Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1866-11-29
Andrew Johnson in France.

we translate IrOH tHe oouihai ooo
Debats of Paris the following article
from the pen of M. Provost Paradol,
which is interesting as showing the
views taken blythe Liberals of France up
on our affairs, and how they appreciate
the precise attitude. Of President john
son.
The news from the United States is Of
peculiar interest to those of our readers
who are at all versed in American af-
fairs, and the early days of December at
the fartherest will see the denose'nent OF
the contest which has arisen between
the President and Congress. Often as
the French journals have discussed this
grave question they have not generally
presented to their readers fair state
ment Of the causes which have produced
this wide breach between the executive
power and the legislative power of the
United States and we see daily instan-
ces of those, who neither wanting in
sentiments of justice nor intelligence,
cast their sympathy with the President
before they have been justified in their
| action by proper information.
What is this constitutional amend
ment which the President so bitterly op-
poses, and which Congress has made an
| absolute condition of the readmission
| In Congress Is it unjust, as Mr.. john
| son pretends ? Is it necessary for the
maintenance Of internal harmony, late
| ly so fearfully disturbed and so pain
| fully re-established ? These are ques-
tions which we must coolly discuss be-
/ r. do In, fax of Mr lnhr-
son, although in his bearing towards
| the conquered, and in his expressed de-
sire to forget the past he has appealed
| to the noblest sentiments Of the heart.
Words, however, have little value in
| such a grave state of affairs, If they do
not conform to the true condition Of
things and If we would judge Of the
Presidents opposition togood we must
| not halt on the words, but right to the
| fact.
If the legislation Immediately anterior
to the war should resume its course, as
Mr.. johnson desire, each State would
remain absolute Judge of the manage
ment of its debts, of the conditions of
the elective franchise and even of the
exercise of civil rights, and, by conse-
auence, of the political and social con-
ditiou of all its inhabitants. In other
words, the Southern States could then
legally repudate the national debt, and
pay instead the debt contracted by them
during the war, for the prosecution of
the war to raise the chiefs of the rebel
lion to the highest honors the State
could bestow, and to perpetuate, against
the blacks, in default of slavery, that
exclusion from political rights which
was the necessary accompaniment and
the natural consequences OF their serVl-
tude.
But this is not all. These questions
are important and must be solved +; but
there is another which cannot be es-
caped, the number of representatives to
which the South is to be entitled. This
has been determined heretofore by the
indirect representation of the slaves !
but slavery now has ceased to exist.
These are the various Questions to which
the constitutional amendment has give
rise and in discussing them it is beyog
question that the Republican party, o Z
der its wise and sagacious leaders, "a
not overstepped moderation in the n ou
of victory.
What will be the result if Mr.. Joh lso
persists in his imprudent course /
would be very difficult for him j-day
even were he to surrender compile 1ely t
Congress, to regain the public conf .dence
aud the exercise of the Pres identia
power. after such submissio a, woul,
be almost impossible. 1t Is general,
expected that Congress, IN .mediatel,
| npon reassembfing, will I'M peach an,
depose the President, when . le Presiden
of the Senate will become tae legal sue
cessor of Mr.. Lincoln as head Of th'
: Republic. For we cannot forget tina
this is still the Presidenc of that illus
: trous sleeper, and the removal Of Mr.
johnson from Office wou Id only give th'
murdered President, for. the time which
! vet remains, a more worthy successor
There is but another question, and thai
is. will the second successor of Mr.. Lin
, colu be compelled to employ force 70 exc
3 | cute the DEGREES of Congress and to sus
tain his own power 2 Let US hope thai
/. It will not be necessary to proceed te
8 such an extremity, although the Ameri
e can people have been much excited BY
recent strange events.