The Portland daily press., 1866-02-21
and protect which the party was at first organ

and protect which the party was at first organ
ized. - .~sss&.
Slavery was believed 10 be abolished by the
Emancipation Proclamation; the loyal people
had called upon the freedmen to shoulder the
musket, and if ever oath was registered in
Heaven, there was registered the oath of the
national heart and conscience that Che men
thus called upon, for their prompt and effici-
ent response, should never be remanded to
the control of their old masters, but should
be invested with all the rights and privileges
OF manhood This oathihas not been kept
sa Mr.. johnson had placed himself ons5ecord
in Tennessee, as he had previously in the Sen
ate, as the uDeompromising enemy OF traitors,
saying treason must be made infamous, that it
is sin, and that those guilty OF 1t should
suffer the extreme penalty of the law. He was
believed to be trustworthy; he acdS trusted,
confided in, and at his Inauguration, when enc
mics traduced him those who had taken him
up defended his reputation. No man has ev-
er been more kindly treated. No one stood in
his way no one showed the slightest DISPOSE
ton to do so. Had he wished for re-elec-
ton no man of his party was disposed to raise
voice in opposition. n14 ~'a s. G
Whether Mr.. johnson, since his accession
to the seat made vacant by the tragic death Of
the beloved Lincoln, has justified the reason
able expectations of those who elected him, it
is not the object OF this article to consider
His course is before the country. The loyal
people are familiar with the whole OF it.
They know the hopes and fears which have
alternated in their own hearts; they know
how red-handed rebels have been pardoned
and restored to their forfeited rights; how the
rebel presses of the South are loud in express
sions of confidence in the President while
which he was elected they know the whole
copperhead press and party of the North have
claimed him as their own, and they know Of
recent acts believed to be in opposition to the
great, overwhelming sentiment of Congress
and of the people. What is to be the result
we do not predict. Whether the President is
to turn his back upon those who elevated and
have stood by him, and throw himself into the
embrace of quondarh rebels and copperheads,
is among the undeveloped things ofthe future.
We have hoped for different result, and
when the report of the Presidents conversation
with the Virginians represented him as insult
ing northern loyal men, by styling them the
'counterparts and duplicates" of southern
frat xxyan oulI of would mr. hnIiQvp
such words ever escaped his lips. One thing
is quite sure, however, that it will not do to
trust in men. Abraham Lincoln could be
trusted, but Abraham Lincoln is dead. His
spirit lives, however, and lives in The loyal peo-
pie of the land, and the great cause to which
he fell martyr will not stop; no man can
stop it; it is greater than Presidents or Parties,
and he who opposes it will 60 to the WALL o.,
The party OF the nation is a party of princi-
pie. The party that relies upon men, ig-
noring principle, is of no more account than
a whited sepulchre. The people never were
more loudly called upon than now to stand
firm. In this country, thank God, they alone
are sovereign. They make Presidents and
they can unmake them. They have not sac
rificed their best blood, given their first-born,
and poured out their treasure like water, to be
cheated of the result. Let them register anew
their oaths, before high Heaven, that the
sword of eternal justice, placed in their hands
shall never be sheathed till principles tri-
umph, though men fall like grass before the
mowers scythe. sai7is 3 ed gaas ezhtj .-ftli.