The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-03-07
The Relation of the President to Political
Er.reu 20 ,Igf Parties. la fat. .lutur

/
From Ae Times. 90 10 glirr01 r'r1J % a1
The Tribune has thrown off the mask under
which it has for some time assailed the Presl
dent, and openly arraigns him on a charge Of
disloyaIty to the Union party, by whom he was
elected. .....' -o .rr .f.54 .o 5s5.sf .a
We fancy that our city contemporary has dis
covered the futllity and unpro6tabepess of its
recent tactics. 1t has found out that to strive
by cowardly inuendo TO damage the reputation
of Andrew Johnson--to print filthy accusations
under the ga1b correspondence, and to keep
them before its readers by little editorial by ]
play-is not to promote its own interest or the
Interest OF the disunon faction OF winch it is the
unscrupulous instrument, or indeed 70 do yht
beyond the excitement of popular disgust
Whatever the cause OF the change, the fact is
apparent. The lies about the associations OF the
President aud the ISLANDERS about his habits
which tue Tribune has endeayored TO force into
circulation are at length dropped, and misstate-
ments OF another character are used in their
place. SHL io .a9 9N- .3'o.Hh D -''i'
Itwould be an amusing, though perhaps an
Improbable task, t. trace the stealChy steps
which have led the Tribune TO its present posi-
tion. So long as nope remained that the radl-
Gals might use President johnson tor their own
purposes, so long the Tribune played the tawn-
ing apologist and the sycophantic defender. At
times it assumed the role of the patron, APP
plaudiDg the course of the President, and pat
ting him encouragugy. Gradually, as events
seemed 10 lnulCaJb Jne weakness OF Inc IdlJl on
which 1t had depended, it put on the broad ply
lactery OF the Pharisee, implored the President
with genuine nasal snlf1e, prayed for him at
street corners, and, with upturned eyes, trusted
that all would yet be well. When the veto mes
sage upset the last Of the radical calculations, it
might havegbeen supposed that the Tribune
would be ferocious, But 1t was not. II was
simply Tor the moment paralyzed. With the
return OF CONSCIOUSNESS came the cOwardly
manGuvring to which we1nave adverted-the
lie by implication, and the slander in a shape
embodying the least possible responsibility.
Now, after days OF effort and nights Of cogita-
tion, our contemporary jumps on 10 the ground
which manly adversary, would have occupied
at once. and fatty charges the President with
cultiva'ing Rebel sympathy, and acting dishon-
estly towards the Union party. elj 20 bttfA
The ebullition of spleen to which the Tribune
treated its friends yesterday has not taken out
siders by surprise. Everybody has seen that to
this complexion the affair would come at last,
and there is general feeling OF relief now that
the Pharisee is seen to be an unsanctimonious
| partisan, and the virtuoas reviler an unmstaka-
| BILE enemy. '...''~l t' vt. l| .-H 1-t r1-
There are some, probably, who will be con-
| tent, in the present aspect OF the controversy
TO exhibit il juXtaposition the respective poiti-
| cal characters of the accuser and the accused.
! AS between the Tribune, tue complainant, and
| Andrew johnson, the individual complained
| against, the popular Judgment will not be diff
| cult OF Interpretation when the issue to be
i decided is one OF patriotic consistency and party
! integrity. What has Andrew Johnson done it
Il
| listening to reasonable inculcatons" with
i out rebuke and dealing disingenuously with
| his Union friends (? Is not his record during
i the war an answer to all such accusations
! Is he TO be abused as an ally of traitors who
| Idefed treason when it was powerful, and
| peIilled life and property by resistance to their
| machinations? Is he to be assalled as false to
! the cause and party OF the Union who stood by
| both in the most irving hour, and worked for
| both with an energy that yielded to no difficulty
| and resolution that never succumbed to despair?
| Above all, Is he TO be convicted Oh an indict-
] ment of this nature preferred by journal which
| before the war began counseled that the South
| ern States should be allowed to secede in peace
| which, under the shadowbof defeat, urged
! peace on the basis Of a dismembered Union7r
which intrigued with notorious Rebels for the
settlement on terms that would have been alike
disastrous and ddshonorable to the Union cause?
Us Andrew johnson to be suspected Of casting
f'in his lot with the Copperheads,p and disguise
pnd equivocation" towards the Union party, on
the testimony of journal which few months
ago divided, and by its fathlessness defeated the
Union candidate lor the mayoraty, and on that
occasion became the aYowed and confidential
ally OF no less '"Copperhead" than Mr. Fer
nando MoodS lGT4C3 a19EduoD sl5+uuuo0a 32II
These are interogatories which must thrust
themselves into the mind OF every intelligent
observer OF the IfTbunes course; and 1t may be
that in the only possible answer to them we have
all that is required for the justification OF the
President in the matter before us. ,ss9r
No necessity exists. however, for thus limiting
u
his career with the career Of the newspaper
which assails him, His position is good not
only against the Tribune as an aceuser, but
bgainst all accusers. ~ '+h
M Ever since it became evident that the Pfest
dent would adhere to, the line of constitutions
n duty as he understands 1t, the pimpsc and sples
OF the d1sunion faction have sought for pretexts
? for throwing doubtupon MS party fidelity. IIht
telegraph has been loaded with Installations de
signed to convey the impression that he wa,
about to 'gPyl ylerize his Administration anC
generally TO act falsely towards the party who's
} sufraaes elevated him to power. But at M
support OF this vie W. All the vigilance will
e which he has been watched has failedto bFinl
= to light single excuse Tor Suspicion His con
/, ndence has been given, unllOrnly aud unreser
7 4 Fedly to prominent members Of the Union party
d who have been at once eXponents of his pnl
e poses and witnesses as 10 his fidelity, He ha
0 steadily refused to hold the Union party respoI
S sible for the destructive policy of 81 the el
L tremlsts, and has Yindicated Qhis0 own cor
duct as well by reference to the written pl
8 ganic lay OF the nation, is By appeals to Ia
b policy OF his lamented predecessQrs and thepu
o poses OF his party, as deelaIed both in COngre'
2 end IA The States .He has carried forward AL
EnSgnS SGEs aS III 4ineeln himself began
y hon he has upheld inBeXibly the most rig
III requirements OF his party, con nlerrlng Offices
a trnst gppn men whe have justified his choic
- ing go 1g rom fhelr Conventions aets wllit
p render the triumph OF the Union arms 0onlolet
AZ he, ,afs pnhleH proclaimed hs Intention to abb
VI pl ths pgiHqples and the leaders Of the UniG
Q, prgAnl fatl9n 10 disappont those who ha
" praflcie hls gelng over 10 the DsnocPaeY; al
1y1 Pe H4tS siil elg QhRlenge the, most hyeterRte
ne his ad 70 shNW word or deed 81 yarlan
s- with these declaratlons, o,i ~ ,tfi vi 5,,i
cd But Ne laEs ,tglat 1.-THE Copperheads aad a
y,J PeA(tsnt hfpelhnesAut the veto message and Il
s8ll 1sdlO 10 sna.lal1dO diiW bare aTays ledfu 3
a1d AaoA ehnsoA 4 A-.snou1nmo