The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1866-03-23
rHERADECALs AND THE PRESIDENT.
Thad. stevens Trying to Cover up the
Breach

1t is very evident that the Jacobins
in Congress begin TO see that their rev.
olutionary course and opposition to the
policy of the President is destroying
their hold upon the people. The de-
velopments since the reception of the
veto message in the Senate, and the
Presidents mastery speech on Wash
ingtOn's birthday, has no doubt con-
vinced them that they must take a
new tack, or go under. They cannot
sustain themselves before the country
on a platform in opposition to An
drew johnson, for his course has been
such as tosecure the appreciation of the
great mass of the people. To support
the measures of hisadministration and
carry out his policy would destroy all
the party schemesOf the radicals; but,
on the other hand, tley see that if the
people once becomecOnvinced that the
republicans in Congress are arrayed in
direct opposition to Mr.. Johnson, their
success in the future i equally hopeless.
They have therefore adopted very a
drOit course to mystify the public and
postpone a direct issue between them
and the President, until after the fall
elections. When THOSE elections are
over then they will come out and bid
the President defiance. claiming that
they have carried All the Northern
States on the radical issue.
The speech of Thad Stevens in the
House of Representatives, on Saturday
last, was part of this programme. 1t
was bold attempt, by uttering de-
liberate falsehood, to- cover up the fact
that there is an actual conflict between
the Executive and the ruling majority
in Congress. The Freedmen's Bureau
veto message Of the President and his
speech from the steps Of the White
House on the 22d of February defined
clearly the issue between him and Con-
gress. They reveal the fact that there
is a contest. But sufficient time has e.
lapsed to show that a large portion Of
the republican party side with the
President in this controversy; that
there are at leasta sufficient number to
hold the balance of power and turn
the elections in the Northern States a.
gainst the radicals. Stevens therefor g
comes forward with a plausible story,
yet wholly false. and delivers an ANU
sing harangue, attempting to prove
that the President made no such speech.
In his usual bold style, claiming that
he has a confidential communication,
he says, "That speech, which has had
considerable run, and which has made
considerable impression upon the pub
lie mind, was one of the graudest hoax
es that has ever been perpetrated, and
more successful than any other, eX-
cept the moon. hoax" In order that
this falSehOOd might have its proper
effect, he adds that "he eXOnerates the
President from ever having made that
speech" and then goes on, charging it
with being acoinage of the opposition
press. To clinch it still further, he
quotes q statement heretofore made by
New York journal, and characteriZes
this as piece Of the esame kind Of SLAM
der. Admitting, however, "that if
the people believe that the President
ever uttered that speech, the case would
be madeOut. But, continues Stevens,
eve know that the President never did
utter it." As if he could not repeat
the lie too often.
Now this bold electioneering dodge
of the radical chief, this malicious col
mage will no doubt accomplish its pur-
pose in many localities, unless the Pres
ident pursues a straightforward and
independent course. 1t is calculated,
nOdoubt, to affect thecampaignin Penn
sylvania. 1t will be sent broadcast
through the rural districts, and those
who do not fully understand the cir
cumstances Of Johnson's speech and
how it was made public, will take Ste
vens' version, and set it down as de-
vice of the opposition to divide the re-
publican party. Here" they will
saw, 'We have Stevens statement that
such is the fact. He was on the ground
and must know. If he had been de-
nounced by Mr.. Johnson he would
| have known it," Such, Stevens calcu-
lates, will be the effect of the speech
upon the republican party in Pennsyl-
! vania. With it he hopes to bridge over
the chasm until after the October elec-
ton. In adopting this course he has in
! fact proclaimed to the world the ignO-
rance of his constituents. He has the
/ same as said that they are unable to
comprehend the atlairsat Washington,
or Judge between truth and falsehood,
and that any statement, however false,
that he may make will be swallowed as
true. 1t has been proVerbial that the
people of Pennsylvania are behind the
| ace. but we never witnessed SO bold an
admission and 50 direct a declaration
of this fact from one of their own rep
resentatives before. 1t is a wonder
that Stevens consents to represent a
constituency which can be gulled by
such trash as he uttered on Saturday.
All this bodies no good to Andrew