Daily union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1865-1866, 1866-03-02
THE CONSPIRACY AGAINST THE
PRESIDENF.


From the Albany (New York; Argus.l
The vehement denunciation which the
President hurled at the heads of his enc
mics, was not without provocation. 1t was
Stevens, not Summer, who proclaimed that
the address of the President to one Of the
delegations, "would in another age have
cost him his head!" 1t was Fred. Douglass,
speaking under the patronage of Chase, that
accused him of crime worse than that of
Booth. 1t was the New York Tribune that
made Surratt his supporter. Ii was Sumner
who proclaimed & war of races and bloody
massacres. The menace did not stop here.
Col w. S. Hillyer, formerly of Gen. Grants
staff, in a speech recently delivered before a
meeting of military men said:
There was conspiracy now Matching at
Washington to depose the President. The
argument was, that Tennessee was not loyal
State, and that Andrew johnson, being a
Tennesseean, was not eligible to the Office
A joint resolution would pass Congress de-
claring him a usurper, and all the horrors
of the French revolution would follow. We
must oppose this conspiracy and defeat it,
thereby showing the enemies of the Union,
both in and out OF Congress, that those who
fought for its preservation still recognise the
stars upon its banner"
We notice that the Detroit Republican, the
organ of the blooo-thirsty Chandler, admon-
ishes Congress that it may become its solemn
duty to impeaeh the President
When Wendell Phillips spoke at Tweddle
Hall in this city, he proclaimed that Presi-
dent johnson was no longer an ally to be
counted upon, but "an obstacle to be re.
moved;'' and the shudder of excitement that
ran through the audience showed the sinister
Interpretation they placed upon his words
We received notes and private accounts of
the lecture, giving it this color. We pre-
ferred to suppose that Mr.. Phillips was in
dulging in his vague and ineffective rhet-
oric, and that he did not know that his words
might be construed in such an evil sense.
But he is a word-monger by profession, and
should weigh the force of his expressions
should know also that if the attempt was
made to remove the Presidential "obstacle"
by congressional resolution, the usurpation
would challenge the people to bloody conclu-
sions.
What such intimations end in, the past
tells us. The threats against the life of
jackson terminated in more than one at
tempt at assassination. In Lincoln's case
the crime was consummated and johnson
himself, as well as Seward, came near being
the victims of the plot. The latter, in his
recent speech at the Cooper Institute, showed
that he was not unconscious of new danger
from this direction. Suppose" he said,
speaking of johnson, che shall give place
to another President, whether by election or
even assassination" thus suggesting that the
of h. l..
means an improbability.
We hate the word, and would defend our
opponents even from the imputation. The
danger lies in the madness of fool who
mistakes a rhetorical phrase for counsel,
and who, like Brooks, or Brown, or Booth,
proposes to settle public wrongs by private
vengeance.
Let us assume that assassination is not an
American crime. And let us see that it is
not one that can be consummated without in-
pediment or with impunity. We called for
the punishment by death of the assassins of
regard to age or sex-the
punishment of the accessories as we'll as the
principals, because we would not endure the
idea that any Democrat or democratic mass
should appear even to tolerate the crime of
political assassination. We must preserve
the page Of American history from any more
stains of this kind. We must make the
crime infamous. We must make the crime
We copy a word of admonition on this
latter point from the New York Leader:
If the agitation of the war could produce
a mailman like Wilkes Booth to assassinate
Mr.. Lincoln, it is much more probable that
among the Northern fanatics, whom the
President Indignantly denounces, at least
one wretch may be found to send bullet or
a dagger to the heart of President johnson.
We therefore call upon our friends at
Washington to guard the President. See to
it that he is not left unprotected and un-
armed, to the mercy of the Radical bravo.
Keep watch and ward over the movements
of those Northern traitors who have already
threatened him with death, and who have
the will, if they but have the courage, to
murder him. President Johnson is toostern
a Democrat to allow himself to be constantly
with soldiers, and too brave to
any personal precaution against danger. See
TO it, then, that he is constantly surrounded
with trusty friends, within call, within reach,
and do you take for him those precautions
which he negiects. Guard the President,
for in him you guard the liberties of the
people.