The weekly north Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1857-1867, 1866-04-18

debted to MARTIN +. COTE Esq. for liberal
files of the daiiy) has an article On John
son and congress which suits us, in the
main, and it follows this introduction. The
Commercial is a republican paper-it holds
no Office under government, and hence the
force of its remarks. We omit the begin
ming and the close of the article, because
we havn't space:
His friends in congress of his own party
arc, as we may now count them, but few,
yet they will outnumbcr those Mr.. Lincoln
had two years ago, for there were not a
dozen then in both houses who favored
Lincoln's reelection. This is chapter of
history SO instructive, that we find it profit
able to turn to it in this connection.
In the second volume of the Diary of
Count Gurowski, just published, we find
jottcd down the radical impression and Cos
sip Of the hour, during very interesting
time of Lincoln's administration, rs fol-
lows:
''January IL, 1864.
Every day more positively find con-
tirmed the fact that Mr.. Lincoln is not the
man, is not the choice Of the majority Of
both Houses. The reason is obvious. The
best men in both Houses see face to face
aud observe Lincoln and his workings
They know his length, his breadth, his
mind, his nerve, his ccrebcllum.
February 4, 1864.
81 have not met one single, earnest and
clear-sighted man, from whatever state he
may come, that aNows his preference for
Lincoln.
''Junc 5.
"Washington is ovcrrun with politicians
and contractors. The Baltimore
Convention is at the door, and tho ravens
make due obesiance at the White House.
Many true patriots such as Potter, Of Wis,
Grow and Thaddeus Stevens, Of Penn,
Morrill,, of Maine, and similar ones are
sent by the people to the Conventions; but
they are in the minority. Their cummu-
ties select them t. vote for Lincoln. and
| therefore the current can not be stopped,
..June !.
''Baltimore-Eyen here I witness how
reluctant the best men are to go for Lin
coin. They know him.
| June Q.
''Mr. Lincoln is nominated, but what a
chill runs through the best men. Many of
the best Of Republicans in Congress and
out of Congress will be almost indifferent
if Mr.. Lincoln is not elected. Many look
! to the Chicago Convention.
| ''July 6.
''Mr. Lincoln spites Congress and peck
cts the bill for reconstruction as passed by
both Houses. Mr.. Lincoln finds the bill
good and finds it not good; exactly the
Lincoln shilly-shallyness."
| None who are well informed will dispute
that we have here an accurate reflection of
the radical sentiment two years ago, about
| Mr.. Lincoln. 1t is clear as a sun picture.
Ii the martyred President had lived he
would have found fight with the cxtrem-
lists of this Congress on the reconstruction
question unavoidable, but we are of opin-
ion that with less combativeness he would
have been more formidable to his oppo-
nents than Mr.. johnson has proven.
The proceedings Of Congress have not
been calculated to correct any mistakes the
President may have made, but to enlist his
self-respect, his patriotic feeling, his very
manhood, to resent the course taken toward
him, and resist it with his utmost strength.
Instead of trying to do the best possible
under the circumstances, Congressional &C
ton seems to have been directed to make
the worst out of the situation.
If there has been moment when the
policy of universal suffrage with universal
amnesty in the South, could have been
made a success, it was sometime before the
meeting Of Congress. Therefore, all that
has been said and done about negro suf-
frage in Congress this winter, from first to
last, has been foolish expenditure of en-
ergy, wanton waste of time, and tota.-
| ly needless agitation.
The leadership of Congress has been
distinguished by its folly. The classical
and drcary Sumner, and the petulant and
malignant Stevens, have combined the i'm
practicable with the mischievous in won
derful degree. If they had been states
men, they might have SO directed the pow
er of Congress as to modify and improve
the Presidents policy, without aggravat-
ing him into open hostility, but they have
been SO exacting, headlong and furious,
that they can not point to a single fact
accomplished, unless they are willing to
call themselves the architects of ruin, and
claim credit for the chaos that is about
them.
The Freedmen's Bureau Bill and Civil
Rights Bill, SO far as calculated to protect
the Freedmen, to throw the shield Of law
over the weak, and the strong arm of the
nation about those who are prosecuted,
were, upon the highest and most impera-
tive considerations, required of Congress I;
but in proportion to the exigency of this
requirement, the necessity existed that the
needful measures should not be cucumber
ed with irrelevant and odious matter
Under the imperious but unwise manage
ment that beckons Bringing majorities in
| Congress, both measures were weighted
with superfuities, restriction heaped upon
restriction, until both might be fairly class
ed with that cumbrOus and Obtrusive legis-
lation in which it is attempted to "goyern
the world too much.''
The work of generation can not be &C.
complished by act Of Congress, and the
country is too large to be regulated in all
its parts, have its customs prescribed, and
all its domestic affairs settled, by single
legislative body, and the officers appointed
by the Chief Magistrate. The class Of
legislation attempted by Congress, and
which the President combats in his veto
messages, is revolutionary, because subver
sive Of our system Of Government, that re
ferred local matters to local legislators and
magistrates. It no more follows that thu
overthrow, by warfare, Of the idea of thu
supreme sovereignty of the States, carries
with it the destruction of all the rights o.
the States, than it does that because traitors
were ever ready to cry out that all acts re
straining them were unconstitutional, tn
constitution itself may be disregardcd, ant
that the application of constitutional test
to acts of Congress is trcacherous.
4 An opinion seems to prevail among Con
gressmen that they have only to do Ger
tain amount of voting, as decided in eau
Gus, to establish their policy. 1t is a mis-
take. They are incapable Of making law
to control this and al coming generation
of the American people, and in their loft
conccit, they are putting too great strait
upon the authority they hold. They ar