The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1866-09-28
The Failure of the New Party.

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The Conservative party has broken
down because its head proves no true
Conservative. He has not the tenn
permanent for the leader of such a
party. 1t needs self-controlled ma
ture, and careful, cautious man, with
a touch of timidity, much reverence
for law and precedent, and degree of
firmness in adhering to things as they
are for that place. Mr.. johnson is
no such man; he is too hot, impetous,
violent and reckless. He may be act
| ing to-day with the Conservatives and
tomorrow with the Radicals; but he
can never be the true and trusted
leader of either. He has not the
moral instinct and faith for Radical
leader in American politics, he has not
the reverence and caution for a Con-
lfserFatiYe; he has not the elements
that inspire confidence sufficiently to
be trusted and followed as such by
either. He belongs teothe same class
of American politicians; as Mr., Doug
las and Gen. Butler-rude, strong,
passionate natures, with great force of
character, often welding great popu-
lar power, useful for much of the work
| of new and struggling nation, the
men for revolutionary periods and
revolutionary labor, yet ever naturally
and properly distrusted by. the finer
moral instincts around them, and rare
" safe guides through periods of de-
sired calm and peaceful reconstruction
and progress ~ $50 ''a'' i".
Mr.. johnson exhibits this character
as the loyal Governor of Tennessee,
when he was associated with the Rad
ieals, and he is ex, biting the same
Qualities now as President of the Ma
ton and leader of the opposition to
them. He was the same man at Nash
Vile in '62-'63 as in Washington and
on the stump in 1866. He is an I'M
reliable and unsafe leader at any time,
but better as participating in revolu-
ton like that in Tennessee, than to
compose the conflicting elements in
our national strife, and enforce the
moral results of our National victory.
The Conservatives are fleeing from
him as if by instinct, and the party he
essayed to organize in his support at
Philadelphia is notifying failure
throughout the loyal States.
Thus it is that the so lately hopeful !
Conservative Union party of the ma
ton becomes failure. The Maine
and Vermont elections show the
alarm of the people, their distrust of |
Mr.. Johnson's leadership, and their
rally in refuge around the Republican
party. They fee to that Organization |
that has been the rock of safety for
the countrythrough the war. 1t must |
hold still longer Conservatives and |
Radicals alike, till the new danger is
passed; and loyal hearts must waive
difference as to the policies of recon-
structi0n, as to men as leaders, as to
what is to come after order and calm
are restored, as they did during the
war, and join hands to convince the
Southern people that the power of
the Government cannot be shared |
with them until they show themselves
capable of welding it in the interests
of peace and justice, of law and order.
The South must be made to see and
feel that it must organize and secure
peace and protection to all its citizens
at home before we of the North can
consent to divide among ourselves on
the new and vexed questions in our
national life First peace, then prog
ress; and if peace can only be reached
by a new progress, SO much the better
for nation and race .''stt''i'tsf