New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1866-11-12
OTIUM CUM DIGNITATE.

An eminent advocate of the Boston bar once OBJ
served after the loss of important verdict that " he
had nothing to do but to go into the country and ex-
perence religion" In view Of the recent elections the
President has certainly need of all the philosophical
consultations which he muster and We are we con-
fess agreeaby surprised to find of his organs in
this City playing only the most resigned and pastoral
tunes The advice which The Borid gives to Mr.. John
son is really so good that we fear for il the usual fate
of sensible admontons. Instructed by disastrous ex-
perience, aud warned By majorities uncommonly adj
verse. the President is admonished to mind
his own business hereafter. and to let Con-
ress severely alone No course, We are
sure, could be more prudent: for if as The World
admits sit would be futile for him longer to contend
with the Radicals" the only thing for him to do
Gas he may learn by consulting Mr.. John Morissey)
is to cry enough and betake himself to the private
embrocaon of his bruises. His pet journal is right
when it says that in this way he viii best consult
the dignity of his Office" II is rather late in the day
for the consultation TO begin andst is a bold under
taking for the President to aspire to dignity, whether
personal or Official after the forensic humilistions of
his Western progress but, Ocogenarians have been
taught to read and the chimpanzee to dine like a
learn to treat his opponents with the respect Of
silence, especially when they happen TO be the
immediate representatives of the great Ameri-
can people To persist in moral usurpa-
ton after such a warning, would be to defy first the
whole political and then the whole physical power of
the country saving only lean minorities and Illegal
factions. The President may not be very wise; but
he is wise enough 10 avoid collision by which be
would be crushed as eas are attened between finger
aud thumb or as somnoent inebriates railways
disposed of by the remorseless locomotive. II is not
merely that he is numerically outvOtedj the best mind
aud heart ofhe country have declared against him
the merits of the case, and the decision is one from
which there can be no appeal. 1t comes from court
of final Jurisdiction.
The result of the elections, unless the President
shall prove incOrrigibly wrOng-headed, will be to
force him back TO bis true personal position as an
executive officer He now learns, by rough but sal
utary experience, that be is not the fountain OF fun
damenta aw that while he is entitled to his opinion
of the Amendment his opinion is of no more value
than that of any other citizen; and that, while Con-
gress has the right it has also the power to exclude
from membership Of that body all those failing in GER
tain qualifications by Congress itself TO be deter.
mined IL may be hard for the President to abandon
bis dream of absolute power, and to stay the hand
which has nsanely gasped at legislative authority;
but he must do this or he must do wOrse he must do
this or he must openly defy the laws by an assault
upon the very existence of Congress.
But let us hope for the best Let us trust that the
advice which his newspaper has given to the Presi-
dent will be cheerfully, at least stocay followed,
and that he will hereafter confne his struggles to
what his mentsr calls candid cooperation with
Congress on neutral questions" Private swearing
and closet wrath we do not object to- but let have
end of public maledictiOns and aiter-dinner phil
ippics Let us mark with continually increasing
satisfaction the progress of the President in dignity
Letus witness his sublime abnegatiOn of the dear
delights of the vetol SO shall the last days Of that
man be better than the first.