The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1866-04-25
The President and his Policy.

A correspondent of the Cincinnati Commercial, writ
ing from Washington the 23d ult., concludes long
letter as follows:
First The president does not get dru,,k-is temper
ate and abstemious in all his habts-does not touch
liquor of any kind and mas not since the day of his n
auguration
Second. He is not going over to the copperheads,
nor is he going to appoint any man to Office who was
not with the Union party during the war
Third He as going to have every man who holds
Office under him. support him and his measures his
tpocy," set forth in his 22d of February speech
his veto and bis message. Those who do not SUPPORT
him. do take sides with the radicals in congress had
better look out for the executive az for it will surely
Efall.
Fourth. Andrew johnson is as honest and patriotic
a as lives the earth. He is Just as combative
and stubborn as he is honest.
Fifth. Dear to him as his irst-born yea, precious
the breath of his nostrils, is his policy" Before
his determination to sustain and carry through that
policy all other considerations must go down. TO that
policy" he would sacrifice the Union party were il
necessary. He would sacrifice his and all personal
riendships-yea, very life would weigh nothing in the
scales against his determination to carry it through
Why? Because he has, after long days and weeks and
months of earnest thought study and prayer conclud
ed that the salvation of his country and the welfare of
the people depended rpon it.
However much may differ with him in Judgment
can but admire his Spartan herosm and dauntless
courage. II
"What is the presidents policy, upon which be lis
risking so much" many inquire. "What is this CHIN
era, this phantom, this gnis at1s "poicy" thai is
leading the president this wild dance?"
That cannot fully answer. His message, Veto and
speech will best give it, The principal ingredients 5s
that policy are: ].
First-That the constitutional rights of the Stqt%s
and the people thereof shall not be infrnged traab
led upon by the general government.
Second-That the States have the right to deter
themselves the qualifications ofy yptars erd
that the general government can interfere
with that right in South Carolina than E Massachusetts
Third-That whenever member of congress from
any of the thrtysix States presents himself fdra
seat in congress- and take the cath prescribed for
each and every member of that body congress has no
right to exclude him; that congress prescribe rules
that will apply to all its members but cannot invdy-
ously legsate against members from sections of h'e
country or that only apply to part of that body Gf
part of the States.
Fourth--He does dot believe in the Stevens doctrine
of estate suicide"
Fitth-He is opposed to negro suffrage at this time;
thinks they untitled for and have the requisite
capacity to integenty exercise that sacred yet danger
GUS privilege. ..- rG. .r
Congress and the president will never harmonisc.
They will remain asunder and divided even unto the
end. n
1t immateriaI how this separation is caused-the
result is equally dangerous in its consequences to the
party in power 1t may be charged, on one side thab
Lne mas switched party track; and
the other hand that congress has followed the lead o
these crazy radicals until they have them into the
camp of the enemy-the disunonists The fact rei
mainS-They are separated. My own conclusion ii
that congress under the lead Of these old parliamentary
radicals has gone little too far and too fast and gdf
away from both the president and the people, that the
president has stood still since the day of his election
and has failed to keep pace with the progress of the
people. Il
The president will not go over to the "cops," ndr |
appoint any of them to Office but will not shake thehI
off if for their party selfish motives they see
proper to support his policy and measure. have ND
doubt he would be glad to form, out of the moderate
and conservative Union and the better part of the
democrats new and third party. But the testimony /
of men of the Union party upon whom he has called
for opinion to the feasibility of this plan has been
universal and emphatic that they would not be found
in the company of these copperheads for any consider
alton, even in decent place and for decent object
that the possible fullment of this dream-lf it ever
really exised-has passed away.
The president will use all the power he has in the
way of patronage and influence to bring men to his {
support, and will cut off those who are against him
For this he cannot be blamed A new deal will prob
ably be made in the cabinet. Secretary Stanton and 4
Harlan, and attorney general Speed are notorusy op-
posed to the president They are inharmonius ele-
ments in the cabinet at this time.
am satisfied that no man act as mediator in this
man who attempts it will be ground to
powder between this advancing glacier congress- and
this nmovabe mountain 'the greatest of the Andes
Had the leaders of the Union party and the Union
members of congress formed in the beginning of Mr.
Johnsons administration conspiracy with the copper
heads and butternuts to drive the president into the
ranks of the latter both parties could have more
earnestly and efficiently moved forward to the accom-
plshment of that purpose The former have held aoof
from him, dstrusted and assaled him. They have
aroused his anger and made him frequeutly from pas
sion and his strong, unconquerable and almost ungov
ernable combative nature, say and perhaps do many
lasty and unwise things The latter have visited him;
mnstered to his passions and vanities have given him
their confidence and support have sooed and comfort
ed him when wounded and wronged.
These influences have undoubtedly had their effect
How far these influences added to the opposition he
las encountered from the Union members in congress
IN carrying out his plan of reconstructon-or as he
expresses it, 'restoraton"-wl carry the president
10 tell. One thing is certain Andrew John
on will never be found untrue to what he believes
20 be the interests of his country. "THE GERMAN"