The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1866-05-24
The Difference between Congress and
the President and his Cabinet.

The telegraph, few days ago, stated
that the Washington Republican, de
scribed as the immediate organ OF the
/ President, contained significant ar
tticle. looking to the restoration of bar
I.,nony between the President and Con
fgress We have given the title above,
and the article itself win be found below.
The reader can decide for himself
whether there is the significance attach
ed to it which the telegraph so prompt
lv discovered. For ourselves, we will
say, that we are of the opinion that the
obstacles to harmony are not so much IN
an irreconcilable difference as to princi-
plies, as words of acrimony, positions
| taken in haste and retaliation, and the
personal feeling between individuals in
the co ordinate branches of the Govern
ment Remarking that the day is COM
ing. if il has not already arrived, when
few will fail to perceive that the present
| difference between Congress and the
/ President and his Cabinet" might In
good measure have been avoided, had
there been less heat Of temper and vic
lence. which form no part Of sound
statesmanship, We give the article re-
ferred to for the inspection OF the read
err Lafayette Courier.
| When we reflect that the same great
| political party which elected Andrew
johnson Vice President of the United
| States, also chose the present majority
| to Congress, and that in the fall of 1864
common sentiment animated the candi-
dates and the supporters of the Baltl
more platform, no one in the ranks OF
| the Union hosts doubling for moment
the uuudulterated patriotism of Presi-
dent Johnson, we may well express sur
prise at the strange animosity that has
sprung up in the National Legislature
against the President, and it is worth
our while TO obtain, if possible, the mo
tive or secret of it 1t is not because
the President has departed from any
principle enunciated AZ the Baltimore
Convention. Congress admits, with the
President, that for the common good of
alk the work of reconstruction should
be Immediate The President thinks
that the right of representation is inher
ent to the States within the American
Union, and the loyal delegates should
come in at once. Congress wants them
to first ratfy some. unimportant amend
m etIts before such admission. The
greatest point of difference that mani
tests itself between Executive and Leg
islative departments of the Governm ent
is contained in the fact that the Admin
istratiou believes that sound policy. and
the present condition Of the country
demands that the people OF the South
should participate, as Americans, IN the
Government which they are now pleag-
ed to uphold and defend, and Congress
opposes such participation until after
the next Presidential election. This
weuli hardly seem to he sufficient ground
for hurting at President Johnson the
most unsparing iuvectiye, or charging
him with the most malignant treachery
and the most stupendous crimes
The trouble arises from the diversity
of sentiment on the present state OF af
fairs. The President and his Cabinet
view the matter in the light of peace
Congress in the light of war. The one
regards the rebellion as crushed; the
other seems TO consider 1t as yet in full
operation. Congress reflects the preju
6ices, tae passions, the vehemence OF
the martial period in which they were
elected. Then war ragged, and there
were vast rebel armies in the field, and
rebel corsairs on the sea. and many
States in the attitude of revolt The
air was filed with the roar of hostile
cannon; victory was far from certain,
and the heroes of the nation We're daily
being added to the sainted rcll of hon
or 1t was in the heat and temper of
such times that the Thirty Ninth Con |
cress was chosen. and it seems to retain
all the rage and rancor Of that season OF
blood This is why we hear in the Con-
gressional halls SO much said of the
public enemy, when none exists; of
red handed foes when no foe lifts his
irnpious hand throughout our bounda
ries of black hearted traitors, when
treason has lowered its crest in every
State of the Republic.
The President and his counselors,
guided by wiser and more Christian
impulse. have buried with the war its
savage and inhuman spirit They furl-
ed with the victorious banners of the ma
ton the rage of conflict. and when peace
came they accepted its issue and used its
language The Administration. in dis
tinction from Congress, represents the
emotions of gratitude for the rescue Of
the laad. instead Of the memories OF
hatred FOR those who imperiled it 1t
weighs, judges and directs events as they
now exist. not as they transpired two
years ago. Remembering that the ma
jestIc blessings of peace dawn On eur
land once more, the President and his
associates are inspired by its necessities,
and ruling with reference to civil instead
Of military law, they comprehend the
wants of the nation rather than of a sec
ton. and grasp the destinies of repub-
lie rather than mere fortunes of political
party Herein lies, in our judgement,
the difference between the President and
Congress.