Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1865-1869, 1866-03-02
senatOr sherman and the President.

subscribers in every section Of the state.
Senator Sherman and the President
The speech delivered in the Senate on Mon
day last BY Senator SHERMAN, Of Ohio, is an
important and interesting feature in the history
of current politics. Mr.. SHERMAN is an able
man-almost as able in politics as his distin-
guished brother is in arms. He has recently
been reelected to the Senate for the long term,
which will carry him four years beyond the
termination Of President JOHNSON'S incum-
bency. He is thus in a situation which enables
him to act independently. Mr.. SHERMAN voted
for the bill extending the powers Of the Freed
mems Bureau. He was one Of the thirty Sena-
tors who voted to pass that bill over the PreSi-
dents veto. He was in favor of all the meas
ures of his party, and was disposed to expert
ment upon the patience and tOrJitude Of the
President, by pushing those measures to ex-
tremity. He perhaps thought that the most
effectual method of winning the President was
by steady, unremitting pressure by claiming
everything and yielding nothing by passing
all the measures advocated by his party, and
throwing upon the President the responsibility
of an open rupture. This is the way to con-
troll most men. Few can resist such pres
sure. But ANDREW JOHNSON was one of those
few. When the pinch came, he resisted, and
resented. He applied his veto to the pet
measure of the Republican party, and, turning
around, appealed to the people to sustain him.
This course of the President violently in
csnsed many ofthe party with which Mr.. SHER-
MAN acts disturbed their equanimity, and lea
them into all the extrayagances of passion
But Mr.. SHERMAN evinces a cooler head,
serener temper, and sounder discretion
Good, sound sense is, after all, the best gift of
the politician. Mr.. SHERMAN shows that he
possesses this gift. He adroitly interpoSeS be-
tween the President and his party. He shows
that the restoration policy of the President is
but 'the continuation of that of his predeceS-
sor, "with the exception that the plan of PreSi-
Z" dent JOHNSON is the most severe in its re-
quirementS from the rebels" When he
comes TO the Presidents 22nd of February
speech, he sootheS the wounded SensibilitieS of
his party friends by saying" He thought that
(" no man, who was friend Of the President,
" would be unwilling to wipe that out of his
" history" He adds, BY way Of excusing the
President:
4" But it should be remembered that President
johnson was a very cOmbatiVe man, and that he
had always been noted for his force in repelling a.
sauts made upon him. Mr.. sumner had recently
accused him OF 'whitewaShing; and while no al
front was intended. this language was evidently
construed into afrOnt. Il could not be forgotten
that Mr. Stevens proclaimed Andrew johnson an
"alien enemy" in the Baltimore Convention, and
that he recently said in the House that for certain
language used by him. (the PTesidentl IA British
king would have lost his head two hundred wears
ago" These facts must be taken into consideration
in making up 4 Judgment upon this unfortunate
speech.
But the chief point orMr. SHERNAN's Shrewd
and sagacious speech will be found in that por-
tion of it in which he warns his party against
forcing upon the President new issues adverse
TO the well known principles of his life, or by
inviting controversies of personal character,
thus causing him to turn his back upon those
who elected hun. Mr.. SHERMAN said
We know that the President cannot, will not
and never agreed TO unite with us upon the issues Of
universal suffrage and dead States. No such dog
mas were contemplated, when, for his heroic ser
vices in the cause Of the Union, We placed him side
by side with Mr.. Lincoln as our standard bearer
Why dwell upon them Why not complete the
work so gloriOusly begun by our soldiers by secur
ing Union and liberty TO all men without distinction
of color leaving 10 the States, as before, the queS-
ton of suffrage The curse of God, the maledic-
tons Of millions Of our people, and the tears and
blood Of men made freemen, will, in my Judgment
rsst upon those who would for any cause destroy
the unity of the great party that has led Us through
the wilderness of war 10 peace and rep0Se. We
must now look 10 our public credit We have du-
ties 10 perform the business interests Of the cOun-
try in which we need the assistance OF the President
We have every motive for harmony with him and with
each other and for a generous manly trust m his
patriotism. II ever the time shall come when can no
longer cOn6de IN his devotion to the principles upon
which he was elected, will bid farewell 70 Andrew
Johnson with unaffected sOrrOw / will remember
when he stood in this very spot live years ago repel-
ling with uneXamped cOuarge, the assaults OF trail
tors He left in their hands WIFE children, property
and home, and staked his all on the result. Will
remember that when a retreating general would
have left Nashville % its fate again with heroic
courage, he maintained his post | will remember
the fierce conflicts and trials through which he and
his fellow cOmpatrOtS in East Tennessee maintained
our cause in the heart Of the COntederacy. will re-
member the struggle he had with the aristOcrauc
element Of Tennessee Never ashamed of his origin
and never far from the hearts OF the people. Sir you
must not sever the great Union party iron this Loyal
element OF the southern STATES NJ theories " POs
sible UtOpan good can compensate Tor the loss oil
such patriotism and devotion. Time, be tells you
in his message, is a great element OF REFORM and
time is on your side.
This well-timed speech Of Senator SHER-
MAN was the appeal of calm, clear-sighted
man, for the preservation Of his party and an
emphatic protest against its disintegration.-
He sees that if crusade is preached up agains
President JOHNSON, he will lead of with hin
the masses of the people and many of the
leading politicians, and he therefore advises
moderation, forbearance and good temper
When the excitement Of the present hour sub
sides, it is not unlikely that Mr.. SHERNAN'S adj
vice will be followed by many who now seen
to be governed by blind passion.