Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1866-09-06
RUTLAND HERALD.
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 1866.
An Illuminating Spectacle.

1nc IFtSlutUll lh MS tNHt w NAANHeNi
had an opportunity to wipe out the
memory OF many foolish utterance., and
even 10 raise himself in the estimation
OF the people. BY remembering his high
Office as President Of the United States,
and what was due to it, when address
ing the people at the various stopping
places on his route by making his
speeches something different from the
worst and most partisan stump har-
angues; by consratulating mis- hearers
on the return OF peace and simply coun-
selling harmony and moderation to all,
he would have won general applause and
increased his populsrlty-something he
very much needs. But while he is per-
ambulating through the states, and
while the people OF all parties would be
glad 20 do him the honor due, not TO
Andrew johnson as an individual, but
to Andrew Johnson as President of the
United States, he insults majority of
them by heaping upon them such politi-
cal abuse as could reasonably be eX-
pected only from pot-house politician,
or Western stump orator. 1t is i'm
possible to avoid the conclusion that the
whole Journey, with its numerous stop
pages and political speeches, was planned
as stumping tour for "my policy" al
though its ostensible object is to do
honor to the memory of the dead. A
more humiliating spectacle than is pre-
sented by such degradation Of the
Presidential Office, is hard to imagine.
1t is a deep insult to the American peo-
pie, for it is disgrace to the highest Of
fee in their gift. And if President John
son keeps on to the end of his pilgrim
age, making such speeches as those
. which have already emanated from him,
he will have done more in aid of his
political opponents than he can hope to
counterbalance by the help Of all the
official patronage at his disposal. Peo-
pie who helped elect Mr. Johnson will
hardly be conciliated by his turaing
about, prostituting his office into an
electioneering machine, and denouncing
them as traitors.
A few brief extracts from the speeches
made by Mr. johnson since he started
from Washington, with Grant and Far
ragut cunningly taken along to "bring
down the house" will suffice to show
the character of all his harangues
i They are all eulogies of himself, are fnll
of the great things he has done and suf'
4 ferings he has endured Of appeals to the
people to sustain him at the ballot box
and to crush the Northern TRAITORS (tC
whom he owes his election) represented
bv Congress- coordinate, coequa
and independent branch Of the United
States government.
At Newark, n. j., in his reply to The
mayor, he said:
For the last six years have been en-
gagged in fighting those who were op
posed to the Union, and | intend to tigh
& the opponents of the constitution ant
Union and the enemies Of our glorious
country now and forever In parting,
leave the constitution and the UniOI
with you, believing they will always b'
safe in your hands. Battles have beer
won in the field and on the sea, and nov
the great civil battle is before you a
the ballot. box. With your hearts beat
ing with patriotism, give long pull,
strong pull, and pull all together.
In New York, he asked again aoou
his own deeds and sacrifices
Who is there that has fought this re
bellious spirit with more consistenc
and determination than the individua
who addresses You? Who has sacrl
feed and suffered more? But becans
my sacrifices and suferings have bee
great as an incident growing out OF
great civil war, should l become dea
and insensible to truth and principle?
But he says:
/ know, fellow. citizens, that slande
and calumny, the foul whelps OF sin, an
mercenary and subsidized press, hav
attempted to poison the public mind j
advance of those who are coming anon
you, and prepare the public mind for a
unfavorable reception.
"Mercenary and subsidized press
good. 1t is the same press that helpt
to elect him, and refussd to desert i
principles for the sake of the patronas
he might bestow.
He attacked Congress and misrepr
sented its position, as follows:
The rebellion has been suppresse
and in its suppression the gevernme
has declared and announced and esta
lished the great fact that these stat
have not the power either by force
by peaceable means to separate theI
selves from the Union. That right h
been denied, and has been settled al
determined by the government in t
field and in one of the Departmental
Executive department; but there
another department of your governme
which has declared, by its official az
and by the position it has taken, that
notwithstanding the rebellion was su
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