Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1866-09-06
golltiGal.
From the Atlantic Monthly for September
THE JOHNSON PARTY.

The President of the United States has
so singular combination of defects for the
office of a constitutional magistrate, that
he could have obtained the opportunity to
misrule the nation only by a visitation of
Providence Insincere as we'll as stub
born, cunning as we'll as unreasonable, vain
as well as illtempered, greedy of populari-
y as we'll as arbitrary in disposition, veer
Ing in his mind as we'll as fixed in his will,
he uuites in his character the seemingly op-
posite qualities of demagogue and auto
arat, and converts the Presidential chair
into a stump or a throne, according as the
impulse seizes him to cajoIe or to command.
DguJtIess much of the evil developed in
lin is due to his misfortune in having been
lifted by events to a position which he
lacked the elevation and breadth of intelli-
gence adequately to fill. He was cursed
with the power and authority which no
nan Of narrow mind, bitter prejudices, and
Lgrdiuate scli-estimation can exercise with
0ut depraying himself as well as iniuring
tie nation Egotistic to the point of men
tal disease, he resented the direct and man
y opposition Of statesmen to his opinions
and moods as a personal affront, and de-
Scendei TO the last degree of littleness in
political leader-that of betraying his
party--in order to crafty his spite. He Of
course became the prey of intriguers and
,ycophants Of persons who understand
The art Of managing minds which are at
1ce arbitrary and weak, by allowing them
b retain unity of will amid the most pal
lao.e Inconsistencies of opinion, so that
1constancy to principle shall not weaken
lJyce Of purpose, nor the emphasis be at
all abatcd with which they may bless to-
1ly what yesterday they cursed. Thus the
a9Aorer Of traitors has now become their
.22- Thus the dcnouncer of Copperheads
-ls now sunk into dependence on their sup
ut. Thus the impOseT of conditions OF
construction has now become the fore
@.St friend Of the unconditional return of
lie rebel States. Thus the furious Union
"spub!ican, whose harangues against his
sAtlcal opponents almost scared his pollt-
"4I friends by their violence, has now be-
me the shameless betrayer Of the people
E4o trusted him. And in all these changes
j base he has appeared supremely con-
.aJus, in his own mind, of playing an in
'hpendCnt, a consistent, and especially a
.4scientious part.
Indeed, Mr.. Johnson's character would
be lmperfectly described if some attention
We're not paid to his conscience, the purity
4. which is favorite subject of his own
.scourse, and the perversity of which is
!4e wonder of the rest of mankind. AS a
public man, his real position is similar to
mat Of commander of an army who
should pass over to the ranks of the enemy
be was commissioned to fight, and then
giead his individual convictions of duty as
justification of his treachery. In truth
Mr.. Johnson's conscience is, like his under
Standing, mere form Of expression of his
will. The will of ordinary men is address
ed through their understanding and con-
science Mr.. Johnson's understanding and
e1nscicnce can be addressed only through
Ills will. lie puts intellectual principles
ana the moral law in the possessive case ;
0lnks he pays them compliment and
AIDS to their authority when he makes
ulem the adjuncts of his petty pronoun
my = and things to hi1 are reasonable
ana right, not from any quality inherent in
"'eIAselves, but because they are made so
W hS determinations. Indeed, he sees
.jalFiy anything as it is, but almost every
@ing as colOrcd by his own dominant ego
s'm. Thus he is never weary of assert
.5 that the people are on his side F.; yet
Wis method Of learning the wishes of the
Psople Is to scrutinize his own, and, when
aguAS out his own passionate impulses, he
~. .'ef insists that he is obeying public SEN
."eht. Of all the wilful men who, by
range chance, have found themselves at
Io ,ae mead of constitutional government,
y most resembles the last Stuart king Of