The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-09-20
Our NatlonaI Humiliation.


cent ieud between the President and Congress,
would be the complete triumph of either of the
PARTIES 10 It. Yet 1t is Impossible to discern by
What other event the nation can be extricated
Som Ite embarrassments, The passions of the
@pponents are wrought to a white heat that
admits OF no cool reflection, and renders com
, promise impracticable. Neither can recede, If
II would, from its present position. Neither has
any option but to advance, and 1t can only ad-
vance by the subection of the other. Any change
Of tactics made by either party must be for the
adoption of still more violent measures than it
has yet essayed.
No ordinary mode of escape from this state of
things is apparent but the reversal of the major
Hy in CONGRESS-; and, whatever were the pfos-
poets previously, the electioneering tour OF the
President and Secretary of State, which even the
presence of Grant and Farragut~ could not
redeem from contempt, has rendered 1t reason
ably certain that the tall elections, instead of
aDnulling the supremacy of the Congressional
party, will largely strengthen it. Even in the
almost mpossible-event of there being in the
new Congle ess majority for the Administration,
the effect would be rather TO increase the vio-
lence of the existing body during the remain
der of its term than to diminish 1T. In either
case, whoever has watched the course of the
ferce and eager factions thus far, must find it
difficult to put away the apprehension that
whichever of them is worsted is capable OF some
desperate expedient for sweeping the victor
from It's path, and, under more or less guise of
legal and constitutional warrant, establishing
an unchecked authority of its own.
Nothing could have brought us to this critical
situation had not the Government, at a time
Wlien there vas tie greatest need of able and
temperate craftsmanship. been GonRded To hands
unfit for the trust, The course Of each party Is
lnexcusable. Each has afforded its opponents
pretext for the extreme lengths to which they
have pushed their animosltles. The radicals,
honestly desirous to re-establish the Union be-
yond the possibility of q renewal of the dissen-
sion winch had imperlled it, exercised their
power so extensively as to hopelessly disgust
those with whom it behooved them to keep on
terms. This faction deliberately repudiaGed
that moderation which the eXigency of the oCca-
sion demanded 1t accepted the leadership of
men embitte1ed by contemptuous treatment
during the years they had passed in an impotent
minority; who were not only untitled for rule
by the intoXication always produced by sudden
exatation to power, but who seized the oppor-
tunity to retort on their now helpless opponents
the insults they had formerly experienced from
them. Its violent procedures ELECTED as violent
an opposition. r.,.
The South, indeed, had no grounds for looking
for full and immediate restoration to all ITS
former rights; but it was expected both at the
North and the South that restoration would be
effected without unnecessary delay. Had the
operation been entered upon with the cheerful
ness and good faith that would have been en-
ployed under Mr.. Lincoln's guidance, all eXas-
peration might have been avoided, and the
But the radicals, by imposing immoderately
severe and veXatious conditions, by character
izing all their dealings by supercilous hauteur
and exasperating assertion of power, have in
spired the disaffected States among whose vir-
tues patience and forbearance never shone-
with bitter and indignant resentment, too
deep seated to be easily allayed. This line of
conduct enabled the turbulent and brutal ele-
ments of the Southern community to obtain the
upper hand and perpetrate atrocities importing
such reckless defiance Of law as precludes the
possibility, with regard for the general safety
OF their present admission to the national coun-
ellis.
The same characteristics marked their con-
duct towards the President. Had he been man
OF dignity, frmness, and self-control, he might
have avoided a collision, and even checked their
eXtravagances. But no one could have been
less qualified TO meet the situation than the per-
son who filed the Executive chair. man
naturally of immoderate and hasty temper, he
was suddenly exalted to position for which he
had no capacity and which daZzled him with
certain vague sense OF its dignity and grandeur.
He had, furthermore, degree of selt-assurance
and weak vanity, accompanied, as is frequently
the case among Ignorant and vulgar men, by
hopeless obstinacy, which rendered him the
certain prey of any fiatterers ready to sufficiently
abase themselves before him. Such man was
peculiarly susceptible to annoyance at having
his schemes roughly thwarted by Congress as
arbitrary as himself. Its attempts to force him
had the natural effect of driving him as their
pronounced enemy INTO the open arms of the
common enemies of them both and of the
country.
The President and his advisers, whose record
had been OF violence and extravaganza hardly
inferior to that of the radicals, soon gave play
TO the peculiar hatred apostates always feel for
the cause they have betrayed. Blinded by his
fury, he has lyehemently espoused associations
which formerly he reviIed no less vehsmently.
The conduct of his difference with the Congress
sional party has been such as to disgrace us in
the eyes of the world. In the excited condition
OF mems minds, all regard for decency has been
dismissed. The partisans have We'd with each
other in the fouleet vituperation We have seer
the unparalleled spectacle of a half-drunken
President bandying epithets with the rabole
and eXhausting upon his opponents a disgust
lng repertoire OF offensive names, The press
have done their best to go beyond him in sour
rility, and each party is resolving itself into
coterie of ofblackguards.
But, beyond his utter indelcacy, his mock
abasement. his blatant self-assertIon, he has
been guilty of graver eXcesses-the scandalou!
use OF the public patronage, the Surveillance anC
Earohngo OF official dispatches, and it is asserted
the exclusion of obnoxious newspapers from
the mails, and the accumulation of immense
stores OF arms, insufficiently guarded ap
parently Dy design, IN the midst of a hostile
population. Where the matter can cad, it il
impossible to see. The Impeachment OF tn,
Pfesldent is graVeiy discussed-mOre seriously
we imagine, than is generally supposed. As,
cOunterblOW, Is canvassed the erection of
rival Congress in his interest; and the storm
nature of the times seems to render by N,
means wild or visionary the threats of enter
prises which would preclpitate us into more dis
astrous conVulsions than those we have emerge
from.
We have no desire to be thought alarmists
nor do we think our view too gloomy when W
find threatenings of another outbreak beyon
the ability OF popular patriotism to subdue {
the recuperatiVe power of the country to SUI
vive. We may make our escape from the pr,
ordinary expedients, though we confess OF
inability to see in what manner it can be accon