The day book. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 1857-1867, 1866-08-31
The President.


Upon the one hand, he had the allurements
of power, mans natural love of praise, and
the clamorous solicitations of prodgious
party, tempting him to subvert the Govern
ment, and abandon the theory on which he
had shaped his political career for self-ag-
grandzement On the other hand, he was
threatened with the loss of power by inn
parchment, certain to encounter yindictive
persecution, and called to embark in adoubt-
full enterprise, in the prosecution of which he
had no organized political forces to support
him. The temptation to desert the princi-
Piles of Republican Government, and to sur
render the conquered South to the cruelty of
radical tyranny, were strong and seductive
80 strong and so seductive that few men who
have so long mingled in American politics
could, or would have attempted the role
which he is now playing. The attitude
which he occupies is one of transcendent
dignity; and our admiration for his firmness
we frankly confess we had mseonceived lis
character and looked upon him as mere
partisan leader, rather than the enlightened
statesman he has revealed himself to be. 1t
is impossible for the people at large to mea-
sure the extent of the embarrassments under
which he has labored, and the serious practi-
cal difficulties with which he has had to con-
tend. And, hence it has been that many acts
of clemency, many liberal ami benefcent
views which have been suggested by South
ern journals, have been beyond the reach of
his ability Beyond the reach of his ability,
because, with consummate sagacity, he has
bent his energies to the creation of constitu-
tional party at the North as a necessary pre-
liminary to many liberal measures dependent
upon constitutional guarantees for their en-
forcement.
To have propounded many things in the
beginning, which he since has done, would
have been unwise, in the temper of the North
ern mind; would have given strength to his
enemies; corroborated their charge that he
was in sympathy with the South; and, in
short, defeated, Or at best postponed, his par
amount idea of creating party in opposition
to the imperial ideas of the Radicals. In ad-
dition, his mastery policy and his seeming
weakness have combined to make the practi-
cal disunionists of the country present, for the
first time since the foundation of the Repnb-
lie, the fair issue of negro equality.
Having surveyed the ground, and seen the
flank Of his powerful enemy uncovered by this
insane movement, he began the battle, which
whatever be its result, will send down the
name of ANDREW JOHNSON to posterity as the
foremost man of his generation.
1t is in this conflict that his character re-
veals itself. The force of will by which he
has achieved his elevation, and without which
he would have been cut DOM in the begin
ming, shines out conspicuously in every act
but it is as far removed from mere obstinacy
as courage is from rashness. lie Fl 5hts in
this conflict like a leader of the Middle A ges,
and he deals blows which fall with the hon
est, downright force of those delivered by the
men in the ranks. Being man Of the peo-
pie, trained amid the people, trusting the
people, and Boosting profound belief in the
business of the instincts ofthe people, he ap-
peals to them in language which they I'M
derstand; and when he called that buyer-up
of witnesses, FoRNEY, Dead Duck, he did
more to impair his powers of i'll than could
have been effected by the most polished in
veetiye which ever adorned the pages of Jun
IUs
Under his wise and consistent policy We
have seen a great party spring up in the
country; we behold it daily increasing in pow
sr; and his trust in the peoples sympathes
seems to be we'll founded. If, then, all the
actions of this great statesman have not been
in accordance with our wishes or our hopes,
let us be patient, and remember that leader
of the people can lose his power as easily, by
being too far in advance of public sentiment,
as he can by opposing it, When the people
of the North are educated back to full re-
cogniton of the supreme law of thu land, then
the liberal views of Mr., JOHNSON can be en-
forced without the danger Of defeat-which
would result to him and TO us, from prema-
ture effort at their application,
For our own part, we wait patiently and
hopefully for the day when the shouts Of vic
tory shall rise above the din of the conflict;
and we watch the course of Mr.. JOHNSON, as
a follower of HENRY might have watched his
plume at IyRY, certain that, where that
floats, the enemy must be beaten.
"Stick to Your Last"
The cohhler is not to 60 beyond his last, is