The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1866-01-09
Another War Predicted.

...I.e a Another War Predicted.
The Copperheads have become proverbial
for their peaceful character in war and their
belliserent attitude in peace. The great san
culinary struggle to uphold the life of the ma
ton, having terminated successfully, "a strugs
gle In which the Copperheads took no active
part, and maintained strict neutrality only
leaning as England did towards the rebels
the leading men of that persuasion are now !
predicting and trying to stimulate hostilities
between the President and the party to whom
he is indebted for his present official position
The New York World is outspoken in this d.
rection, and talks in clear, distinct voice of
@the G7ht the President has determined to
make Nth the Radicals" meaning the Repub-
lican members Of Congress, and afhrms that
the voyage of Mr.. Seward to Cuba and the
South lis one Of the most characteristic and
artful things he has ever DONE" sit takes
him." continues the World, s'away from
Washington at a time when he could not re-
main there and retain his present Office, with
out using his influence actively" in this fight,
as a sort of Corps Commander if not Lieut..
General ON the side of the Presidential forces.
The result of this predicted war is considered
somewhat doubtful, or the World would not
tell what "the great question next in order''
is to be "IF the President triamphs.n iss
We have no excited fears,o any such strug-
gle as the World predicts. We don't believe
ANDREW JOHNSON is made of such materi-
ais as entered into the composition of John
Tyler, that he will betray the men and the
cause with whom and with which his norni-
nation and election identified him; nor do we
believe the Republican Congress contains men
of such unwise and short-sighted ambition as
possessed Henry Clay in 1S41, that they
should seek to force the President to become
the pioneer in clearing the path for their own
entry into the White House, or drive him
out of the party that elected him and into the
ranks of the enemy. -.,..
Thaddeus Stevens may be impracticable
and unwise but he is not Presidential
aspirant; Charles Sumner may be ovel-zealous
for an idea and unbending in bis purpose, but
be Is honest, and has revealed no ambition for
more than Senatorial honors unless tits to be-
come the champion of Right and Liberty
against Wrong and Despotism. He and Mr..
Stevens may both be anxious to bend the
Presidential will into harmony with their own,
but, falling in this neither of them is anxious
to drive the President into the ranks of the
enemy to make clear path for himself; nor
could they do so, in our Judgment, should they
attempt it and bend all their energies to Sc
cure SO insane a purpose. And this jndgment
we base on the well-known integrity and hon
or Of Andrew johnson who, though firm, will
fully firm If you please, or even obstinately SO,
is possessed Of deep-seated and intense ha-
tired of treason and of traitors, and will never
soil his good name by any act that can be tor
tured into resemblance of so mean and das-
tardIy aspirit as that which betrays its friends
and those who have supported and protected
it, for the benefit of a common enemy.
But suppose President johnson should
make the eight" of which the World speaks,
and suppose, through the weakness Of the
1eshp and the love of official favor, enough of
the Cabinet and of Congress should prove
false to principle to turn the tide of vic
tory in his favor,--is it quite sure the final
struggle would be gratifying to his ambition?
We think not. The rebels at the first and
second Bull Run, at Fredericksburg, at Chan
cellorsvIle, and on the Peninsula, seemed to
be gaining strength, and to be ON the trium-
plant wave, but there was reserve force,
which did not, like Fitz john Porter's at An
tietan, remain inactive and thus sacrifice all
the advantages secured by bloody fight, but
they rallied, and never yielded to despair, nev-
er tagged, never faltered till all that was lost
had been regained, till Grant and Sherman
had more than atoned for the defeats of Nc
Clellan and Rosecrans, and victory perched on
the banners of the Republic from the Lakes
to the Gull, and from Ocean to Ocean That
g reserve force was In the loyal people of the
d country; a reliance that never failed, though
rebels invaded loyal states and Copperheads
welcomed them by bloody riots in New York
, and other cities ab1k .0siGz 81, srs ,glila
sl SO it viii be again if necessity requires it.
P Officials mag prove false; the President may
fail of his duty I'VE do not believe he aoiH;-
the desire for official favor may predominant
q over integrity even in Representatives and
Senators; weakness may be shown where
strength should be exhibited, and patriots may
weep at the detection of men in places OF
trust; the Fitz John Porters and the McClel-
lans may get possession of high positions and
the rank and file may become smitten with
decentralization, but all will not necessarily be
lost; the people are right; the people demand
Union and Liberty-Justice and Equity, and
in this demand they are not only radical but
they are tEy7eribIe. The polls are not abolish
ed, and so sure as an appeal has to be taken
from the politicians to the people, to be set
tied at the balot-box, the people will triumph,
and all unfaithful servants win go down
doaoa among the dead men. Revolutions new
er go backwards. Progress is the law of
events, and the logic Of events is sure 10 solve
the most difficult problems, and to reduce all
things 10 their proper level. Those who have
the consciousness of being right can afford to
wait; only the time-server and the man of ex-
pediency, the man who exalts policy above
principle, fears the future. For him only is
there a fearful retribution in store, while
those who stand by the right, by justice, by
liberty, By the rights Of MAJ, as recognized by
man's Creator, are sure in the end to triumph.
Let no one fear to be called Radical Radi-
calisn-not fanaticism-always has, always
will come to time and prove the winner. The
radical of to-day Is to be the conservative of
tomorrow. Time viii bring all right; will
vindicate those who stand by the right; will
ayenge those who suffer for doing right. The
final resultof such fight as the World pre-
diets, therefore, should it come, is not doubt
full; it will be, it must be with the Radical,
nroYided his ralicaLism is In fine direction of