The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-08-16
The Martyr President-The True Way of
Doing Him Honor.

From the Times.
The opponents of the President, in their efforts
upon the stump, habtually accompany attacks
upon his policy with reeretful illusions to the
departed Lincoln. who is represented as having
occupied a position exactly opposite 10 that
held by his successor. Mr.. Speaker Colfax, in
Indiana, and Mr. eX-Postmaster-General Denni
son, in Ohio, have resorled to this artfce within
the last few days. Their aim is apparent 1t is
to use the dead to damage the living. And to
accomplish this, Mr.. Lincoln is described as an
adherent of policy with which the Congress
that now is would have been satisfied. Had
Mr.. Lincoln lved there would have been no
trouble about the South" is the burden of the
radical song. with Mr.. Lincoln in power,
Congress would have pursued its course unob-
structed" is the plain import of all these radical
references TO the martyr President.
To call this disingenuousness is scarcely to do
it justice. 1t is pure, unadulterated dishonesty.
Mr.. Lincoln may not have had all of Mr.. John
sons robust pugnaci ty, but he had the same
purposes, relied upon the same means, and in
his lifetime encounte red the same species OF
hostility. In its essence, the policy OF the living
President IS the policy OF his predecessor. The
principles to which johnson infexibly adheres
are the principles TO which Lincoln was openly
and unequivocally committed. Every measure
that has been adopted by the President we now
nave is part of the legacy he inherited on his
advent to power. For all that he has done he
has a justification in the aVowed plans and
opinions OF him to whom the radicals now render
hypocritical homage.
There is not one OF the views insisted upon by
the radicals which can boast OF the SANCTION Il
Mi. Lincoln's name. Their DISLIKE to his
denomination, as expressed by Mr.. Thaddeus
Stevens is proof sufficient that they had mea-
sured the man, and found MIN too lofty tor their
standard. His generous nature spurned the
Oc v,Y,Afc fun ula0 40 had NIt
his foot down upon all schemes OF confscatioD,
disfranchisement, and dlsunion. He never forgot
that the war was waged to restore the Union,
| and that being accomplished, he mad no thought
of probation, or penalties, or conditions, save the
| single condition OF acqulescence in the known
| results of the conflict. Resentments, or ex-
| clusons, or stipulauons were, in his judg-
ment. impolitlc, as well as degrading to the
| victorious power. His great anxiety was to
restore unity to the nation with the least possi-
BILE delay, and to achieve this he was willing to
receive back the South with open arms anu the
! warmth OF magnanimous heart. Judging from
what's known OF his intentions, from his words
and acts, Mr.. Lincoln, had ne lived, would have
| been even less eXacting than Mr.. Johnson; he
would have invited the South 10 resume lCS
| constitutional functions in every respect; and
| he would have insisted upon ITS right to imme-
diate representation In Congress. We say this
not alphabetically or as matter OF guess-worS,
but in lull view of Mr. L.ncoln's plans, as from
time to time proclaimed by himself OF this,
therefore, we are colddent. that had he lived
his policy would have been Identical with that
tor which President Johnson contends, and the
radical abuse now heaped upon another would
have fallen upon his head.
Both Messrs. Colax and Dennison, then, pre-
sumo upon the iorgetfulness OF the public when
they venture to compliment Mr.. Lincoln at the
expense OF Mr.. Johnson. The country remem-
bers that conspicuous radicals complained OF
Mr.. Lincoln ere he was murdered, as too
friendly to the Sonth to please their taste; and
it remembers, also, that divers reverends, hold
ing high places in the radical church, 0lasphem.
ously ascribed the murder TO the Providential
appreciation of the want of a sterner man to
PUNISH the Southern people. Mr. Lincoln had
not q spark of radlcalsm in his composition.
He was, as President Johnson is sound, con-
servatiye, constitutional champion OF the
Union, and was detested by the radicals in con-
sequence.
Mr.. Colfax we believe, was one OF Mr.. Lin
| coins friends. He has, however dubious
| method OF showing his friendship. To place the
dead in a false light before the world-to use
the memory of the dead as means of assailing
one who took up the task and adopted the
policy of the dead--is surely not the part OF
fnendship, nor of ofgenerosity or Justice. The true
way OF honoring Mr.. Lincoln would seem TO be
to aid In consummating the work which he left
unfinished In the spirit in which he began it.
And there is no more efficient way OF doing this
than by helping President johnson, and putting
! down the radicals.