Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1866-09-28

I
! the people, and thought that the reason why
| he was always successful, was because the
/ people thought Caesar was always right.
| But Caesar was none the less tyrant and an
| Oppressor. He began his usurpations by
dlsclaiming all purpose to do so; and up to
the latest moment Of his life, he was forever
dlsclalmlng that any speech, vote Or act of
his life could justly be charged with tyranny
or oppression.
Andrew johnson has by the force of the
national military seized upon ten States Of
this Union, and denies to them and their
people freedom of action. The people Of
those States have been In rebellion he came
into Office and by the force Of military power
he has overturned and destroyed the exist
ing State Governments; he has by the same
power erected new Governments and Off
cered them with his tools, with men whose
escape from the halter for their crimes is Sc
cured by his pardon. He has made fealty
to him and not fealty TO the Union the test
OF office; he has made allegiance to him, and
not allegiance to the Constitution, the eondi-
ton Of official recognition. He has forbid
den the people Of these States and the gov
ernments thereof to recognize or deal with
the other branches Of the Government
Whenever any officer of these States has
hClL0iNA " AO dn OlllNLul dEL MT JlGF1
approved by him. he has vested in some
subordinate and creature Of his own, the
supreme authority, and has crushed out the
individual who dared to act as If his life and
all were not at the disposal of Andrew
johnson. He has sent word to a brutal
traitor, one Of his pardened instruments,
that the military should not be permitted to
restrain mob in any violence they might do
to Union men not recognizing his authority,
and the mob, ledon by official Thugs, slaUgh-
tered, manned and expelled the members Of
the last organization of Union men IN Lou
lslana This, of course, is an act done for
the amelioration and elevation Of the great
mass OF his cOuntrymen. These eleven States
he holds IN his hands as power to sustain
HIN when he strikes over the Congress Of
the country. He can call upon the rebels to
arm and sustain him, as Caesar was wont to
call upon his famous legions. Should the
Legislatures Of any Of these States venture
to consider and accept the terms proposed to
them by Congress, they would soon feel the
avenging hand Of our Republican Chief
Magistrate. He has forbidden them doing
anything save what he commands, and as
civil war, disruption Of the Union, and a
establishment Of slavery are regarded by
them as probable results Of obeyiRg his com
mands, they eheerfully submit, and hopeful
" look forward to the success Of his policy.
The chief and principal duty Of the Pres
ldent OF the United States is TO execute the
laws made by another branch Of the Govern
ment. lie has no more authority to question
the validity Of law or to refuse to execute
it, or to obey it personally and officially than
has any other citizen and when, in defiance
Of law and in violation Of his official duty
he undertakes to c0erce or dictate to another
branch Of the Government, and venture to
legislate and execute, then he becomes a
usurper and tyraut, deserving the cOndem-
nation of his countTymen, and may reasona-
bly, anticipate that in the end he will realize
the same fate which has been realized by
every other usurper and tyrant that ever be-
trayed and oppressed the great masses OF
his cOunTymen.
He may attempt to lull the suspicious Of
the people by constant disclaimers and By
protesting that his highest ambition Is to do
the viii Of the people. How is that Will to
be ascertained, If not through the agency es-
tabhshed by the Constitution? The Constr
tuition provided Congress, through which
the people should assert their will, and Is not
the President daily asserting that to him and
not TO the representatives Of the people be-
longs the right to say who shall and who
SHAH not be represented IN that Congress!
Since the foundation OF the Government,
there has been no attempt an EEccutlye
to coerce Congress to abandon its Ccnstitu-
tional privileges, and accept from the Pres
ident members chosen by his command, by a
suffrage prescribed by him, and by Govern
ments erected and upheld by the bayonet.
Let him read the fathers Of the Republic,
and let his eyes be suffused with tears when
he reads the maledictionB which they utter
upon that Executive who in the pride of
place should arrogate TO himself the powers
which the Constitution placed exclusively in
the representatives Of the people. Let him
remember also, that anticipating that in
people, forgetting their prudence, should
elect an Executive that might arrogate to
himself an authority belonging exclusively
to the people, there was placed in the Con
stitution the grand protection, that these
representatives ofthe people might impeach
that Executive, and dismiss him from Office.
-CHcago Tribune.