Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1866-12-20

aADat'N ~ shAr n 'toeestfAae
Abuse Is not argument IL Is used
most when argument fails The Rad
ical presses and speakers assail the
President with coarse vitupcration,
because they can urge no sound OBJ
iections against either his character
or his conduc.. They should first
show that he deserves to be condemn
ed, before they condeml him that he
is Justly obnoxious TO ridicule, before
they ridicule him. Ii, for example,
the President has clear views and pos
itive opinions as to any measure or
measures of administration-and ev-
cry man who is fit for the Office should
have such viows and opinions--they
may properly enough be called the
Presidents views. the Presidents plans
or the Presidents policy. But they
are not for that reason TO be denOunc-
ed. lfthey are sound and wise in
themselves, they should not be less
acceptable to Congress or the people,
simply because they originate with
and are honestly held by him who il
the National Chief Magistrate; and ii
they are not sound aud wise, they
should be rejected on that ground
alone, and not because they emanate
from the Executive. The latter has
Just as good a right 10 have policy
and TO urge its adoption upon Con
gress, as Congress has to have poll
cy and 10 urge it upon the Executive
Ii the two policies disagree, and mel
ther can be carried into effect by the
Government, let both be iairly dis
cusscd before the people. and the peo-
pie allowed 60 decide az the ballot box
which, il either, shall prevail. This
is the rational mode OF procedure in
such a ease. But this is not the mode
of the Radicals. They insist that the
President shall have no Judgment Of
his own, but shall follow theirs; that
he shall not think for himself on any
public question. but let them think for
him: that he shall suggest DO ways
and means Of restoring the country to
t,eacu AID unity, hut suffer them 10
/ exercise exclusive discretion in that
matter although the consequence
might be TO keep the country forever
dis-unitod and contentious
President Johnson does not and can
not see his duty ia that light. He
/ therefore will not submit himself
blindly aud abiecily, to the control Of
/ the Radical majority in Congress. The
result is, that the Radical Republicans
failing to make him a tool OF their ar
I hitrary will in the execution Of deep
laid and secret plot 10 concentrate all
power in Congress, and thereby sweep
away. utterly and irrcvocaby, the re-
served rights ot the people and Of the
States. seek TO destroy his popularity.
Since they cannot enslave him, they
wish to crush him, and in order to do
that. thuy would enlist against him,
not the honest Judgment, but the blind
passions Of the populace. To excite
those passions, they abuse and dcrlde
him. rs no Chief Magistrate Of any
nation was ever abused and derided.
lie is called for instance, san acci-
dent = he is scoffed at as the man
whom wilkes Booth made Prcsi-
dont;" his views respecting the best
practical plan for reconstruciing the
I Union. is laughed at as NY Policy.
/ All this is wicked villfcati0n. 1t Is
a gross porversion Of truth and viola
ton of decency. Ii is an insultto the
understanding and the feelings OF the
American people, because il IS unwar
rarted by reason and is inspired by
reasonable motives and designs.
Mr.. johnson was nominated Tor The
. Vice Presidency by convention O
the Republican party at Baltimore
. lie was duly elected to that Office 10y
, the people. Ilis succession to the
Presidency on the death uf Mr. Ian
T. coin. was, in ono sense, an accident
c bat il was an accident with which ~
not only had nothing Whatever 10 do
, but an accident against which, by ex
I press direction OF tie Federal Consti
: tuition. his election as Vice Prcslden
4 was intended to provide If he wa
u not fit TO be made the possible sue
I ccssor of Mr. Lincoln, they who places
! him in the Constitutional line OF con
3 tingemt succession, are alone TO hlam
2 that he is where he is, and they shout
be the last to denounce him tor n
b suit for which they only are rcsponsi
g ble. That Wilkes Booth assasSinato
! Mr.. Lincoln, is true, and pity 'tis q
a true" But the act of the assassi
> could not have put Mr. johnson Ia -
the place of Mr. lincoln but for th
B.. Convention which nominated and th
a people who elected him TO be the leg'
= successor OF MIR. Lincoln ia the even
= of Mr.. lincolu's vacation of his othc'
n bv death or otherwise. What reasoi
y what Justice, what deccucy is thcr
4 therefore, in rdiculing Andrew Johl
70 sen as "Prcsideut hy accident an
= in more than insiuuaiing that he EN-
IN ployed Booth TO kill his prcdecess'
"A IN order 90 get his place The trui
- is. tia. Mr.. johnson was included
"a the plot TO murder the President ~
ID his Cabinet At the very time whe
= the bloody work was going on
Fords Theatre and at Secretary Ser
N ards private residence, n person, The
unknown and in disguise, called 4
Mr. johnson at bis hotel, and there
u. no doubt now that his accidental a