Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1866-09-19
Presidential Errors

The Constitution of the IIn;..,
gives to Congress paramount now. esats,
the President, by decreeing thar twe e'es
OF that body may enact laws wi,bO'.a .aiTti
concurrence. The same supremacr hls
more plainly implied by their cons,;,n,. n stl
right to impeach and remove him e., 1''Oaal
| demeanor in office. us
VIII not mere consideration os !,
two important facts, therefore. be s1aess
to enable every American citizen 70 "a;lceat al
the true merits of the pending Ssn
between the Legislative and executivs sbtosefs
es OF the Government? The full e,,aIa
the President dissent from Conr.ou' q
bounded by his veto power. If thar l. -
lowed by Congressional vote of two ,e 'I!s 10y
or more in reaffirmance, what can the Da D
ident lawfully do but bow in acouiescsat
TINS hnai decree? If Congress err, the !,
sponsibility is not his, but theirs. H.
fully absolved himself from blame. ff !,
people decide that there is blame, and Il.
representative body Is LETT to settle with -
constituents. A "s
Apart, therefore, from all considerats,,.
OF the respective merit or demerit oS ~
two p lans of reconstruction now before tSs
American people. the President is map;fss.
" wrong IN censuring Congress for proceaS
ings strictly legal. But when as We sSG Sa;T.
see with pain and humiliation for =
injustice and indecorum, he travels tb,ouas' ~
the country uttering impassioned decsss
tlons OF hostility towards a co-ord;ns,.
branch of the general government, wb,,
measure OF condemnation should be yistNj
by an indignant people upon public seryaD,
so reckless and undignifed? He is bonnS
by every motive which should actuate 81,
zen who loves his country, or an ofSc;,l
who has sworn to support the ConstitutioO
to respect and upholsi>it in all its deps1
ments. By thus respecting his official axsa.
ciates he would respect himself and gather
golden opinions from all men. So acted
the lamented Lincoln-and when We re-
member his persistent patience and gentiede.
meanor under every kind of provocation, We
are the less prepared for the abrupt transi.
tion presented us by the present occupaut
of the Presidential chair.
1t I'LL becomes President of the United
States to urge, in extenuation of offence,
like those we have charged on him that cer-
tain members of the representative body
had INDUCED in personalities against him
self Had there been less provocation fo
these, and had every Republican Congress
man joined in them, the Chief Magistrat,
should have disdained to reply in recrimina
tory language
But Andrew johnson has gone beyon
mere offences against official propriety O
good taste, and ventured to hint in no rery
dubious terms intentions of revolutionary
nature, if Congress adhere to its present
plan of reconstruction For these daring
menaces against that body, whom the Con
stitution places above him, the American
people hold him sternly responsible. In
the ensuing elections they will, according to
all present indications, teach him lesson
on the subject of Presidential power, and
show him his utter impotence when he ar.
rays himself against the nations represep.
tatiyes. Philadelphia North 4Die,acaa.