The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1866-09-13
Mr.. Reeeber,s Po.i,ian.


ing his sympathy with The purposes Of the
Cleveland Convention, our attention here in
Maine was fixed pretty earnestly upon the po-
Atcal opinions and acts of Gen. Chamberlain,
Mr. Lynch, Mr.. Sweat and Mr.. Pillsbury A
number of the leading members of the Ply
mouth Church have since addressed commu-
nication to their pastor, decidedly, though re-
spectfully expressing their dissent from his
views His reply, which is very long, was read
to his congregation last Sunday. The material
portions of the document are given below, and
viii sufficiently elucidate Mr.. Beechers views:
PEEKsKILI., Saturday, Aug. 8, 1866
am Obliged to you for your letter. i am
sorry that my friends and my congregation are
grieved by my Cleveland letter.
This feeling, however, has no just grounds,
whatever may be the seeming l have not left,
and do not intend to leave or to be put out of
the republican party. L am m sympathy with
its aims, its great principles and its army of no
BILE men. But took the liberty of criticising
its policy in o single respect, and to do what
could do to secure what believed and still be-
lieve to be a better one.
/ am, and from the first have been, fully of
opinion that the amendment of the Constitu-
ton, proposed by Congress, equalizing repre-
sentati0n in Northern and Southern States
was intrinsically just and reasonable, and that
it should be sought by a wholesome and per-
sistent moral agitation.
But, from the present condition of the public
mind and from the Presidents attitude, 1
deemed such change to be practically impos-
sible in any near period by political action.
And plan of reconstruction, based upon that
seems to me far more like plan of adjournine
reconstruction for years at least, with all the
liabilities of mischief which are ALWAYS to be
expected in the fluctuations of politics in a free
nation. sa5s sl4s
Neither am la johnson man" in any re-
ceived meaning of that term. / accept that
part OF the policy which he favors-but with
modlf1catlon. have never thought that it
would be wise to bring back all the States in a
body, and at once, any more than it would be
to keep them all out together One by one in
due succession, under a practical Judgment,
rather than by Wholesale theOretic rule, i
,wouid have them re-admitted. l still think a
middle course between the Presidents and that
ofCongress would be wiser than either But with
this my agreement with the President ends. |
have long regretted his ignorance of Nofthern
ideas and sentiments and have been astonished
and panied at his increasing indiscretions. I'm
consciously the President is the chief obstacle To
the fe-admissiOn of Southern States IL is
teneugh that he is known to favor measure, to
set the public mind against it. This is to be de-
piored. But 1t Is largely owing to his increasing
lmprudent conduct. believe him to be hon.
est sincere in desiring what he regards as the
public good, but slow and unapt in receiving
help from other minds. Proud and sensitive,
hIih W OuStilaCy, reSOlute 10 uefceneSS, 1nteIl-
gent in his own sphere (which is narrow,) he
holds his opinions infiexibly." He often mis-
takes the Intensity of his own convictions for
strengthen evidence. 'ataas - 90. an Il
Such man has true sphere in periods of
peril, when ,alidacious firmness and rude yigor
are needed. Bpt in the delicate tasks of ad-
lustment which follow civil war, such nature
lacks that tact and delcacy and moral lntui-
ton which Constitute the true statesman
Mr. Johnson's haste to take the wrong side
at the atrocious massacre at New Orleans, was
shocking. The perversiOn and mutilation of
Sherldans g dispatches need no characteriza-
ton. L do;nOt attribute this act to him. Yet
1t was OF such criminal and disgraceful ma
ture that not to clear himself by the exposure
ana rebuke OF the offending party amounted to
colluslon with crime after the fact What
shall say of the speeches made in the wide re-
cent circuit of the Executive? Are these the
ways of reconciliation?
Yet Mr.. johnson is to be our President for
nearly three years to come; clothed with q
power which belongs to few thrones. Beside
the honor which people owe to him as the
Chief Magistrate, we must, as Christian citi-
zens, credit him with his real excellenses; his
original horror of secession, his bold resistance
to treachery, his persistent and self-denying
heroism in the long dark days of Tennessee
We must notforget that he has jealously re-
sisted a Capitalization of power in the Federal
government; that he has sought to dignity and
secure true State rights; that he has main
u
OF the common people. 1t is our duty, like
wise to forestall and prevent, as much as pos
sible, by kind but faithful criticism of his err
rors on the one hand and by sympathy and
kindness on the other, those dangers to which
he Is liable under attacks which he is peculiar
ly unable to bear with calmness, and those
dangers of evil counselors, which more and
more gravitate toward him. So long as it was
possible, l have been Silent upon Mr.. John
sons faults, and now speak so plainly, only
Il lest II tn r claaE Nffl.
And now allow me to express some surprise
at the turn which the public mind has taken
on my letter. i'll had never before spoken
my sentiments 1 can see how friends might
| year past have been advocating the very prin-
ciples of the Cleveland letter in all the chief
Eastern cities-in Boston, Portland, Spring
field, Albany, Utica, Rochester, Buffalo, Phila-
delphia, Harrisburg, Pittsburg and Brooklyn
| lat the academy of music last winter) These
views were reported, discussed, agreed to or
differed from, praised and blamed abundantly.
But no one thought, or at least said, that i re-
member, that had forsaken the Republican
| party, or had turned my back upon the freed
| man. My recent letter but condenses those
views which for twelve months have been
| earnestly engaged in urging upon the attep-
| ton of the community. i am not SURPRISED
that men dissent But this sudden cohsterna-
| lion, ana TINS late discovery of the nature OF
| my opinions, seem sufficiently SURPRISING.
Deeming the speedy admission of the South
ern States as necessary to their own health, as
indirectly the best policy for the freedmen, as
| peculiarly needful to the safety of our govern
1nent, which for the sake of accomplishing a
| good end, incautious men are in danger OF per-
/ verting, favored and do still favor the cleo
ton to Congress of Republicans VINO Ehl seek
| the early admission of the recusant States
4 Having urged it for year past, l was more
/ than ready to urge it again upon the various
4 tonventions which preceded the nomination
| of renrasentatives to Congress this fail In
th;s Shirt and for this end drew ,,p nv Cleve-
land letter deem its views sound; am not
sorry that I wrote it. 1 regret the misappre-
hension which it has caused, and vet more any
sorrow which it may have needlessly imposed
upon dear friends. As look back upon my
course l see no deviation from that straight
line which l have made, without wavering,
Tor now thirty years of public life, in favor of
justice, liberty, and the elevation of the poor
and ignorant
/ The attempt to class me with men whose
courscI have opposed all my life long Will ut
| terly fail have choose my own place, and
shall not be moved from IL. have been, from
| my youth, a firm, unwavering, avowed and ac-
! tive friend of all that were oppressed. ! have
I done nothing to forfeit that good name which /
hhave earned. lam not going weakly to turn