The Norfolk post. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 1865-1866, 1866-02-22

caution their. friends against too mucl,
exuberance Of feeling, lest it should
prove to be "that joy which kills.
They say It is certainly most brilliant
victory, and has secured them the Pre-
sident--who will 4be kindly welcomed
back, even as the Prodigal Son-antl
they will kill the fatted calf forNhim !;
but, then, much yet remains undone
The President is only one of the Re
publican armies that has been annill-
lated, and the least powerful at that
The Republicans, though mean and
INSCRIPTIONS, are wiley and determined
fellows,-and in all probability their
defeat, as did that at Manassas, will serve
their purpose to "fire the northern
heart" and will only make them the
more determined to restore the Govern,
ment on their basis. They will now in
all probability draw the sword, and,
throwing away the scabbard, wage a
relentless warfare against the South
till it acknowledges the people as the
legitimate source of all power, and Con-
gress as its representative. Glad tidings
are sometimes the saddest tidings that
can be received. The President, backed
by powerless South, and small fac
ton in the North equally powerless, has
declared war against the Congress of
that party which elevated him to
office, and whose numerical strength is
as two to one against all opponents,
and that Congress too, which possesses
the power to neutraize all of his acts,
except that of direct and open revolu-
ton, which it is not probable lie would
be blind enough to resort to, at this day,
among people sojealous of their lber-
ties as the American race ever have
shown themselves. Still the victory for
the South is none the less most signal
and triumphant one, and they can well
afford to rejoice exceedingly. The re-
publcans are defeated for the nonce-and
there is comfort for them in that fact
They have met with a rebuff from one
of their most trusted leaders,--who has
turned his back upon them at the very
moment when victory seemed to perch
upon their standards, and changed the
fortunes of the day for the moment at
least, and they are beaten back disnay-
ed and flying panic stricken from the
field. A terrible howl will go up from
every Republican press in the land,
against the President, and those journals
which have been SO kind to him all the
while will be as bitter in their denun-
citation asthey were gentle in theirpraise
and the South will have to pass through
another ordeal of years of unrest and
anarchy, but what of that :? Will they
not enjoy the satisfaction of knowing
that the President is their best friend,
though as powerless to restore them to
their former position in the Union, or
to assist them in reconstructing their
damaged fortunes as General Lee him
self. The aspect of the war has changed
a little-- formerly they fought outside lof
the Union for a separate government,
now they have entered upon equally as
hopeful a contest, Ito fight in the Union
against the powerful republican party.
There are those who have counselled
that it was the best policy for the South
to make all the friends they could
among the people of the North, and that
it was especially to their interests to
conciliate the Republican party, but
they flOuted powerful organizations
overtures for peace, and scornfully re-
fused all proffered kindness from fanat-
les and radicals. Thus they have sue
ceeded in making radicals of the entire
is the sole representative
Of power in the North. But it is sweet
to dream, even though the visions ofour
drowsy imaginings should be doomed
never to be realized and they are con-
soled that they have the President all to
The stone which the build
ers rejected has become the head of the |
corner, and Andrew Johnson is now en-
shrined in every loyal southern heart. |
Yet, they must not he cast down if some
trouble should spring from this victory; |
they must bear themselves up manfully |
10 fight it out, no matter at what cost.
They will accept no terms from the rad
ask for no favors and expect
none. The fanatics may roar and hiss,
put their claws are cut and their fangs
ire poisonless. The watchword must
lenceforth be johnson and victory !"
md although the odds are as four to one
against them, did they not carry on four
years of open war in the field, success
ully, against still greater odds? A fig
or yourrepublican Congress. We have
! President, with absolute powers, who
AN carry on the government good
enough for this section, without the as
distance of Congress; and If they refuse
o vote him supplies, why the South can
contribute from its surplus wealth, to
iefray the expenses of running the Elk
'cutive branch at least. Stevens and
summer and Wilson can now retire,
or their defeats irremediable.
Mr.. Chandler, Assistant Secretary of
L