Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1866-09-06
RUTLAND HERALD.
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER l, 1866,
English views OF the Political Sit.
nation in shis Country

ana COZ temner " the North. ltS JOY AT
the pro. pect tia this country was TO be
broken pieces and its prestige and
power de> troyed, was loudly and Often
sively expressed. 1t encouraged and
defended all that was done by the Eng
lish in aid OF the Southern rebels. In
short it was the representative and
mouth piece OF the English aristocrats
who hate the republican institutions of
the United States,-a blatant, pro.rebel,
anti-Union sheet of the worst kind from
the beginning TO the end.
On the other hand, the London News,
the organ Of the liberal class in England,
was throughout our late war the stead
fast friend Of our government, and OF the
Union party which was sighting against
traitors for the governments preserva-
ton.
Now bearing these facts in mind, is it
not significant that the Times now sup
ports President Johnson's reconstruction
policy, while the News stands by Con-
gress?
The difference between Congress and
the President is calmly and soberly dis
cussed by the News in an article from
which we make the following extracts.
1t says:
The whole course of American politics
during the present year has indicated
the gradual severance of Mr.. Johnson
from the party which elected him, and
the principles on which he was supposed
to have taken his stand Bitterly Op-
posed by the Democratic party OF the
North, denounced in unmeasured Ian
guage by pro-slavery journals and poll
went to the White House with the repu-
tation Of being more Republican than
the Republicans and more Northern in
his sympaJhies than the Northern people
themselves. His earlier language justi-
fed this reputation, though his very
earliest acts looked in different direc-
ton. The South trembled at his words,
though they never had occasion to
tremble at his deeds and the moderate
section o. the Republican party were
not without approximations that a policy
of repression might be entered on, which
would give q vindictive character to the
Northern victory. But Mr.. Johnson
soon began to show that all these fears
were groundless. Treason, "chastised
with the valor Of his tongue" found that
it was to suffer no ether chastisement.
The rebellious states soon discovered
that though The voice was that of an en-
envy, the hand was that of friend; and
the more extreme politicians OF the
North had speedy reason to regret
change which they had once thought
might be favorable TO their plans. From
the opening Of the present session Of
Congress, gradual but most decisive
change had been taking place in Mr.
Johnson's attitude. He seemed at first
to assume the lofty position Of media
tor between the divided sections Of his
country. He put necessary and bene-
fetal curb on the excited feelings OF the
North, and stayed some hasty legislation
which Congress had unwisely attempt
ed. But in doing this he needlessly
placed himself in position of antago-
nism TO his former friends, which has
acted prejudiciaily upon his temper, and
has fatally controlled his policy. The
breach has never been healed, but has
gone on gradually widening, until at
length it has become impossible. By
the force o. old association, Of the temp
tations Of his position, and, it must be
added, OF petulant preference for his own
plans, be has thoroughly severed himself
from the Republican party, and assumed
the attitude Of q Southern advocate and
an opposition leader. The break with
his old friends is complete, and his
auondam opponents are those who are
now ralIying to his leadership. Uncon-
ditional restoration of the Southern
States, with their inequality OF repre-
sentation and their oligarchical constl-
buttons, has now become Mr.. Johnson 8
policy, and the pro, Southern party in
the North have hailed him as their
leader, much as the Tory party here
hailed the leadership of Mr.. Lowe and
the disappointed section of the liberals,
when they combined to overthrow a
government which had unpardonably
sinned by not including them. The
elf-constituted Moses of the negro race
will have become their Pharaoh, and
will be leading his army in the wake OF
their progress from the land of bondage
not, indeed, to recapture them fol
slavery, but TO make them accept the
new conditions of their freedom from the
hands OF those who had enslaved them
y Il is perhaps better that the sew.
erance Of Mr.. johnson from his owr
friends should be thus complete. II
places the issue more fully and unmis
takably before the people, and it seem:
to us that it gives far better chance o
a decisive victory to the party of Free
dom and Progress. Perhaps nothing
better represents the actual divergence
between Congress and the President THAI
the bill which Congress has lately passed
in one day over the Presidents veto. A
the present time four millions of inhab
itants of the Southern States are in tn,
condition of an inferior class, POLITICAL.
and socially. Their reimbursement ha
been effected against the wish OF thos
who held them in bondage, and in direc
opposition to the laws and customs 0
the states in which slavery existed. Tn
constitutional amendment" which be
came by its due ratification the suprem
law of the land, not only abolishe