Delaware State journal and statesman., 1866-10-26
lFrom the London Daily Nows.1
PHhsIDEET JOHNSON AND COW.
GllIGSs,


Congress, though assert.
NY tho unconstitutional character of Mr..
Johnson's assumption of roconstructiye now.
or, agreed to admit all that had been done
ana to carry on the work from the point to
winch MIR. johnson had brought it. 1t pro.
pose9 that an amendment to the Constitution
SHOULD DC made, guaranteeing the civil rights
| vi ile negroes, the public debt and the past
legislation OF the North, and redressng the
Ihequally OF representation, which makes
Ihe southern citizen weigh half as much
again IN the scale of the Constitution as a
clllzen ofthe North Mr.. Johnson's friends
supported this, the South were known to be
willing to accept it, and the only comment
ulaue .ne upon ii, even by those who were hos
tllc 10 II, was that it was small result of so
much labor. 1t was proposed that, on the
ratification of this amendment, the Southern
| representatives should be admitted and tho
mon, rendered safe by this simple redress
oui Vi representative inequality, should be
restored at once. That proposal was the
test OF Mr.. Johnson's statemanship and the
touchstone of his sincerity. 1t contained
nothing which he had not himself advoca-
ted, and nothing which North and South
would not have agreed upon at once had
Mr. johnson Joined with Congress in re-
commendingit. it. But II was not needful that
Congress should consult him in making the
proposal, and II passed him over Then ii
was that Mr.. johnson was found wanting.
| Had he put aside his personal pique, and
thought only of his country, he would have
taken the Congressional proposal as an olive
branch, the South would have accepted ii at
his hands, the Northern States would have
assembled their Legislators in special ses
sion to ratify 1t, and by the time Congress
| adjourned, not only Tennessee, but oil the
Southern States, excepting Texas, might
have been enjoying the privilege of repre-
sentation in Congress- But Mr.. johnson
failed his country At the moment lOhen he
could haze dOnehe Union essential service, he
chose 10 serre himself An ill-tempered mes
Congress, and the word went forth that tho
Union was not to be restored in Mr. John
sons way. From that moment he threw
himself into the arms of the South Every
where the old Democracy, who would have
closed the war by installing Mr.. Davis in
Mr.. Lincoln's place, rallied around new
leader, and the fight Of Southern ascendan-
cy was reopened on the field of Northern
politics. The protests against "Radicalism"
are blind-the ascription TO Congress OF all
the blame of delay is a pretense; the real
object Of the Increment ,ohich the Philadelphia
Convention has sanctioned is the restoration
~ tho i9OuM WttHOut Wo yuuFUHteeo We OOft-
greSsiOndk proposal pr0gides. The choice is
not between what Congress has talked and
what the President has tried to do, but be-
tween what Congress has done and what
Mr.. johnson has desired. The real issue is
tehether Tie Constitution shall be amended,
so ds 10 gipe equal eiUH rights 10 the freedmen
and equal political representation 10 the North
nth the South, or tohether the old Union shall
be restored toith Southern preponderdRce dAd
no pr0pisiOR for the protection Of the freed
men in their rights Congress represents the
policy of caution, and the wise healing its
proposals would bring; Mr. johnson repre-
sents a policy OF concession which would
give back to the South nearly all that the
sacrifices of the war have purchased from it.
Congress is for a lasting Union, founded on
equal justice to both races and sections; Mr..
Johnson is for leaving the negro to his fate
and the North to its diminished share OF Fed
eral power. Congress would take precau-
tions which are admitted to he wise and just
before entering again into federal alliance
with those who have misused their power
Mr., johnson would have no real precautions
taken, but would remarry the sundered sec.
tions in hurry, leaving the North TO report
at leisure. We are not, therefore, at all sur
prised that our contemporaries who supported
the South all through the war are loud in their
support OF Mr. Johnson now; but the same
desire for the welfare OF the great people who
have sprung from the loins OF England which
decided our sympathy for the Northern
cause, and made us rejoice in the Northern
victory, determines our best hopes and
wishes to the side of Congress, which really
represents all the best interests of human
progress in the Reconstruction" strife which
is raging now.