Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1866-03-08
TIE President and his Woaid-be
Captors.

presiden Johnson cannot wen DC helu
responsible FOR the adulations or the
Ysosl.sympathizlng democracy The
M whom ke exposed his life and lost
mis- -operty % put down in their work
Of tr, lson, VIII not be likely to win his
eonfd nee by Usome iattery, or by pre-
tended friendship, The President has
not uttered word, so far as we can as
certain, to indicate his love for traitors,
or Northern sympathizers with treason,
whom no man living denounced more
bitterly during the war than he. Who
does not remember how Andy Johnson /
went TO New York and into Indiana dur
ing the war, abandoning for time his
Important work at Nashville, in order |
to meet and put down the reasonable
calumnies OF the very men who are now
vociierous in his praise.
Surrounded as he was in Tennessee by
hosts OF armed traitors, whom he was
straining every nerve to keep out OF the
capital OF his adopted State, he yet felt
it his duty to hasten to the North to tell
disloyal democracy that the country
was in more danger from the aid which
they were giving the rebellion, than
from the armed traitors themselves
and we well remember how bitterly the
Northern copperheads denounced this
patriot then for "meddling with North
srn politics -branding him as an aboli-
ZIONIST and traitor from the democrat
io fold.
Now in all his interviews, in all his
public speeches, although he has on one
or two occasions uttered words as to
the reconstructive policy and few i'm
practicable members Of the Union party,
shat were distasteful to many Of his
best friends yet he has never uttered
b word TO indicate any abatement of his
hostility to traitors or their sympathiz-
ars. In his recent addresses to South
ern delegations and his veto message, he
distinctly asserts that only loyal men
should hold office, and If he is in con-
fict with some Of his Republican friends,
50, zoo, was his predecessor, Abraham
Lincoln, whose reconstruction policy
Mr.. Johnson is endeavoring 20 carry
OuJ. The President may commit errors,
and may say things distasteful to many
good Union men-but turn traitor to
his country, or become an ally OF cop
oerneauits he never can, and remain
the Andy Johnson he has proved himself
to be. While a large party may and do
unite on great essential principles it is
the most common tihing for individuals
OF the same party TO differ and even
quarrel about minor details. All know
the bitter opposition OF Senator Wade
and Representative Winter Davis to
President LinColns course in refusing to
they mad reported from the Senate and
House committees, and all know, too,
the open opposition Of Charles Sumner |
TO President Lincoln's policy with re-
gard to the admission of members ell
ed TO Congress from Louisiana aud one |
or bWo other reconstructed States,-how
q bill for their admission passed the
House, and how Mr.. Sumner by active
fllipustering, defeated it in the Seuate.
And yet the great Union party remained
firmly united, and lived to witness
TWO OF the most signal triumphs ever
schieved by military arms or the ballot
the reelection of President Lincoln
over Gen. Mcclellan, and the surrender
Of the rebel armies four months there
afer.
The of defeated and traitorous DEM
ecracy have become desperate, and have
been struggling to capture President
Johnson ever since he succeeded the
nnartyred Lincoln. Assuming that the
tssk would be easy from the fact that he
was a democrat and a Southern man,
tney have omitted no strategy to gain
their ends. They have tried fulsome
laudation and threats, but forgetting
the intrinsic character Of the man with
whom they are dealing, they are des-
tined TO disappointment more bitter
than the many they have yet exper-
jensed.