunJs and
reproaches, more or less disrespecttul and
insulting. He has made a great mistake in
retorting upon them, OF IN paying the shghtest
attention to them. The President OF the United
States cannot enter upon an exchange OF
cpithets with the brawlers of mob, without
seriously compromising his Official lcharacter, and
haZardlng interests too momentous TO be thus
lightly lmperlled. He may safely leave the vim
diCaton OF his official acts, especially against
such assault, TO his friends; and mere personal
atTonts 1t is utterly beneath his personal or ofi-
cal character 10 notice or even to hear,
The President, in excuse for the tenor of his
remarks at Cleveland, said 1t was his habit when
attacked to defend himself This is his nature.
and it has, indeed been the habit of his political
life. His political successes have been won py
hard blows, and he has been compelled, at every
stage of his career, to confront hostilites of the
most reckless and envenomed character We
can understand how difficult it is for him to
change in this respect or to realize at once the
wide difference between the responsibilities o.
his present position and those of a popular can
yass in a Border State during a heated politica
contest. Candid men will give all due weigh
TO the effect of such a training upon minC
naturally tenacious OF its own conviction, and
character utterly incapable OF weak complances
But the mass of the people find it more difficult
to make such alloWance-and thousands AM
tens OF thousands, whose judgments assent 10 tn
principles which the President represents ar
startled and bewildered by the manner in whicl
he advocates them.
1t is O great mistake on the part of the Pres
dent to assume or suppose that the great bod
of the people in the North who dissent from hi
views are enemies OF the Union, or are seekin
consciously to destroy 1t. We believe the polio
they favor TO be traught with infinite mischit
10 the country, and with great peril to its peac
and perpetuity. But they seek no such result
They are still under the influence of the passion
aroused by the war-passions essential Will
the war continued, to its vigorous prosecution