Delaware State journal and statesman., 1866-11-20
WHAT THE LONDON TIMES SAYS
ABOUT THE 0LEDGER
DIEPATCN
LFrom Do L.ndon Tlmea. No.. I'D.

more unfortunate incident could not
nave happened at the present moment than
the transmission from Washington to the
puohc press throughout great part of the
uhlteu states OF the news now officially de-
med, that President Johnson had consulted
or was aboutto consult the Attorney General
as 10 the legal constitution of the present
Congress, and the right of the Executive to
ulsown 1t. A piece OF intelligence which, if
'ruc must have been obtained suTrepttiously
OF ny an abuse of official confidence and,
IL lalse, must be u base invention, in which
lhere could be no question Of mistake, ought
to be received everywhere with reserve and
caution But the very circumstanlialty of
ihc story caused ii TO be instantly believed,
and, though some days had passed since it
was trst promulgated, it was still believed
m many quarters ut the date of the last ad-
vices. II was useless for the President and
ihe Attorney General to deny that such
questions had been put; for their denial was
ihken only to mean that the consultation
had not been formally made. 1t could
not convince those hostile 10 Mr. Johnson
mat such questions had not been drawn up
In short, there was still conviction among
a great part of the public that there was
something in it. !" Even more moderate
politcians seem TO think that the story, if
not true, was, at any rate well invented. Ii
was Just what the President might be eX.
pected 10 do twas quite in keeping with
ms passionate utterances during his late
TOUR 1t was the legitimate consequence of
lhc doctrines which his party has advocated.
lhe Conservatives had said that the South
ern States madam indeleasiblc right to be re-
presented in Congress as soon as they had
submitted to the authority of the Federal
Government and repealed the secession or
dinanecs. The Congress was legally made
Df 4 .,
certain fixed number of Representatives.
Neither the Senate nor the House of Repre-
sehtatlYes had really assembled last session
AZ Washington, inasmuch as part of each
House had been denied admission by the rest.
llundreu's of speakers on the Presidents
side had declared that the two bodies which
would meet in December would be no Con
gIess at ali, and the Presidents language
looclearly indicated that this was his opinion.
W ny, then, should not he, the man Of head
strong temper and bitter animostios, medi-
tate coap d'etat, if he thought he would he
backed by the United States army and
large minority of the Northern people?
johnson was Il despot at heart, and there
was no reason to disbelieve that he would try
his strength
The result of the dispatch to the PuJlic
Ledgtf has been vast increase OF political
excitement, and fresh threats OF impeach-
mchl IRON the victorious Radicals The
electcnccring lever which had somewhat
subsidized after the vote of the 9Th OF October,
has suddenly taken new energy, and this
will probably continue until the elections
Qi the present month. The opponents OF the
PRESIDENT, though they know that they will
nave nm oyerpowcring majority in the next
congress, think they can never be too strong.
hey are determined to fight TIE administra-
lon IN every State and in every district, to
reduce us followers in Congress to the lowest
point, Sc ms 10 take power completely into
thelr hands at the first meeting, and to show
mat they completely represent the country
he reason Tor this is, no doubt the fear that
II the President should lind himself support
en- by even iair minority in either House
ne may display the ObstnaCy of his charac
Yer more lurmidibly than in the last session.
But the Republicans feel or affect Il dread OF
something beyond mere constitutional Op-
position. The chiefs Of tie party, when
lhey propose the impeachment of the Presi
dent, are anxious, as ihcr followers believe,
only TO anticipate the adverse action OF the
Executive For some time there has been
doubt suggested OF the fidelity of the United
states army and its principle leaders. Some
people have declared that Mr.. johnson is
bringing troops to Washington, and dis
lflbullng commands so as TO be able TO act
win flsor against the supporters OF an ad-
verse Congress. This and that general have
been pointed to as likely to obey the I'resi-
dcntial bchests. The Confederate army,
too, was not To he unemployed. Hit had been
uisbandeu the men were still thcre-poOr,
Tor the most part, and all Of them burning
lor revenge. some OF the Southern leaders
would like nothing better than to show their
onlpathy to Il Northern Congress at the bid
dlhg OF II spirited President, Suspicion be-
gets rumors, and rumors in their turn pro-
uuce new suspicious, Hence there isamong
u large class in the States Il feeling OF un-
oasincss which the fierce inveclives of the
'pulltlcians' on each side tend to increase.
Men OF calm judgement believe that all will
pass over quietly, but they admit that il is
possible that things will go the other way.
re passions OF the rival parties are strong.
and II one OF them AT the meeting OF Con.
gfess declares war "tO the knife, - or go the
bitter end, To use the vehement language
oil the platform and the stump, no one can
say that the other will not accept the chnl-
lenge.
=. Where SO much depends on the personal
ulSposlllon OF q .tan il is impossible to
speak with confidence Of the future; but ms
lnr as can be Judged from the past political
history OF America, there is reason to believe
'hat the hangers OF the present crisis are ex.
aggcraled. If the leading statesmen of thc
>
prudence, if they have but an ordinary
perception of their own and the public in
terests, there is no cause for alarm. Every
looker-on already sees that the contest
can only be terminated in one way. The
nation has unmistakably pronounced against
the Presidential policy, and it is the duty of
Mr.. johnson no longer to persevere in il
The majority against him will be so over.
whelming throughout the northern States
~ l. sutt., ii, ,,.st 4
ing OF Congres and all its members were
TO join the Presidents party, the majority
IN both HOUSES would still he hostile.
Though Congress may he an INCOMPLETE
Legislature as it stands, yet if il were
to be completed its vote would moi he
altered. In these circumstances the Presi.
dent ought not to hesitate to submit TO the
verdict OF the country and it he cannot
conscientiously urge the Southern States to
accept the constitutional amendment, he
ought to let them know that lie can no
longer support Them in resisting il.
When course of policy appears obvious
ihere Is every reason TO suppose that il will
be adoptcd. We in England are not likely
TO sec these things more clearly than Presi
dent Johnson, or than Mr.. Seward and thc
rest OF the Presidents Cabinet. They must
all know that the North has given delibcr-
ale Judgement against them, and that, sooner
Vi latcl, IL must ne oDeyed. We cannot
seriously believe that it has ever entered into
me minds OF the Executive to resist Congress
ny force. The movements of the daily
diminishing army of the United States have
been watched with suspicious curiosity but
II would be hard TO show that any dispositions
have been made with the view of dispersinr
the Radical Representatives or keeping down
the Northern people. Yet even If the Con
scwatiye party had been willing TO menace
its adversaries, the result of the elections
must prove that such policy is absolutely