The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1867-09-05
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The President has put himself into The
hands of Buckley for training, as shoulder
hitter submits himself to the instruction Of
an expert before engaging in great mill
for the championship. Andrew johnson is
preparing for his great mill with the Congress
Of the United States backed by the people of
the same country. He has torn himself from
cautious and moderate advisers, like Seward
and Randall, and has taken TO his arms a man
who, having failed to perform mere clerical
duty in one OF the Departments in a satisfac-
tory manner takes the destinies of the coun-
try into his keeping in an off-hand manner
that is particularly engaging. His present
duty is to furnish legal documents which may
serve as justification for his masters on
slaughts upon men who stand in his way
for A. J. has determined, like Gruff and Tack
Teton, to sscrunch EN-" III ,H.-fr
The secret of the ponderous, ve-column
! accusation against "King Daniel" o. the sec
ond military district is at length disclosed.
| The Associated Press man dutifulIy forward
ed it over the wires for yesterday mornings
papers 1t comes in the shape OF poor half
penny's worth Of proclamation prefaced by an
| iDtperable deal OF Whereas" The President
takes bis cue from Binckley's intimation that
Sickles had levied war upon the United States
District Court. All persons in like manner
offending are threatened with instant sup
preston by the military power Of the United
States. Neither the President nor the Act
ing Attorney General gives to the public Sick
les defence of his conduct The correspond
ence between Sickles and Grant is studiously
withheld, and a one-sided statement is made
| the ground of direful threats.
| So far as the circumstances in this case are
known, Gen. Siczles has not made himself La
Bile to the charge of observation-disclosures
tainly not TO the grave accusation of treason
against the Republic whose laws he did his
| utmost to execute in spite OF the obstacles
thrown in his way by one branch Of the gen.
eral government. BY general order he had
| postponed the collection of debts by action
of the State courts tor a certain time. The
order was evaded by transferring these debts
to residents of other States and so enabling
them to bring their suits in United States
courts. In the exercise OF powers which he
I supposed belonged to him under the Recon
struction Acts, he took the proper measures
to prevent the notification of the resula-
| tlons he had established. Directed by the
President to suspend the operation of general
order No. 10, he asked and obtained delay for
| the purpose of explaining the course he had
| taken. This is the extent Of Gen. Sickles'
| offense for which he has been removed from
| Office, threatened with prosecution for high
nisdemeanor and accused, substantially, Of
treason itself. natftsnt..u.lf f.l.l s..
| So far as the individual against whom the
| President has directed his illumination is con-
cerned, the proclamation is utterly without
reason. 1t has no relevancy 10 any existing
state of facts. The people will see at glance
| the present tendency of the Presidential
thought. They will see that the proclama-
| ton has reference to the Maryland militia and
to the scheme for dispensing Congress by
force, rather than to any unauthorized pro
ceedings i'll North and South Carolina. 1t il
intended TO famiiarize the public mind with
the idea of the use of force in resisting the
peoples will. 1t means par, and the only
| question now is how far Andrew johnson
dares to proceed. He has thrown off the
mask, and now stands revealed to the world
as the champion of usurpation-as candi-
date for the dictatorship. This is not parti-
zan view Of the case, as must be acknowledged
by any one who will calmly consider whether
the action OF Gen. Sickles calls for procla
ton that is appropriate only for times
when there is actual conflict of arms
1t will resound through the North like the
Rebel guns that opened upon Sumpter in '61
and the people will answer as promptly a
then-not yet with arms, but with ballots
Vermont gave her answer little in advance
A declaration of war is not necessary to arous,
| the patriotism OF that State. There the sa
cred fire is always burning. Let the answer
of Maine next Monday be still more emphatic
SO that the President may take no furthe
steps unrebuked by the people. They have q
veto power more formidable than his own, anc
it behooves them to exercise ii in order te
save further sacrifice Of blood and treasure