Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1866-02-23
zero arnssAGE.

Nearly our entfre, disposable space Is
occupied by the message sent to the Sen
ate LAST Monday by the President, giving
ais reasons for refusing to approve the
bill to enlarge the powers of the Freed
mems Bureau. 1t is an important doc
ument, will be universally read, has al
ready ELECTED considerable comment, and
promises to be subject of discussion for
some time to come. The President needs
no champion to present his views 90. any
subject to the best possible advantage
he has the ability to speak for himself
and does not lack the disposition if ocea-
sion requires the message is there
fore respectfully commended to the read
er on its merits, leaving each to form bis
own conclusions.
We regret the President could not 6nd
it consistent with his sense Of duty to
sanction the bill IN question, which had
received so large q vote in both houses
of Congress-we believe the freedmen
should have the sustaining hand of the
Government thrown around them till their
rights as freemen are established beyond
power of being impaired-and we trust
some modified bill will be adopted having
that object in view, upon which Congress
and the Executive can harmonic. We
do not doubt the disposition of the Presi-
dent to deal justly with the freedmen
he has on all occasions and at all times
avowed himself the friend Of their race
while yet slaves offered himself as their
Moses to lead them from bondage to lib
erty-and we have seen nothing yet to
cause US to doubt his sincerity or honesty
in m aking these avOwals, or to indicate
that he is likely to prove false to them
Nor have we seen anything in the actions
or avowals of the President to cause Us
to doubt his fidelity to the party which
elevated him to power. or to give warrant
for the Incorporate language that hasty
aud indiscreet persons both in and out of
Congress have been indulging in. The
lamented LINCOLN passed through a simi-
lar ordeal at one of the darkest periods
in the history of the country, but the peo-
pie knew he was honestly striving to do
his duty and sustained him, and none will
now dispute the correctness of the pop
ular judgment. Those who were most con
spicuous in condsmning Mr.. LINCOLN are
also those who are first to arraign the
President and impugn his motives, be-
cause he happens not to agree with them
in all the details pertaining to the intri-
cate and delicate subject of restoring the
revOlted States to their proper sphere in
the Union.
Believing Mr.. JOHNSON to be as honest
in his efforts to promote the best interests
of the country as was Mr.. LINCOLN, we
doubt not he will in like manner be sus-
tanned by the great mass of the people, at
least until he has given sufficient cause
for the withdrawal of that confidence and
which we conceive no rational or
man will claim he has yet done.
As we all differ more or less on questions
growing out Of the anomalous state of the
country, and ask tolerance aud charity
or our own views, we must accord the
anne to others Of our political household
We reprobate haBty and indiscreet ex-
,ressions and oommittals at a time like
his; and as we purpose praoticing calm
ness and moderation, as has always been
,ur won't in times Of excitement, we earn
,stly commend ike course to our intel
igent and discriminating readers.