The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1866-03-17
THE DEMOCRACY AND THE
PRESIDENT.
Their Relative Position.
From the New York World. Feb.

| From the New York World Feb. 2s
The sharp conflict WHICH has arisen be-
tween President johnson aud the republican
majority in Congress is a conflict in which
democrats feel a keen interest but it is not
the Interest of participants, but of specta
tors We not only do not wish, but earnestly
deprecate, any alliance or coalition between
the President and the democratic party. 1t
would misbeseem the dignity Of President
elected by one party to go over to the other.
II he is constrained to differ from the party
. that elected him, it is consistent with deco
rum Tor hin to rise above partisanShip, and
throw himself on the good sense of the
country and in such case, honest men
should support him without regard to party
/ considerations.
The position of the democratic party in
this crisis, is that of an army of observation.
4 We have 4 greater interest in the complete
restoration of the Union than we can have in
any other result whatsoever. We are ready
/ to do or 10 forbesr anything of which the
! doing or the forbearance tends to expedite
! the restoration of the seeded states 20 their
old relations TO the Federal Government
! Ne do not think that total separation be-
tween the President and the party that
/ elected him would facilitate this resalt His
close identification with the democratic party
would probably consolidate the disintegrating
republicans; and as the radicals form a
large majority Of that organization, it would
block restoration for long period We are
< ld Of the split which has been precipitated
by tn. President, and trust that he and the
two repubhcai: factions may be left 10 fight it
out among themselves.
We feel no uneasiness, but great encour
agement, at the attempts making IN Wash
Il
compromise, If that is the proper name .2r
an accommodation in which the concessions
must all lie made by one side. Nothing
could gi.e us sincerer JOY than to see even
radicals surrendering to the President; for
the no nent his policy prevails, ] states,
sure 10 vote with the democratic party, re-
sumo ali their political functions. But the
support of lis policy by the radicals is u
political impossibiity, and Its early success
depends upon how large a segment of the
republican party will cieave off BY the shock
of the present conflict We therefore reioice
III the attempt of Secretary Seward, Senator
Sherman, and others of that stamp, to un-
derstate and bciittlc the difference between
the President and Congress, and 10 furnish
excuses to republicans for adlieriug to Mr.
johnson. We sincerely wish these attempts
all the success possible, and m pre- than they
are IlhtiF 10 aliaIn. -neanWElE Ice UenO~
cratic party stand on guard, Keeping their
organization compact, and giving a diain-
terested support to the policy of the Presi-
dent.
We congratulated the buoya1 It republicans
of the rose water school on Il heir suddenly
. discovered prospect of conH Hrumi5e. Mr.
JohHs0n's veto and speech afforded encour-
asiag crouad for their sanguin4 hopes The
oliy wonder is, what is to be the basis of a
compromise which IS to give sch gCidcn
s.tisflc,ion. The President hblds that aGr
other treedmen's bureau than he transient
ole Whit now exists Is needless and danger
Gus. Three iourtAs of the repub bhcans OF the
House, aud nearly two thirds Of tn ose of the
Senate are s;.08 III ot the adverse opinion
the President holds that the senators aud
! representatives from the recfis ructcd states
are en- i.ei to immediate :dmis sion: the
republicans of both houses scutT and rrpu>
dI.te the idea. He Is oppose 10 aay further
ameudments Of the constitution thew dec
certain amendments vital. They were for
. iJrcsu. negro suffrage on the South he Is
strruuously opposed to It. What compro>
mi-g . possible between these irrecou ella bic
opinions? The Presid IN. shows ~ svmp>
/ toms Of yielding: aal if theH yield - HIM
! what excuse or apology can they offer for all
they have been DOING since the begiunIng Of
, the sess. on?
! In good truth. the radicals cannot sue
/ canb in this crisis without the most abj-ct
: political humiliation. Besides, they would
sell themselves for nothing. They can never
expect to fad grace with the President
Lake the fallen angels in "P.d aiise Lost"
4 they hare nothing to hope from repentar c..
Mr.. johnson IS certain TO bcstow no othccs
on them. Having nothing 30 gain by SUBJ
mission, they Will oppose the policy Of the
/ Prc-ident to the end Of the chapter. The
democrats desiring no Offices from Sir. John.
son, and the radicals being certain TO obtain
none, there is opened before the so-calied
! conservative republicans the most encoura>
/ ging prospect ever offered to a political
minority. They are in fair way to monop-
oIize all the patronage in the gift of the
President. Fewer in number than the demo
crats. fewer than the radicals. the chance OF
each aspirant for good office is fiye,fod a,
great as in q united and homogeneous party
after snccess in a presidential election. We
! accordingly expect to see this wing Of the
r,nt H;llicans rapidly reinforced and if they
assume % rea,;! the radicals OUT of the party.
thcy will thereby promote he spht which ls
demanded bv the interests y. the Union.
The consequence will be, that the Presi-
dents policy will prevail the L Mon will be
restored; the democratic party, by The acces-
sion of the southern vote, will outnumber
both of the republican factions together
and by keeping aloof from all entangling
; alliances, it will be free to adopt any course
of action thereafter, which the interests O!
: the whole country may 5eem to require.