The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1866-03-15
From the Baltimore Commercial
The Great Crisis in Political Affairs

Two remarkable occurrences seem to
/ have brought the long pending differ
/ ences at Washington to a climax, the
/ first, the veto message and the denunci-
ations OF it and the president by leading
/ Republicans, the second, the speech of
the President from the portals OF the
White House to the populace who made
demonstration at that point of encour
! agement and support. And although
much stress is laid upon the assumption
that the time, matter and manner, of
the speech, were all objectionable, vet,
as the President did not insinuate this
method of communicating directly with
/ the masses and again, as he had been
assailed previously without stint, nasrct-
lessly, by those also bound by their high
official positions to observe the proprie-
ties, he must not be harshly judged by
those who profess desire to do Justice
! to all concerned.
Let us note and bear in mind, to be-
gin with, that however the late message
may have disappointed those whose
special policy was overruled, yet, that it
was eminently dignified and respectful
in style towards those addressed that
with rare moderation and minutenCss it
endeavored to give reason for every
ground of dissent; and that If. as
judge the every day events of life, any
have incurred grave responsibility, or
censure it must be those who struck tie
first Noo-led off as angry assailants.-
Challenged thus, and previously again
and again, and with the opportunity for
tuitously given him to turn upon those
who were vindictively following him up,
it was not in human nature, not even in
Presidential human nature, not TO turn
upon the aggressors, and indignantly re-
pei the charges 80 fiercely and reckless
/ ly flung upon him, in the aspcrsion of
his motives.
Let it be noted, further, that III esti-
mating all this, we have to consider the
relative standing of assailant and repel-
liant of the assault, on the score OF dem
onsf-ated patrsosism-of past devotion to
tue Union. Tried by this standard. not
one of the men so swift To accuse him.
SO ready to impeach his good intentions
have-to say the least of it-sny advan-
tage over him In the direst periIs of
the terrible revolution just passed. they
were patriotic from a safe distance they
were not beleaguered by armci hosts:
they were not driven to peril life and all
else, as he was, for months and wears,
finally to succeed one whose blood. as
+ martyr to the Union cause, stained the
official residence in which he took up his
abode, making him altogether uncertain
whether the fate of his lsmented prede-
/ cessor might not speedily be his own
/ No, none of this and therefore it is the
duty OF the American people, to resent
aspersions recklessly flung upon one of
i the most efficient and illustrious defen-
4 ders Of the Union, recognized rs such
/ not only in this, but in all other lands
/ where the tale of our troubles has reach
I ed So much for this passage at arms,
the time and the manner of II; and now
/ for the matter of it, and the conse
( auenees Of it to the President and to the
country
Let it be observed that no speech
/ hitherto made by the President in refer
ence TO the rebellion, could more unmis-
takably express his opposition 10 and
horror of treason and its consequences,
than His sery speech. by many, hastily
condemned IS affording grounds for de-
sertion of the president And what
more natural and proper, too, in dealing
with charges made against himself, than
that he should proudly assert the unity
of his past record, his consistency as q
defender Of the Union from the days of
/ Andrew Jackson down to the present
time However severe it may be upon
J those who have done what they could TO