The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1866-09-17
The Drift, of Tn. tide.

Ihe New York Herald has got news from
Maine, and is at no loss to understand the
meaning OF the signs and portents that fill the
pohtical sky. In an article ON sThe Recent
ana Coming Elections" the substantial part of
winch We print below, that paper distinctly
aYows It's conviction that Mr.. johnson has made
ainistake, that the new amendment must be
the basis OF reconstruction, and that the Pres
ident must at once abandon his issue with
Congress, However trifing may be the NOR
al weight attaching to the opinions of the
Herald on any question by which the public
mind is agitated, it is impossible to deny its
shrewdness as an observer of the tendency of
popular opinion, and therefore this sudden
change of front on its part is one of the most
significant indications of the set of that ire
slssible current. After remarking that the
election in Maine sis too decisive against the
Democracy and Conservatives to be limited to
that State" and expressing its belief that "as
IN all our political contests of the past. of n
national character, the result in Maine indi-
Gates the general drift of the elections coming
after it throughout the Northern States" the
Herald says: ~ Is
1t is historical axiom that revolutions new
er 80 backwards The truth has been affirmed
III the great political events of this country
sines lhe a;Dournment OF Congress, and es-
peeially In the recent State elections 1t was
reasonable to suppose that the Jacobinical yio-
fence, recklessness and ferocity of such polti-
Cal reformers as Ben Butler in the East Sena-
5or Chandier IN the West, and Parson Brown
low IN the South, would have damaging eff
1eet upon their party when brought to iEdo-
menS before the people; but it is strikinglv an
parent from the result of the late elections in
n inilhe, that the popular mind is controlled by
nfv.akx IL: -
doings of this that anaticaI politician go
lor nothing. That great body of the Ameri-
Can people TO which we are indebted for the
suppression OF the most formidable rebellion
~ lne history OF mankind, are evidently de-
seIniiheu TO nave substantial securities for the
tf f t before they pronounce the good work
80 she restoration of the Union COMPLETE
rnst IA SNORT, southern reconstruction shall
I Constltutioe ne sold foundation of the Federal
I foroes oe W regardless of the disturbing
Iotces OF radicals copperheads reIeJs r,,t,ian
VI lallttics, North or South. ~ ' -
sit,oa+i,a we o elections which have occurred
ei ~ S W constitutional amendment WIS odont
ed by Congress for the roeonstr,aat; W as acoPI
southern states, we are satisf;ad ~ !" sue
amendment is to become the basisnf ' say tnaC
Iii tP u VIII carry and be carried nv
an the II Northern State elections vet ~ - py
and that with New Jersey leading off II , r;H1iie
ratlhed by them all, and become part anG " DC
oel OF the supreme law of the land Nor par par
muhhny fear of the consequences. There IL
.,,a. s'iuOi 81 very OAUSCblOuaDle this
UNI Misunderstanding which President Johne
sun himself has not at one time or another.
recommended to some Southern State or to
fGGns[ess, and nothing upon which there should
dent and Congress.
Inns amendment is the reconstruction plan
ana Platiorm OF Congress, and there is no good
reason, we say, why it should NOT have been
adopted also by the President inasmncb az he
stands committed in some shape to ali its mo-
visions. 1t is not the platform of Thaddens
=. Stevens, Sumner or any of the noisy radicals
Of Congress. They can do nothing. It was
adopted against their remonstrances and in
spite of their threats. 1t embodies substantial
ly, IN fact the Presidents original programme
and If carried in these coming October and
november elections we predict it will be
rom Massachusetts and New York westward
40 S trust that the administration in Differences
Sgi sle wi Of the people, will come back to it.
,,nn4 t noe = Surely this amendment engrafted
t1 ~ eHe constitution will be amply sufficient
saciia5S YSssortion of the Union internal peace.
ern,1rt az ne and the security OF the gov
t", ~ iit tie treasury for many generations
o. 's 1 all disturbing factions of eth
er aecson Pafson Brownlosv in nt
witn the State Of Tennessee for' t w ie.!1ins VI
mas shown that good thing NAV ba
bad man and for bad motive. y,,t t uone Ds d
nessee should thus lead off for this ,,t. zen.
IS very remarkable and significant fact thn