The Portland daily press., 1866-03-06
A Change in the Situation.

If breach between the President and Con-
gress was Inevitable from the moment of the
death of MIR. Lincoln, it could not have come
at better time than the present. Let us do
Mr. johnson justice. When he fell into DOW
er, 1t was into power of unusual and extra
ordinary growth, which the people were anx-
ious to have used to further the great ends
which the prospect OF returning peace seemed
to bring within their grasp. The President,
however, wisely remembering that the gov
ernment was a democracy, not an autocracy.
refused to call into action any further than
was necessary the forces with which the peo-
pie, accustomed TO war, had become familiar,
and fastened to put off the strength that
chance had clothed him with. He was auto.
cratic, it is true, in dealing with the South.
but it was arbitrary power exercised for the
unusual purpose OF making way for republi-
can life. While he was urged in every direc-
ton, now to try Davis by court-martial, now
to give the freedmen civil and political rights.
he remained steadfast and unyielding in the
effort to rid himself of power that he felt
was dangerous to the nation In this wav
month by month, has the Executive declined
Choosing to leave to the people questions
whose settlement most affected the people,
the President has at every turn avoided the
tempting opportunities which presented them
selves to his grasp. The army was at his dis
posal he got rid Of it. Congress met, and he
declared it his purpose to hamper by no action
of his the movements of the legislature: when
the Southern representatives were sent home
he offered not word Of remonstrance; Ten
nessee herself remained without a voice in
the national debates, and he made no impera-
tive demands for her admission. CONGRESS,
on the other hand, has shown day by day
consciousness of its increased strength and re-
turning authority, and a greater disposition to
To- Is,,
ing the reconstruction Of the revolted States
Thus great change has come over the Gov
ernment during the year-a change which has
somewhat restored the normal relation of the
legislative and executive departments, disar-
ranged by a state Of war. Nl sA' itNii g'
But if Mr.. johnson, overlooking this
change, seeks to separate distinctly his sup
porters from his opponents, what is the pros
pect before him? He sees that, when he holds
the Freedmen's bill unconstitutional and in
expedient, and the admission of Southern
members necessary, the whole South, rebell-
ious and ignerant, with their cldquettrs, the
Democracy of the North, gather round him
with unwelcome applause. He sees, rushing
to grasp his hand with all the eagerness Of
those who for years have not shaken hands
with honest men, the gentlemen who cried
Peace, when there was no peace, who fnstigat-
ed mobs of thieves and murderers, but had
not the courage even to become mob them
selves, He hears the voices of those whom
he fought, of those who would have hanged
him. sounding exultant plaudits in his unac-
c,istomed ear. Southern legislatures stop a
moment in the passage of black codes TO cry
Well donel to the man for whom their lips
once formed only curses. He remembers that
in December he told Congress that "good
faith required the security of the freedmen in
their liberty and their property, their right to
labor, and their right to claim the lust return
of their labor" and sees the freedmen gather
ing together in silent fear lest that scant Sc
curity but just acquired shall pass away. He
sees that by his action Tennessee, the State Of
all that he most longed to see in her old posi-
ton, is cast instantly into outer darkness
He may hear amid the tinkling of glasses at
Wizards the names of Robert E. Lee and Jei-
ferson Davis joined with that OF Andrew
johnson. He cannot forget that his new aa-
mirers love him, not because he Is pa.riotic,
not because he is wise, not because ne Is eau
tious. but because his views OF duty seem at
nresent to coincide with their views Of inter-
est and that they would love him ten times
hatter were he one of the roaring tire-eaters of
'0O.-[The Nation. ad1aoa .ee. D.,
ER-The cotton harvest in Algeria is mag
pificent in the plains of Habra. The natives
of Farraga and of the Atba Djemmala, who
are occupied with this culture, will realize
large profits and are preparing to give it greater
extension than in preceding years. l