The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1866-06-01

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Advice, from Washington Indicate har-
mcpq Of action n the question OF recon-
stinc ION with the exception OF Mcs>rS'
Dnn].I,jc. lowan. Norton and Dixon, the
latter oi whom Is absent on account ol
continued illness. The republican senators
are !. Iac,!. to support amy policy winch
the majority approve. This certainly !,
cncou,~,o;no Il mrst he wiser to find i
definite settlement lur the l,H<"l question
now lhi,n 20 risk the result with another
con9ry>>. Ii can hardly be expected, w.
deed. il i absolutely certain that in the
next con4gt,>, the republicans will have
less numerical ,trcn9t II than in Tie pres
ent. 1t Is a question of Grave doubt if
the COMPRESSION policy OF reconstruction,
as opposed to that of tie president. would
prevail with the pc pie. 10 Us, in New
England, at first view i, may seem be-
yoId question, but in the middle and
western states the case is very doubtful.
The DISTINGUISHING amendment will I'M
doubtedly he stricken out or materially
amended. The provision that Represent
tation be based apJn legal voters will
probably he introduced. There is little
probability that any proposition for equal
OF qualified rights will prevail. 1t has al
ways seemed 10 IT. that this was the safest
ana wi,si solution Of the difficulty
Qualified suffrage with representation based
upon LEGAL voters would secure that pre-
dominance oil power 10 the loyal states
which is thought essential to future secll-
rity, III The same time cstab!ishin" the
broad principles o! justice and equality, in
But if compress, fails to PIT this i>>Ie fair
ly to the Peep be now, it is only postponed
lest by premature action and consequent
defeat, lis future prospects should be i'm
paired Ii will however be but Il post
poncmcnt-thc people Will not rest till
this simple act OF Justice and sound policy
prevails.
While the democrats may regret that
thc recent wisdom of cOn4rcSs has avoided
such Il rupture OF the republican party as
would have driven It's Conservative mem-
bcrS within their lines, all true lovers of
the Union have occasion for gratitude
that the party which was built up from
the liberal sentiment OF the old parties has
not been shattered till its work was more
July accomplished. The final detennina-
ton OF thi, question will do much toward
Restoring unity ana good feeling in the re-
publican ranks We have never believed
that Prr,l,irnt Johnson would 90 over to
the democrats, partly because we had some
faith III his integrity and consistency ~and
parity because we tailed to see that lie
could cam anything thereby. He is a
man Of stubborn purpose, much pride OF
opinion, but not without some libcrality in
all questions inyolyin" popular Interests
What was to be feared, was. that he would
set himself against the current from sheer
force of habit, like the woman Leigh Hunt
tells IL Of. who was drowned in the river
Her husband bid the servants 90 against
the current OF the stream. Observing I've
have no reason TO suppose that she should
have lost her spirit of contradiction"
Either he has been aclrlated by princi-
pie or lie has learned that lesson wcll-
the lesson which all men educated and
strengthened by litt-lon. contest and con-
trover>y eventually learn, that to seem to
be strong is to be strong: for since Il de
cided opposition TO his policy has mani
tested i;>eIi. he has never swerycI hairs
breadth from his original position, bracine
himself against the tide which has set 50
strongly against linn from the north
The honest historian OF Il hundred years
hence will give President johnson a better
character than 4 cotemporaneou, press is
able to do.