The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-04-17
TUESDAY, APRIL II, 1866.
Copperbead Clamors for Usurpetion.


the proposition now being urged by the New
York Neoos, and kindred journals, that Pres
dent JOHNSON shall interfere by force in the
deliberations of Congress, and at the point Of
the bayonet induct the so called Senators and
Representatives from the Rebel communities
into the seats for which they have so long
been clamoring. It is somewhat remarkable
that the journals which urge this revolution
ary proceeding upon President JOHNSON
are the very ones that used to be so scandal
lied at President LINCOLN, during the war,
every time he made the arbitrary arrest
of some Rebel spy or sympathizer. In those
hours Of the nations supreme peril, when its
very existence sometimes seemed to hang
trembling in the balance, these journals could
tolerate nothing in behalf of public safety
and the national cause that stepped outside
of the usual routine of peace. Now, however,
to further the ends of their mad partisanship,
they are persistently clamoring for President
JOHNSON to assume supreme powers, and
play the part of a dictator. We are to have
French coup d'etat enacted upon American
soil. Our President is to try the part OF
NAPOLEON upon the peoples representatives,
in Congress assembled. He is no longer to
contine himself to the subordinate and inglo-
rious duty Of advising" Congress, according
to the Constitution, but he is to dictate to it.
II sCongress shall instantly obey, all we'll and
geod; if not, he is to send a re giment of SOL
diers into the Capitol to make them obey.
Instead of any longer being one of the inde-
pendent and CO. ordinate branches of the Gov
ernment, Congress is merely to register the
imperial edicts which from time to time may
be sent from the White House. A file of SOL
diers is to supersede all necessity of discus
sion, and the Sergeant of the Guard" will
keep order.
This, in brief, is the revolutionary scheme
urged day after day by the Nea0s, as repeated
articles which we have Of late copied from its
columns, attest. OF course, the bald atrociIy
of the plan is disguised by specious show
Of argument. Congress, in excluding the So
called representatives from the Rebel COM
munities, is itself charged with uuconstitu-
tional and revolutionary action, and the "aid"
OF the President is invoked to save the Gov
ernment from usurpation. The validity" of
Congress itself is denied. But the question
is, ,oho Is to decide these points? Congress
maintains tlat it is valid body, and that its
action is constitutional. So far as the first
question is concerned, the Supreme Court,
the President, and the country have recog-
nized Congress as a valid body. It's validity
is no more to be questioned now than during
the last five years. All our laws passed
during that period-our national debt, the
amendment to the Gonstitution-are all in
validated by the same argument that would
now invalidate Congress. Moreover, if there
are parties who, as they pretend, believe tina
the exclusion Of representatives from the
Rebel communities is fatal to the validity OF
laws passed by Congress, let them make up a
case and carry it to the Supreme Court 70
decision.
AS to the second question, whether the
action of Congress is constitutional or not
that the President has nothing whatever to
do with, except when a bill is presented 10
his signature. If he deem it demonstrations
he can veto it, but that is all. He can infict
no penalties upon Congress for hat he may
consider unconstitutional or improper action.
The Congress of the United States is amena-
BILE to no human power save the people, whose
representative it is,
The proposition of these Copperhead jour
nails is, therefore, simply to make the Presi-
dent dictator. 1t means the overthrow
our republican form of government. And in
this they are quite consistent. When they
opposed President LINCOLN for exercising
those large discretionary powers vested in
him by the fact OF war, they did so because
they desired the Rebellion to succeed and
the Government to be overthrown. Now,
when they urge usurpation and coup detat
upon President JOHNSON, they still have
the overthrow Of the Government in view as
their end. In word, they are the persist
ent, implacable foes of our republican form
of government, at one time aiding rebellion
and at another plotting usurpation. We
have no doubt that President JOHNSON so
regards them, and that their present oficious
suggestions of crime are as offensive to him
as was their former support of treason and
armed rebellion. OF course right-minded
men OF all parties will recoil from so mad q
scheme as this urged by these wild fanatics
The time for assuming doubtful powers even
in behalf of the Government is passed. The
President is daily laying aside war powers
We are getting back to the sure basis of law
Peaceable discussion in the halls Of legisla
ton, and before the people, and by the fir
side, must henceforth settle all of our d
Dutes,