Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1866-09-14
YHR PRRsIDFNT,s CONsIsTENCY

Had President johnson the frankness to say
TO the people in his frequent addresses to them,
that on becoming President of the United
States, he found it necessary, as statesman
looking to the interests Of the whole country,
TO liberalize his opinions and shape his policy
in direct opposition to his previously expressed
views, he would relieve himself of the ap-
pearance Of inconsistency, and command that
respect which is always paid to candor. But
he does nothing Of the sort; wherever he goes
he refers the people to his record, and tells
them they can read his future course by his
past conduct If his past acts were in harmony
with his present policy, this would be well
enough; but il seems impossible that even he
can be SO infatuated as not to see that his rec
ord rises up 10 Judgment against him, and
condemns his policy more eloquently and for
ciblV than any Indictment that could be framed
against it. He pardons now where he promised
to punished them; he grants absolution where
he pledged con6scation; he honors with Office
where he threatened to disgrace with the halter;
he exalts to high places those whom he declared
must take back seats; be RENTS States to the
control of men whom he pledged himself should
have no hand in the work of reconstruction
He then roared for condemnation; he now
breathes conciliation; he was going to impoy-
erish where he now proposes to enrich. In
short, he does the very things he pledged him
self he would not do, and takes up the cudgle
with which he proposed to brain traitors, to
bruise those who are justly regarded as patri-
ots. -. t.-s ..... s-e.
Those who were apprehensive that his ad-
ministration would be too rigorous, are now
amazed at the extent of his magnanimity; those
who counselled mercy are now compelled to
demand Justice; and those who looked to Mo-
ses for deliverance and protection, look for it
from any other source with greater hope. If
they remind him of his pledges, he complains
that they insult him; if they quote from his
record to his face, they show disrespect to the
President of the United States; if he is asked
why he does not hang Influential traitors" he
responds by asking why they do not hang in
fuential Abolitionists.
The inconsistency between his past and his
present his pledges and his policy, is not the
worst Of it. He demands that we shall believe
in both, and see consistency where ali is con-
tradiction. His answer to all questions is that |
be stands on the Constitution, by the Constitu- |
ton, over the Constitution, under the Constitu-
tion. Ii would not be unpleasant to him if we |
were persuaded into the belief that he is part |
of the Oonstitution-so interviewer with it that |
it is impossible tosay which is the Constitution |
and which is Andrew johnson. There is only |
one other person in the country who equals |
him in devotion to the Constitution, and that is
the recent traitor to the Constitution. Both
give it the "fraternal hug" The one justifes
bis treason by it as readily as the other squares
his policy to it. There they stand, the only
persons save those who sneeze with the king
and cough with the courtier, the sacred guard
ians Of that venerable column-they, and only
they; and what is marvellous, the one is no |
more conscious of having done aught in def
ance Of it than the other of having shaped his
policy in defiance of his pledges.
If the President could! only be persuaded to
be as gracious TO ..ille foes Of his policy as he
has shown Himself gracious to the foes of the
g9nsIssution, we suppose there would be no
traitors any where But this is not allowed
We must believe him, with all his contradic-
tions and inconsistencies the competent and
only authority upon all constitutional ques-
tians If we doubt we are denounced; if we
differ we are damned. To suggest that Con-
gress has any right to name conditions of re-
storation is equivalent to treason, and he who
proposes its coordinate action is traitor. 1t /
is constitutional for the Executive to name con-
ditions, but highly unconstitutional for Con-
gress to modify them. In fact, Congress is an
Unconstitutional body, representing but por-
ton of the States, while the President is a con-
stutional President, though made so by the
votes Of the States only which have repre-
sentation in Congress. The President, elected
by a section, is q national functionary, but
Congress elected by section remains sectional.
1t is wonderful what depths of wisdom, what
Dr0fOunQ logic, WnaI IaV1SnlnS consistency are
discoverable in the Presidential mind, the
Presidential speeches, and the Presidential
policy. We have only to accustom ourselves
to reasoning on the Presidential line; believe in
the Presidential record, stand by the Presiden-
tial policy, and swear that there is nothing in
consistent, but complete harmony running
through and blending them, to receive the pa
ternal blessing of Andrew johnson, and to be
made the repositories of the Constitution, of
- L = al ! g al A.. Il. IL
wraps about his person.-Circinnati CONNER
einI