The Weekly Perrysburg journal. [volume] (Perrysburg, O. [Ohio]) 1861-1???, 1866-05-11

John Van Buren's exultiug declaration to
the lato Democratic johnson meeting at
New York, that "nO Democratic President
had ever died in office. aud that taking
counsel from the past, he might say none
ever would. is q flippant reckless, aban4
doned recognition Of the establishment Of
assassination as . part Of our political syss
ten. There are enough Of condolences in
our history TO give color 20 it. II would
be more correct to say that no President
who ever stood in the way of the slave
holders conspiracy to dominate or destroy
the Cover ment, had ever lived through
his term and that taking counsel from the
past he might say none ever would.
Harrison died suddenly, at the beginning
ot his term, and Tyler, man entirely in
Southern control, came into power. Alex
ander H. Stephens, aud Toombs, and others
had tried to bully MIR. Taylor into their
views, aud had totally failed, before he
died. Fillmore was already in political
circle, opposed to Mr.. Taylor, and when he
came to power, he proved subserviont to
Southern demands. The conspiracy to
subvert the Government was fully organ
izcd duriug the election canvass of Fremont
and buchanan, and was to be precpitated
in cusc Of Fremonts election. The subsc-
quont developments ol Breckinridges act
i've engagement in the plot will give
rational explanation OF the National Hotel
poisoning attempt 10 take of Mr., Buchanan,
who, with all his weakness, was not an
active agent in their lauds. Had Brecken-
ridge been in power when Lincoln was
elected, the South could have made the
fight in tie Govornmcnt
Who does not rem mhcr The CLEO Of the
Democratic papers over the Southern COM
spiracy to q sassuate Mr.. Lincoln at Baltl-
more, on his way to the Presidential office;
their lack of any ccnsure of il, their coun4
ttnauce OF il, and their fierce attacks upon
MIR, Lincoln FOR taking measures 10 escape
assassination. The doctrine which Mr..
Douglas made his great principle in that
canvass, was tho doctrine of sectional mob
violence as tho test of tho soundness of
political principles 1t was this; | hold
that any political principle must be unsound
when they who hold il cannot safely de.
clare it in every section of the country"
This was making assassination superior to
principle. Tho playcd.out politician who
made Presidential canvass on this afro.
cious sentiment was pelted with eggs I'M
tho South, and finally had to take stand
on principle that could not be declared in
Nle South till our armies had conquered 1t.
! The world has become aware that John
! Wilkes Booth was not a madman, nor they
who iustigatd and conspired with him
fools; and that tho ostentatious lament of
some people in the South that I" the South
lost it's best friend" was either the inno-
cence OF dense ignorance, which could be
possible only in few, or u hypocrtical cry
to divert suspicion and justice. The prom
ises of terrible penalties upon traitors, that
were cried aloud from TIE White House
| with Jealous repetition, for several weeks
after the assassination, helped to confuse
the public judgment, and to make this as
sassiuaton unaocomtable on any rational
! theory OF Confederate gain.
But it is now plain that there was ration4
! al method in the assassination conspiracy,
and that it was success. In the face of
the fact that it had been generally agitated
in the Conlederacy. aud always as a justifi-
able resort when it coull be made of prao-
teal benefit TO the rebel cause, it is absurd
to suppose that it was limited to Booth aud
the Suratt family, or to few They were
mere scapegoats, hurried ont of the world
to bear the burden Of public attention. The
assassins knew the man they assassinated,
and the man who would come to power by
IT, There is not a particle of evidence that
the plot included Mr.. Johnson. lie bore q
life as charmed as Van Buren, attributes TO
Democratic Presidents, aud so did Mr.. Lin
coin while Mr.. Hamln was Vice President.
For John Van Buren to declare, upon
this counsel of the past that no Demo-
cratic President will ever die in office, has
the air of exnltng over assassination as o
successful Democratic art. But we make
no exceptions to the assurance that Demo.
cratic Presidents--that is, Presidents who
are actively hostile to the North-are in no
danger OF being taken off during their term
of Office. Assassination is not Northern
art, at least not outside the Democratic
party. When Mr.. johnson talked about the
desire to Hssassinate him, he merely had
on the brain the means which brought him
to power Cincinnati Gazette.