Daily union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1865-1866, 1866-03-13
THE CRISIS.

The extract below is the concluding par
agraph Of an able Article from the New York
World, headed the Crisis" 1t does not
underrate the difRcdt Us which inviron the
President under the present circumstances,
for they are indeed great, and to statesman
Of less nerve would be appalling. But Pres
ident JOHNSON received his training in the
school of adversely, and is not easily intim-
idated. In his speech on the Sth to depu-
tation of the Maryland Legislature, he spoke
of public sentiment "cr etalizing" around
the idea of preserving the Union and the
Constitution; and he knew whereofhe spoke
This sentiment he knows also is above all
party, and will develop itself in spite of
party organizations. 1t will come from the
people; and he is doubtless strong and Sc
rene in the faith that it will triumph:
Whether the President will beable to save
the Constitution from the effect of the theo-
ries which the party who elected him have
generally maintained and acted upon, is
problematical. There are great many men,
in public life in this country, and many more
who are not in official life, who appear to
have very little regard for constitutional lib
erty, and who are weary of that balanced
and guarded federal system with which
our constitutional liberty is bound up. Enor-
nous contradictions of power in the hands
of the federal government are the favorite
schemes of the day; for a while taking
their source and claiming their justification
from the "war power" and, now that there is
no more fighting, taking the shape of amend
ments of the Constitution. 1t would be no
very difficult matter, without coups fetdt or
bloody revolutions, to convert this federative
republic into consolidated empire, resting
on universal suffrage. Mr.. johnson has put
himself in front of the battle against these
tendencies. He may be crushed by them,
and he may overcome them. One feature of
his position Is at present very unfortunate
for him. His own party do not appear to
support him very cordially, and at the same
time they are very jealous of his receiving
support from the other party. If the idea is
suggested of his calling to his counsels men
who have never belonged to the party which
elected him, he is denounced as traitor
to his own party. If he leaves the for
malities and the diplomatic tone of the
White House, and appeals TO the common
sense and rights of the people, in terms
which they can understand, in justification
of his official acts and vindication of his
purposes, he is denounced for an attempt to
conciliate "mob." On the whole, few of
our Presidents have been so unfortunately
situated So far as The public know, there is
no one on whom he can lean with entire
confidence, and who possesses much official
or personal influence through the country.
But there is one misfortune which has not
yet happened to him. The party which did
not elect him, has made no efforts or over
lures to draw him into political bargain.
Perhaps it is well, on this account, that they
are in such small minorities in the two
houses of Congress. Considering this fact,
they will do well by continuing to abstain
from seeking responsibility, but giving him
all the aid that he can derive from their in
dividual and disinterested support The
people must decide whether he is to be sus-
tanned or rebuked