American citizen. [volume] (Butler, Butler County, Pa.) 1863-1872, 1866-10-03
N. Y. Tribune on the Situation


From the New York Times September 2Ol
Nothing has contributed more, land
very many things has contributed muchi)
toward alternating popular favor and sup
port from the just and liberal policy OF
the Pres ident toward the South, than the
action of those who claim to be his friends
in this respect. 1t has proved, indeed,
as General Grant styles it, "a misfortune
for the President" and we may add, ior
the country also. In Pennsylvania the
Administration candidate tor Governor
is one who, in his political action, resisted
the Government throughout the war;
who made himself utterly obnoxious to
the loyal men who we're struggling to
save the nation; aud his election, by the
defeat of gallant soldier who fought
with heroism and houor for the overthrow
of the rebellion, is held essential to the
yindlcation of the Presidents policy
The same thing is true, perhaps, in
| less conspicuous degree, in nominations
| for members OF Congress and Tor State
uficers of various grades throughout the
country.
The reason of it is clear. 1t has been
done because the Democratic purity has
| pushed itself into the ure2round OF the
Pres dents supporters. ana has seizcd the
! occasion TO reconstruct ano strengthen It's
own organization, rather than sustain The
President upon the pnnc'p,,s which he
| asserts aud in the mode which he himself
| pointed out. President johnson never
hesltated to declare his purpose to stand
| upon the principles Of the Union party,
10 act within its liues, TO co operate with
| those of its members who adhered 10 It's
platform, aud to use the patronage at h's
disposal to national &c snd strengthen It's
| organization He never concealed his
conviction that the Democratic party, as
an organization, destroyed itself by It's
disloyal attitude during the war; that 1T
had Justly forfeited the confidence OF the
leople, aud the party whicn carried the
nation through the war was the party up
on which he relied for cooperation aud
support in restoring the Union and secu'
ring the blessings of the peace. The
great body of the Democratic party seemed
conscious that it had been betrayed by its
leaders into false position, and they were
quite ready to accept the result, and act
in good faith with the Union party In the
restoration of the Uhion, under the gul
dance of President johnson.
| Naturally enough, under the circum-
stances, the leaders of the Democratic
party took advantage OF this state OF things
and made bold push to regain their
! power. Sheltering themselves from the
odium incurred during the war, under
the Presidents policy of restoration, they
put their own men IN nomination Tor oi'
| fee, set in motion their old machinery,
and demanded the support OF conservative
[ Union men for the seinstatement OF the
Democratic party in power, Aud when
Union men who never voted Democratic
| ticket in their lives, who always held anu
advocated the principles Il the II pu =
can party aud who resisted with al their
might the attempts of the Democratic
party to thwart the goverumen IN its u
forts to quell the rebellion, fail to respond
to these demands, they are very cooIly
accused of treachery to the Democratic
party, ahd to tho President, for whom
not a single member of that party gaves
vote. In al! the States where Governors
are to be chosen they have put prominent
Democratic politicians-men identified
thoroughly with the party organization
throughout the warm nomination as
candidates; and in nearly all the Con-
gressional districts, instead OF accepting
conservative Union men, they have nom
mated candidates of their own-oiten
from the copperhead wing of the party,
and always from men Identified with its
action in the public mind.
We have no hesitation whatever in
saying that this policy is fatal to the
cause it processes to serve, and " II end
in its own defeat The people of the
Northern States will not ha j over the
Government to the control Of the Den O.
cratic ,arty, under its old organization,
and it's old leaders. y Both rendered
themselves thoroughly and justly obnox
ious to the loyal patriotic sentiment OF
the nation, by their hostility to the policy
OF the Government during the war The
people will not, now that the war is over,
confide the control Of pu' lie affairs to
lthsir hands, and every effort they make
to secure This result will end in defeat,
and postpone the very'object they seek
to accomplish.
| General Grant was perfectly right in
saving that men in the North who have
been disloyal "ought not to be suppol ted
by President Johnson's friends" and the
same is true OF political organizations that
held an attitude of dlsloyalty during the
war.
| AN MARN.IN ARMn Item M-GnVer-