The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1866-04-12
Communicated.
Light Ahead!
Ed. CoURIER:


The heart Of every true
patriot throughout the land was overlooked
when the electric wires spread the glorious
news that the President in his arbitrary
measure he'd received mortal wound
The effects of that political wound will
thwart those whe saw in he erratic course
of President johnson, II means through
which they could gain by Legislation what
they lost by force of arms. Let us earnest
ly thank God that we have men, at last, in
our legislative councils who, regardless of
the one man power, are determined to ter
inmate the Legislative war in as equally
honorable q manner as the late actual one.
Who are these men who dare to raise their
voices in warning against the encroach-
ments of Executive power? Certainly you
will not tell us that these are the men who
elevated Andy Johnson to his present po-
sition! Too we'll our bleeding country
knows il. We might ask ourselves in all
sincerity, can this be the Andy Johnson
who promised repeatedly to make treason
odious by the just punishment due traitors?
Can this he The same who promised to be
the Moses of the bondmen. to lead them to
freedom? Time changes and men change
waEa them but what sad chapter of in
consistencies does this case present TO the
gaze of the world! Who are row the men
who uphold him in his suicidal policy p
Well might he calculate, God save me from
my friends! The very men who are sup
porting him now are they who, but a short
time ago, could hardly find in the vocabu-
larry Of the English language, words of
sufficient force To express their detestation
Of him whom they now laud to the skies.
The loyal heart of the land was paralysed
when he gave the death blow to "The
Freedmens' Bureau Bill" and expressions
of condemnation of his recreancy arose
from almost every Legislative hall through
outthe land and then. subsequently, when
the ever burtful policy of conservatism
prevailed in the Senate, he was sustained
in his veto, the balance of power seemed
irrevocably placed i'm his hands. But now
let the loyal masses take courage for his
political influence has departed. and his
political death will take place like the old
Public Functionary's, that is, as soon as
his term expires.
2 There was a time in our political history
when only three men stood up In the hall
OF the United States Senate, boarding the
lions in their den, and there proclai ned in
stentorian voices that their opinions would
at some future day he adopted by the whole
of the American people. What were those
opinions? The fundamental principles OF
fresdipm as ordained by our Creator, re-
CARELESS of nationality and color.' Who
are those Raen who have dared to promul-
gate those opinions in the days of Chivalry?
Their names are W. II. Seward. J. p. Hale
and Salmon p. Chase Thames that will he
transmitted to poSterity as the most devot-
ed philanthrOpists in the hottest cause.
while others vii he lost in the chaotic rub
bish of the past, or be renen bered III in
fanny AS the con,patriotS of Benedict Ar
mold or jeff Davis.
But let us return 70 the subject and in
duire into our duty during the coming fu-
ture which is fraught with interest to our
future welfare. Let us nohly sustain the
action Of our representatives in their wise
and patriotic legislation. and then, when
the end has arrived, we can look back and
proudly point to our actions and saw thai
tive have, in our own sphere, contributed
our mite tn the reconstruction of n govern
ment based on the fundamental principles
of Freedom Let rs gather courage for
the combat with the remains of slavery,
from the precious words of our martyred
president, when he declared that he "sho'd
rather he assassinated On the spot. than to
surrender the principles which his CON
science bid him promulgate - Finally.
let MS hope that Congress shall continue TO
place condemnation on the unwise and
unparriotic course of the accidental Presi-
dent. and by that means, reconstruct the
Government on basis OF freedom and
Justice, as originally intended by its foun-
ders. Yours truly, #g-, w.