The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1866-01-04
PRESIDENT JOHNSON AND THE RE.
PUBLICANS.

The New York World has a very able az
ticle on the position of the republicans to-
wards President johnson. The points made
are telling. We copy the subjoined extracts
from It, and ask the candid reader to note the
consistency of those republicans who are
now opposing President Johnson's policy
DUST after the Baltimore convention. of last
summer, Andrew johnson made a speech a,
Nashville, Tennessee. The republican press
es throughout the country copied and Indoors
cd it, as containing the views of a sound
statesman. The war and the election are
now over, and the radicals find it policy to
change their tactics, and they grumble and
denouuce Andrew johnson because he has
not proven as nnprincipled as they show
themselves 70 be. They pretend they can
see nothing but treachery in his consistency.
We ask the reader to peruse the annexed,
and then hand it to his radical neighbor,
and ask him to explain the inconsistency of
his party
when his President Johnson'sl first
message Is found to place him in opposition
60 the party that elected him on the most itn
pOfeeho HuDSbioh III odT pOlillcs, Lu6Y nave
right to complain, unless they can make il
appear that he has disappointed their lust
expectations by violation of personal con-
sistency. As II by some proyidential i'm
pulse, Mr.. johnson proclaimed his views on
the very question which separates him from
the republican party Immediately on his NOM
inauon. Iney certainly cannot com plain
that by any eoncealment or equivocation he
allowed them TO act Ia the dark, aud elect a
man whose principles they did not know
When his nomination for vice president reach
ed Nashville by telegraph, his friends called
to congratulate him, and he responded in a
speech. one passage of which bears on the
point now in controversy If the republic
ans have either logic or honesty, that speech
should convince them that it is not the nresi
dent but themselves who in fault iu the
unpleasant difference that has arisen he
tween them. The following passage from
Andrew Johnson's speech in Nashville hits
the main question right in the eve:
s'Next it 1.-THE Baltimore conxentionl said-if
may De PERMITTED to speak OF myself, not in the
way OF vanity, but to illustrate p-tncpe-sWe
Will 60 INTO tho rebellious states and cboose ,
candidate for the vice. presidency' Thus the
Union party declared its belief that the rsbelIinus
states still in the Union and that their lov.I
citizens are still citizens OF the United States
Even ii the repu blIcan party does not ac.
cept this logic, they have no reason TO com.
plain that they have been deceived or he
trayed by their candidate. He regarded tho
very fact of his nomination as binding him
to the principle which now separates him
from the party. And IN point of logic. is IL
not absurd nay, monstrous, that Tennessee
should DO capable of furnishing a president
to administer the federal government and not
senators and representatives to advocate her
own interests THAT she can furnish a ran.
resentative OF the whole country and not one |
OF her own congressional districts?
Mr.. johnson finds himself opposed by the |
party that elected him; but he cannot aceuse |
himself OF having failed to satisfy every mat
party claim. He has even foreborne TO select
MS own cabinet. retaining that of his prede
cessor He has filled nearly every vacancy
occurring In other offices by the appointment
OF republicans. The party has separated
nom nim on question on which his present
upinions nave been consistently proclaimed
oy MIN ON every suitable occasion Thess
opinions, 600, are of such as nature that no
could not renounce them without a aonr.d;
admission that he formerly exercised ,ba -
ice OF senator from Tennessee. and NON 81
OF president of the United States w;,ha".
any legal title. Painful as it NAV he to ssn'
arate from the party which gave him tboi,
votes, as man of integrity and princinle he
has no choice. Freed from all party lies he he
will belong wholly to the country which IL
the beet position for q president callad 70
deal with questions of such gravity as tboss
which follow the war.