Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1866-07-17

Metr government in future; with still great
er readiness on the part of the well-thinking
and conservative people of the North, and
thousands of others of that section who were
elated with the realization of the escape they
had made from the destruction that once
threatened them, for the establishment Of
permanent peace and Union, golden oppor-
.tunity was presented to crush the miserable
tactlonists who stood in tho way of a pacifca-
ton of the national troubles. A united peo-
pie, North and South, were ready to sustain
the President in his efforts to accomplish this
great dcStderGtum. We believe it was achiev-
a6le by him by discarding the mutilated Con-
gross that assumed to WELD the legislative
power of the country in the absence of eleven
States Had this RESOLUTION been taken and
persistcntly adhered to, we have no doubt,
that the pressure of public opinion, so omnip-
otent ina country like ours, would have com
pclled the senseiess and passionate disorgan-
lzers to admit at once the people of all the,
States to their just participation in the gov
ernment of the nation. But the President
thought otherwise. The time for such stroke
of policy had not in his estimation, yet ar
rived. Peace had not yet been formally de-
clared- Legal obstacles, which in view of the
grand object to be attained, should have been
brushed away like SPIDERS webs, intruded
. themselves into the mind of the President, and
fettered his action; and an occasion in which a
destructive blow against the last enemies of
the Republic might have been struck, was
passed without improvement. Oh, but for
one day, then, of the rule of the iron will of
Andrew Jackson It had been worth scores
ofyears of peace and prosperity to the country!
But this fortunate chance, though lost, was
not irrevocable. Indeed the President had
it in his power, at will, to recall it. The
prerogative to declare peace was his and with
few strokes Of hisFcn, he could remove the
lust pretext upon which the disturbers of the
nations peace excluded Il portion of the ma
tons representatives from the National Leg
islature. That pretext was that the country.
was yet technically in a state of war, and that
it was not proper to admit the representatives
of States which had been declared by procla-
nation, yet unrevOkcd, in condition of re-
bellion. The longcoveted day when Mr..
johnson should proclaim peace throughout
the land" arrived, and second period had
come when the salvation of the country was
within his easy grasp Surely now, it was
thought the time of deliverance from all our
woes had come! When by solemn procla-
nation the President had declared that war
no longer existed, that the Union had been
restored to its original integrity-and every
star blazed forth again in undimmed bright
ness in the galaxy of States, none but the
representatives of all the States would, for a
moment, be acknowledged as the Congress
which the Constitution had invested with call
legislative powers" therein granted. The
country took heart, breathed frecr and grew
big with hope! No0, it was said the Pres
ldent will arrest the mad career of the sim
plctons at the other end of Pennsylvania Az
enuc. All the complications of the situation
were at an end; the path of duty was no longer
obscured; Mr.. johnson would return all bills
attempted to be passed by the so-callcd Con-
gress, as insults to his understanding But
alas ! the country was doomed to another dis
appointment. Another opportunity to con-
clude the great question had come and gone,
and the needed action was stayed Doubt
and gloom settled once more upon the popu-
lar mind, and no eye could penetrate the
mysteries of the uncertain future. Congress
proceeded more insolcntly than ever with the
enactment of offensive and disorganizing mca-
sures, and with unparalleled arrogance even
asserted the right to amend the Constitution
without the sanction or approval of the Ex-
ccutive
Let it not be understood in all this that we
are disposed to ccnsure the President. We
say these things "more in sorrow than in an
ger" We deplore what we deem to be his
mistake of judgment, but do not hesitate
to avOw our entire confidence in the purity of
his patriotism or his high seuse of Justice
We believe him to be actuated by sincere
desire to composc,-and in the very best
manner possible, and with reference to the
just rights of all-the great troubles of the
country. In this view We hail with delight
the prospect, now held out, of a reorganiza-
ton of the Cabinet. There would be nothing
so calculated to restore confidence and hope
everywhere as knowledge eff the fact that
those incubuses upon the councils of the Ex-
ccutive, Stanton, Harlan, Speed and Denni-
son had been ex PEELED from power and had
been replaced by moderate and conservative
ministers taken from all sections of the Union
men who will uphold his arm in the gil
gantic struggle in which he is now engaged,
and who will know no other creed than the
UNION OF TIE STATES AND TIE STATES OF
TIE UNION.
AT IT AGAIN.
The Hon. Raymond, "the little villain" is
again at his work of eating dirt Some weeks