The Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1863-1886, 1866-08-16
THE CASE STATED,

The rupture between the President
and Congress is lamentable, but it is
decided. AS his policy failed to com,
mind the approval of the Union party
and it cannot be denied that it has, his
only alternative was to relin9uish it or
await other support That could come
from one quarter only, from the Dem
ocratic party. 1t was not to be ex-
pected that the President would relin.
quish what he deemed the sole consti-
tutional and sagacious policy; and
therefore the elected candidate of the
Union party in 1864 has no other par
ty support than that of the Democ-
racy.
Regrets and rccriminations are
equally vain. 1t is too late to wonder
whether, had the wise and patient
Lincoln lived, the party which sustain
cd him and the war, would not have
settled without serious opposition the
great question of reunion. 1t is vain
also to blame the President or to aspcrse
him. Men act from mixed motives,
and it is both unmanly and unwise 10
traduce those with whom we profound
ly differ, and whom we most steadfhst-
ly oppose. The welfare of the country
through the triumph of the fnndamcn-
tai American principle, which Mr..
Speed well defines in his letter of res.
ignaton as "the political liberty and
equality of mankind under the law"
this is the end which every thought
ful citizen will constantly bear in mind
and it is therefore of very little impor-
tance il the President is influenced by
a desire of re- election by wish TO
live his future years peacefullyin Ten
lnessee; by an inextinguishable hostil.
lity to what is called "Radicalism !" by
an ineradicabIc Southern proclivity;
/ by ircapacity to comprehend the stu.
alton, or by tho,most conscientious de-
sire to do his duty faithfully. 1t is
vain to turn upon him the fire Of his
own words when he was Military Gov
ornor OF Tennessee, or when he succeed
cd to the Presidency fora man of ar
dent temperament and of utterly un.
disciplined mind says many things
under extraordinary excitement iof
which he cannot fairly be held rcspon-
sible. Whatever the Presidents mo-
lives may be, he has distinctly declar'
dlhis policy, That policy will be sus.
tanned by the Democratic party, and
must be estimated notify his personal
character, but by its own merits and
by the necessities of action which the
new coalition will impose upon him
This is true also Of tho policy o
Congress- Our judgement must bC
determined not by our opinion Of Mr.
4 Thaddeds Stevens, or Mr.. lngersoIl, OF
4 of any other ardent or unwise declam
| eri; not by tho i'll humor of debates OF
the occasional folly of certain acts
Neither is it of present Importance
whether Congress has been too slow OF
too fast in arriving at its conclusions
i Congress has been maligned, derided
and denounced as the President hal
! been. 1t is enough that each has de
elared its policy of reunion. upoI
these policies the people will decide a
the autumn elections and every sen
sible man will weigh them well.
i The exact point, then, is this; Th
4 President holdst that the States latol,
in rebellion, having accepted condi
tions he has imposed without consnlta
tion with the representatives. Of tn