The Portland daily press., 1866-08-25

n
We neither like nor intend to be drawn
away from the main point in the poilticai us
cussion now in progress The question at IS
sue is, whether the Southern States small De
reinyested with the privilege of representa-
ton in Congress, on the Presidents terms or
on the terms offered after long and faithful
deliberation by our chosen representatives IN
CONGRESS-. For ourselves, we have no hesita-
ton in deciding. We prefer constitutional
government in which the law-making power
rests wholly in the hands of the people and is
exercised by their representatives. The 10
ries. North and South, prefer the government
of one man, and have been quite willing to
leave the decision of all questions forced up
on us at the close of the war, to Andrew
johnson.
Now that Mr.. johnson has dictated and his
friends have endorsed a platform differing
from the constitutional amendment in only
one particular-in allowing PERJURED trail
tors again to hold office and administer the
government-we have called upon them to
show cause why accepting that platform they
should refuse the constitutional guaranty we
ask. Such cause they do not and cannot
show. Well then, we ask, DO you really and
heartily accept the Philadelphia platform P
And to this question the Argus responds with
promise to publish "what some prominent
Republicans say of the amendment"
That is the course which the Oldest and
ablest Democratic paper in the State finds it
self compelled to take. The Argus dares not
proclaim its acceptance, still less its rejection
of the johnson creed. But silence at this
moment is as expressive as the loudest utter
ance The Argus DOES NOT accept the Phil
adelphia platform. Gentlemen, you will find
it very hard to conduct political campaign
without any principles. If you do not like
the Presidents programme, pray what would
you have?
For lack of arguments, the Argus OCCASION
ally resorts to shifts like this:
Negroes and Indians are disfranchised by
the radicals in eighteen states. Radicalism is
therefore Toryism. How are you Mr.. Tory
Press?
Now every reader Of the newspapers knows,
that the great majority of the men called
Radicals" are firmly opposed to taxation
without representation" Indians not taxed
+ lfsYe always been excluded from the nnlls--v
D. ,.euIs who tried to reform the existing
I laws SO. that all men subject to taxation might
have an equal voice in the government of the
State. They were defeated by the solid vote
of the Tories and by bummers and deserters
from their own ranks. 1t is not true that "ne-
groes and Indians are disfranchised by the
Radicals"
Here is something else from the same
source:
CONSISTENCY.
The President is the government and all who
oppose him oppose the government, and are
traitors. They ought to be suppressed.
Portland Press 1864
The President is not the government To
oppose him is to Support the government"
and sour loyal Congress" and that is patriot
ism. Portland Press 1866
1t is with such shreds and patches as these,
that we are obliged to busy ourselves, because
the Argus really has nothing else to offer, ex-
cept verbiage about "peace," "harmony," "re-
stored Union" &C., &C. These mis- representa-
tons are absolutely without excuse They do
not purport to be quotations. They are not
justified by the course of the Press. The
Press never held that a government could be
composed of a President alone. Such gov
eminent would be monarchy which, we in
sist, the more advanced Tories in their hearts
prefer. While the President and the Cm-
gress were acting in harmony, to oppose one
was to oppose both; and such opposition, in
the midst Of a dangerous rebellion, we did
and do regard as worthy of the condemnation
of all honest men. For the same reason that
the laws of the camp are more stringent tina
the regulations of peaceful cities, it is plain
that the license of political discussion OUGHT
to be abated in times Of public danger. We
do hold with perfect consistency, that it was
little short of a crime to attempt to shake the
public confidence in an administration to
which was entrusted the conduct of a gigantic
war, and that it is equally criminal to attempt
to palliate the dangerous usurpations of a man
whose words shadow forth such high-handed
procedures as Andrew johnson is now medi-
Eating.