The national Republican., 1866-07-13

gress. ne couiu 40 very little IN MS mdivid-
ual capacity towsrds reversing the doctflnes
Of the Christian religion. II Is because he
Is mouthpiece Of senators and Representa-
tives in the Congress Of the United States
only that he possesses any remarkable power
for mischief So far a. he represents their
views his words are very important, for II
Congress has deliberately arrayed itself
against the only doctrine Of the Christian re-
ligion whereby shining men can be saved, il
is high time the people Of the country knew il.
Five years ago he said the rebels defed the
power Of the Government to keep them in the
Union; now they defy us to keep them out This
is a very thin confession Of the principle BY
which the radicals are governed. 1t is merely
one Of opposition to the people Of the
South, without regard to the justice Of theil
demands. It's true that the rebels once de.
fed the power Of the Government to keep
them in the Union, and accepting "the situa
tion" since their defeat, they have the righ,
to suppose themselves still in the Union.
for unless our position during the war
was false, they are inside the Union,
and are entitled to oil the rights and
immunities which the Federal Constitution
guarantees. 1t cannot be possible that they
were inside the Union during the war and
outside Of it now that the war is over. Nc
such paradox as that is entitled to the re-
spect Of intelligent men. II they were inside
the Union then, they are so still, and are en-
titled to be represented by loyal Senator
and Representatives in Congress just as much
as the people Of any other State in the
Union. ..-...... -.-......
But just here the radicals are driven to the
arts Of the mountebenk. "Are you ready"
said the Senator, "to let unwashed rebels
seize the helm Of Slater Why did he ask
that question? Who has proposed to let un-
washed rebels seize the helm of Slater He
undertook to intimate, without saying it.
that THE President has. This was very
mean and contemplate. He knew very well
that The President had never proposed to
let unwashed rebels seize the helm Of State,
or any such thing. He knew, on the contrary.
that The PRESIDENT only desired that Repre-
sentatives from the eleven States should be
admitted to their seats who could take the
oaths prescribed by Congress. In saying that
paul and himself" differ about this, he
takes upon himself the menviable character Of
the "old woman in church." referred to in his
Rochester anecdote. That brought him back
again to his premises, that the doctrine Of
forgiveness demonstrated by the parable is
unsuited to the radicals, and is therefore un-
sound. 't. ..H
But like most OF the victims Of insanity
who think it is their physicians, not them
selves, who are insane, he undertakes TO be
witty and to speak Of President JOHNSON as
the prodigal son. He expressed the hope
that The PRESIDENT had lived on husks long
enough to become repentant, and that he
would soon come back TO his fathers house
This was not only superlatively ridiculous,
but scandalous in the extreme. Senator
Nye calling The President The prodigal son!
As well might he have called WASHINGTON,
JEFFERSON, JACKSON or LINCOLN by that
name. Standing, as he does, in the shoes OF
President LINCOLN, adhering to the same
policy and protesting the same faith he is
no more like the prodigal son than ABRA-
HAN LINCOLN was. He adheres to the faith
once delivered to the apostles Of liberty and
defends il with an ability which commands
the admiration Of the lovers Of regulated lib
erty throughout the Western hemisphere, il
not throughout the world. If he errs at all,
it is not in any such respect as the Senator
indicated, but in his infexible and unaltera-
BILE determination that the doctrines Of the
war, which are the doctrines Of the Constitu-
| ton, shall be carried out, and the faith Of
the Government, pledged to the rebels
in the event Of cessation Of hostilties,
'ully redeemed. Had the Senator charged
The PRESIDENT with being over-zealous for
the guarantees Of the Constitution, under
this peculiar state of circumstances, instead
Of charging him with prodigality, he might
nave built up an argument which, with
weak minds, might have had some semblance
Of plausibiity. But the charge he made was
too remote from the truth to deserve even
the meagre notice we have given it. 1t was
trashy in the extreme.
So long as that beautiful parable shall stand
Is an illustration Of the temper ofthe Christian
religion it will be taken by Christian statesmen
IS an indication Of the policy which will re-
,eive the favor Of Almighty God-and al
though the radicals in and out of Congress
quarrel with it just as they do with the Con-
,titution, we have no doubt whatever that
t will ultimately prevail. No unforgiving
people have the right to expect Divine favor.
Until Congress shall join The President and
ais Cabinet in their work Of reconciliation,
therefore,, nothing but Divine displeasure
will be deserved. We desire to press this
| ,)oint home to the conscences of those Sen
.tors and Representatives who reject this
eature Of the Gospel and refuse to be rec
,nciled to their Southern brethren upon
my terms short Of sacrifice Of all their
manhood. If JEFFERSON trembled for his
country when he remembered that God is
ust, how much more cause have they 10
remble for the judgment they are provok-
ng by their inpious disregard Of all the
| Leachings of the great Master