The Montana post., 1867-09-07
CAUSE AND EFFECT.

radical or extreme position. Taxing our
own country as an example, we have
abundant evidence OF this fact. 1t has
been demonstrated in every great issue
presented to the people since the gov
eminent was organized, and during the
critical session of Congress preceding
the outbreak of the war, conservatism
had such deep root and prevailed to such
an extent that it imperilled the safety
of the Republic ere Treason had fred a
gunA But deep down in the hearts of
the people lies a principle that when
awakened and vitslized by an attempt
to destroy il, sends quick electric thrill
through the whole land, and all minor
considerations sink into insignifcance
and are subordinated to that one grand
and imperative duty-true allegiance to
the country. 1t was with sad but not
less determined hearts that the loyal
people of the North accepted the gage of
battle from their own countrymen who
had turned a murderous hand against our
common country and engaged in the
most terrible internal war that civil
ization ever witnessed. Nothing less
than the threatened destruction of the
Union could have marshalled million
men like an impossible barrier around
the destructive fires of treason that had
been lighted in the South. No other
motive inspired them, and the great con-
IL. l. l..
the soil was baptized in the best blood
of the land, We're the results, not the
causes, of the strife. Emancipation was
the second most glorious result of the
war but we arrogate that to which we
are not entitled when we claim as q
virtue that which was forced upon US
as an urgent military necessity. The
determined resistance of the revolving
States-aided, abetted and encouraged
by Northern trnitors-depleted armies
and the existence in the South of four
million men who could not know wheth-
er we were their friends or enemies, and
who we might have or not. at our own
! option, compelled the step and as the
| thankful slaves from the Potomac to the
Rio Grande heard the glad tidings, and
whispered, THANK God, we are free, .
it was the still. small voice that uttered
the death knell OF secession. The war
ended, there was not shadow OK malice,
hatred or vindictiveness in the loyal
armies, in the Chict Executive OF the
Northern people. The sentiment of the
masses was conservatism. The rebel
armies were paroled on the field of sur
render. and immediate restoration of the
Southern people to their forfeited pTivi.
leges in the government under even toe
lax guarantees Of future good behavior
was the policy of the Executive and the
will of the people. Had Abraham Lin
coin not fell by the dastardly hand Of
an assassin, reconstruction would have
long since been settled. The loyal peo
| pie did not hold the late rebels account
able for that crime, and the intent o.
Congress WAS as magnanimous and kind
after the assassination as had been thai
of the President before. Johnson's ele
vation to the chief magistracy made him
at once the object of designing Williams
who knew his weaknesses. They fiat
tered and cajoled him, and the vanity o
the man led him TO believe himself
greater than he was. He usurped thosr
powers vested IL another branch of tn,
government, marked out My policy,
and committed a most foul crime agains
the nation by leading the Southern pee
pie to believe that Congress was thei
enemy and he their friend. The over
lures of conciliation offered them in tn
constitutional amendments were rejectec
by his advice to bide their time,
and his disgraceful speeches made il
swinging round the circle were tn
dragons teeth from which have sprung
up all subsequent troubles. The Con
gress of the United States is more close
ly allied to the hearts of the loyal pee
pie than the President, and goin,
directly from among them, representa-,
every locality. are the true index O
popular sentiment. That Congress
would not submit 20 his usurpation
He became obstinate and persistent il
his course, and between them there wa
engendered bitterness of feeling. Il
time the questions at issue went befor
the people in the shape of a Congressior
al election, and we know how fully the
sustained the position of Congress
johnson may have been excusable be
fore, but hostility 10 the policy of Cor
gress after its endorsal by four hundre
thousand majority of the loyal people