Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1866-02-27
[FrUm the National Union. ROpub.l
gAirlh of the Morning Press.
THE COMMERCIAL


Spirit Of the Morning Press.
THE COMMERCIAL.
The DalvFacilitatorott OF this morning takes
President johnson TO task for his speech 81
the 22d, which, It thinks, was beneath the
\ dignity of the Executive OF the Unite0
I States, charging him with making grand
mistake In abiding by name to Stevens,
Sumner and Phillips, Notwithstanding
these gentlemen had, on various occasions,
been unspairlng In their abuse OF the Pres
ident. Mr.. johnson, although at the head
of great nation, Is but man, and has the
feelings OF man, and we should not be
surprised, if upon some occasions, he should
fail to weigh his words as carefully as per-
haps he should, and speak more like man
than President. 1t Is all very well to talk
about the dignity of the high office of the
Chief Executive of the nation, and great
statesmen should respect that dignity, and
not provoke its incumbent to return them
in kind what he receives. Dignity should
be preserved on both sides--none the less
by Stevens, Sumner and Phillips than by
President johnson. The latter is plain,
blunt man, and Is not apt TO mince matters
either ia writing or speaking. When we
take into consideration the vituperation
that has been heaped upon him--the doubts
anu SuSDIClOllS VIII WntOH hoo bSSh -
viewed, we can very readily forgive him
for laying aside somewhat the dignity OF
his Office, and forgetting TO put on his silk
gloves when he concluded TO handle his
traducers. '"a '-2f'l ''|
THE GAZETTE.
Our dignifed neighbor on the corner oil
Fourth and Vine streets characterizes the
speech OF President johnson as the "most
disgraceful utteranCe of which 1t has any
record in the history Of men occupying
corresponding positions" and 1t thinks
there is no "high-minded man IN thc
United States that does not feel ashamen
of the performance" We think we can
name about three "high-minded men y
who feel considerably ashamed after the
performance-Stevens Sumner and Phil
Inns while there are many others, who
vince under the severe castigatlons adj
ministered by the President. The Gazette
says: #.r. ia .,l,,r
THE pride of country is wounded by this
exhibition, on the part of the President OF
the United States, of vulgarity that Is only
tolerated in stump speakers on occasions 0f
political excitement" .t. -l .rHH.-..-..
The "pride of country" is not so much
wounded as Is the pride of those extreme
radicals who thought in the President they
had mere puppet, which, by pulling the
strings, could be made to dance at their
pleasure as we'll Us to their profit. 1t Is nec-
essary sometimes TO administer rather nau-
seating medicine to peculiar patients, and
though rather "bad to take" 1t generally
has the desired effect.
The Gazette thinks that the effect OF the
Presidents speech will be to cause a more
Ontspoken feeling in support OF the major
L., & fhfnls rho lId-
zette is mistaken-the effect of the speech
will be, despite its egotism and its alleged
"yulgarity," to strengthen the friends
of that policy in which the President has
been consistent, and from which he has
not swerved one jot or title, and which he
assures us was the policy of President Lin
coin. r. -..
The Gazette is correct in its statement as
to the effect such a speech would produce
If delivered by the Queen OF England or
the Emperor of France - shaken the
thrones OF Europe and created a panic in
the Stock Exchange" but then it will rec
Olleet that we are not in Europe, but in the
Republic OF the United States, nation that
is now doubly free and independent, and
the President of which, after all, is consid-
cred only as one of the people. The less
we initiate the customs, manners and
speeches of foreign pOtentates, the better,
and it would be well if we would more fire.
quently astOnish them by our plain Democ-
Tacy. The Gazette, like President johnson,
has an abiding faith in the people, and
thinks, and no doubt correctly, that in the
end the people will correct all mistakes.
The Gazette indulges in an editorial on
''The Duty of Government" in which we
fail to find anything positively new or en-
pertaining. It does not believe that the
President is going to take the Government
away from Congress. Neither do we, and
perfectly agree with the Gazette that 1t will
be carried on by the Legislature, the Judi
ciary and the Executive. 1t has a pleasant
allusiOn to the Presidents performance Of
the anvil chorus, in which the Government
is placed on the anvil, and the North and
South are the blowers and strikers. 1t
thinks it is about time that Congress came
to some understanding in reference to its
prescribed conditions of reconstruction,
that longer delay may make it Ii
able to the charge of desire TO preyentre-
altogether. 1t does not look
upon the veto as preventing any permanent |
measures of settlement. We are rather of
the opinion that it will tend to hurry up a |
settlement. 1t is not such bugbear, after |
all,