Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1866-09-20
THE PRESIDENTS TOUR.


dent journal, of great ability, moderate IN
its political views, and which has rather
been inclined to look with favor on Prcsi- |
dent JOHNSON. That the accidental occu-
pant of the White House, is disgraeing the
nation by his coarse harangues, and gen.
eral vuIgarity of demeanor, is very plain
His inordinate vanity. and self-conceit, are
j z 4 T. 1N +~tg
"The Journey President johnson
is now making, from the capital to the city
Of Chicago, is certainly an event OF more
than usual interest. Heis accompanied by
Secretaries Seward and Welles, by Gener-
al Grant and Admiral Farragut, and also
large company of invited official IS and
friends The object of the journey is to at
tend the laying Of the cornerstone of the
monument about TO be erected in Chicago
to the memory Of the late Senator Douglas,
and it is a distinguished compliment to the
memory of statesman whose most con-
spicuous public acts were SO much con-
demned at the time, and certainly were not
in harmony with the principles that are
now triumphant. 1t is also understood to
be the first time in which Mr.. Johnson has
ever visited Philadelphia and New-York, or
had the opportunity Of looking upon the
people of the Middle States in their own
homes. The arrival Of 80 distinguished
party of course awakens the utmost enthu-
siasm in every town and city through
which it passes, and the spectacle which is
thus presented, of whole populations turn
ing out to utter their welcome, is one which
20 -, bo ifxyip tn "a
President. ..
But what, after all, gives the greatest
popularity to this journey, is the occasion
which Mr. johnson continually finds in it
to address the people on the unpleasant is
sue, between the Administration and Con-
gress, respecting the restoration OF the
States The visit of the Chief Magistrate
of the Republic to the towns Of the Middle
and Western States is thus converted into
a series Of occasions for controversial, not
to say partisan, haraDgues /; and the spon-
taneous civilities which all delight to pay
to the President, seem to be interpreted by
him as demonstrations in approval of the
peculiar course he has chosen to pursue re-
specting the reconstruction of the Union.
In other words, the President, as he ac-
cepts the hospitalities Of the States and
cities through which he passes, prefers to
lay aside his true character as the head of
the Government, and to present himself
merely as the representative of policy for
which he everywhere challenges the un-
popular approval. We cannot but think
that in thus doing he makes a serious mis-
take
Nor are the speeches of Mr.. Johnson in
keeping with his high office, any more than
the special purpose for which he makes
them. 1t certainly is not in good judg-
ment for him everywhere thus freely to ar
and more than insinuate that it is animated
by traitorous designs, which tits his special
and peculiar mission to thwart and destroy.
Besides all this, what can he mean by such
language as the following, used by him in
his address to the crowd from the balcony
of Delmonico's hotel in this city -? The
rebellion has been completely crushed in the
South. Tintend no,0 to fight the enemies OF
the Union IN the North. God 10aZing, and
1oith yo,r help, Intend to fight out the battle
Northern traitors" Who are these North.
ern traitors whom he is about to fight and
crush, as the rebels Of the South have been
crushed? Are they the Northern sympa-
thizers with the rebellion, who during the
war constantly gave aid and comfort to the
enemy? By no means for all these, with
Que accord, profess to approve the Presi-
dents policy, as affording the surest means
of their own restoration to political intlu-
ence and Importance. The Northern trail
tors are the men who stood by the Gov.
ernment through all its terrible trials-in
its days of deepest anxiety as we'll as in
those of its final triumph-who poured out
their treasure for the cause Of the Union
and gave themselves and their sons to be
its champions on all the battle-felds Of the
war. Citizens like these, in whose bearts
and homes there is still the burden of a
mighty sorrow for loved ones slain by reb
cl hands, are now held up in the cities
where they live as opposed to the resto-
ration of the States," and as Northern
traitors" The consequences of utterances
such as these cannot fail to be bad, and
that continually, and Mr.. Johnson ought tC
know it. Because a portion Of the people
many of them of the highest character
and the purest patriotism shrink from Civ
ing their approval to his peculiar views
they do not deserve to be stigmatized BY
him as Northern traitors" nor will they
/ tamely submit TO It,
Mr.. Johnson's style of oratory, however
it may be suited to the stump, especially
in Tennessee, is singularly unbecoming the
President of the United States Official
dignity and propriety always demand con-
ciseness in expression and carefulncss in
what is expressed. But he rambles- on
through a speech with endless verbosity
not knowing what he is going to say, and
constantly repeating what he has said, and
what often were better if never uttered
The crowd in the streets will vehemently
applaud, and well-bred people generally
will listen respectfully, because it is the
President who speaks, but he must not
therefore conclude that this amounts to an
approval Of his sentiments or his mode of
presenting them. Coarse sentiments and
offensive images cannot be employed by a
person in so exalted a station, without re,
acting upon their author for, after all
there is an instinct of propriety in the pop
ular mind, which is sure to be offended in
such case, by what is unworthy of a man
of good breeding.
The question of reconstruction turns
mainly, after ALL upon the security of the
Freedmen. There are those who honestly
| believe that the rights of these people