Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1866-10-04

I
American Union; and OF this conspiracy the
President Is the leader and the chief Nor
can he defend himself by saying that he de-
sires to preserve the Constitution ~ it was,
for he himself has been instrumental in 40.
curing an important alteration. The Con-
sfitution as il was" has passed away, and by
the aid Of Mr.. johnson.
Nor can he say that he is opposed 70 ex-
acting conditions precedent; fer he made the
ratification Of the snti-slavcry snendment q
condition precedent TO his own recognition
Of their existence as States clothed with
authority. Thus IL he wholly without pre-
per excuse for his conduct. Nor can be 81.
sert that the Rebel States are, and ever
have been, States Of the Union. and slwsys
and ever entitled to representation and with.
out conditions; for then is be guilty Of i'm
peachable efTenses in demanding ofthem the
ratification OF the constitutional amendment,
in debating policy to the Southern States,
in organizing provisional governments, in in
aupurating constitutional conventions, in de-
priving officers elected or appointed by su-
thority OF those States Of their Offices and.
in fine, in assuming to himself supreme au-
thority over the whole region Of country for
long period of time. Thus hi3 enly de-
fense of his present policy contsins an ad-
mission that be has usurped power, that he
has violated the Constitution, that he is
guilty of offenses for which he ought to be
impeached Thus 10 the suggestions which
the President tenders al his defense furnish
conclusive evidence that his conduct is wholly
indefensible.
While then the President cannot defend
his conduct, it is possible for others to ex-
plain it.
Its explanation may be found in some enc
or in several OF the following propositions {:
l. That the rebel leaders have acquired .
control over the President, through the
power of some circumstance not known to
the public which enables them to dictate a
policy to him.
2. That he fears impeachment, and con-
seauently directs oil his efforts to secure
more than third of the Senate, 90 as to
render a conviction impossible.
3. That he seeks a re election, and pur-
poses to make the South a unit in his faver,
as the nucleus around which the Democrat
ic party of the North must gather in 1868.
f. That he desires to reinstate the South
as the controlling force in the government
of the country.
In reference to the first proposition, we
are restricted to the single remark that 1t u
not easy 10 imagine the rebels capable of
making any demand upon the Executive
which. in his present state Of mind, he
would not be prepared to grant. he has
pardonea many of the leaders and principal
men of the Rebellion, and ssme Of them he
has appointed to ofice. He has resisted
every attempt on the part of Congress TO
furnish protection te the loyal men of the
South, and he has witnessed and discussed
a. lia.l,, lz,-oxe ~ Nor,nlio and Aau,
Orleans with cold -blooded Indifference. -
Early in his term of Office he offered an i'm
mense reward for the person of jefferson
Davis; and now that the ACCUSED has bsen
in the official custody Of the President, a.
the head of the army, for more than fifteen
months, he has neither proclaimed his inno.
cence and set him at liberty, nor subjected
him to trial according to the laws of the
land. Davis is guilty of the crime Of trea-
son. OF this there can be no doubt. He is
indicted in one judicial district The Presi-
dent holds the prisoner by military aathori-
ty: and the accused cannot be arrsigued be.
fore the civil tribunals. Davis was charged
by the President with completely in the as
sassination of Mr.. Lincoln. There is much
evidence tending to sustain the charge; hut
the accused is neither subjected 10 trial by
military commission, ner turned over to
the civil tribunals of the country. These
acts are offenses against justice; they are Of
fenses against the natural and legal right, O.
the accused, however guilty he may be; they
| are effenses against the honor of the Ameri
can people; they are acts in violence OF the
| Constitution. If the elections Of 1866 are
favorable to the President they will be fol
| lowed by the release of Davis, and the coua'
| try will see the end Of this part OF The point.
Upon any view of the Presidents case, il
| ia evident that he has thrown himself inte
the arms of the South. and his personal and
political fortunes are identified with South
ern success in the coming contest. He claims
to stand on the Baltimore platform of 1864
and to follow in the footsteps of President
Lincoln. The enemies Of President Liucoln
are reconcled to this assumption, BY the
knowledge that Mr.. Johnson's couusellsrs
are the Seymours, VsllsHdigham, Voorhees,,
and the Woods Mr.. johnson under these
evil influences of opinion and counsel, has
succeeded in producing a division of parties
in this country corresponding substantially
to the division which Demosthe mes says sx
listed in Greece when Philip was engaged is
his machinati for the overthrow Of the
liberties of that country. "All Greece j,
now divided into two parties: one
composed Of those whs desire neither to
exercise nor to be subject to arbitrary
power, but to enjoy the benefits Of liberty
laws and Independence, the other. Of these
who. while they aim at an absolute CON
mand over their fellow citizens, are them
selves the vassals of smother person, BY
whose means they hope to obtain their par
poses"
The Republican party desires liberty, ia
dependence, and equsl laws Tor ell people
the Presidential party seeks to cypress thu
negro race, to degrade the white race Of thu
North by deprivins every msn Of his du,
share in the government sftte country, snC
finally. to subject all the iRtsrests Of thu
Republic to the eapries, policy and passions
of its enemies.
The Presidential party il composed o
traitors in the South who had the courage t.
fight, of traitors in the North who had mo-
the courage or opportunity to assail thei
government, Of small nu2ber of person
who would follow the fortunes of any army
if they could be permitted to CLEAN the offa
Of the camp. and yet smaller number VII,
are led to believe. that any system of adjust
ment is better than continuance ofthe con
test.
The Presidential party controls the pat
ronage OF the government; and it will be usst
| without stint in aid of the scheme 10 vkicl
the President is devoted.