American citizen. [volume] (Butler, Butler County, Pa.) 1863-1872, 1867-07-17
HOW LONG

-. - --%-e------
HOW L0NG2
John Hampden and his friends found
at last that Charles l. was liar Some
veracity is essential to human affairs, but
Charles showed that he had no percep-
ton of honor or good faith. Whether
he signed a paper, or pledged his word,
or swore a solemn oath, his conduct was
the same. The moment he thought that
he could safely forswear himself he did
not hesitate at the meanest falsehood.-
And when he had fully proved his un4
exceptional falsity the Parliamentary lead
ers resolved not to trust him again, and
to seek some surer foundation Of Euglish
liberty than the word of common per-
jurer H"
Andrew johnson, without the same
duplicity as the English, King, is guilty
of the same weakness. When Charles
assented to the Petition of Right he aon-
ceaed his hostility to it, and it was sup
posed to be final pacifcation because it
was believed that he would execute it in
its own spirit. When the President re.
ceived the Military bill he did not pre-
tend to like it, but when, despite his op-
position, it became a law, he was bound
to execute it according to it's clear inten-
tion. He began in that spirit. He ap-
pointed military commanders who were
acceptable TO those who had made the
law, and who were very sure to execute
it as they meant it, The result was an
instant cessation of the tumult of feeling
in the Southern States, a general and
happy conviction every whore Of a speedy
return of the normal condition of the
country, the reviving of trade, the re
sumption of industry, and universal pac-
idcation, And as a consequence of this
agreeable prospect, and this truce of par
ty contention, there was reaction of feel
ing in favor of the President and a gems
eral willingness that the project Of i'm
poachment should be no fuather discuss,
ed.
But it is beginning to be evident that
the President, like the King, is his own
worst enemy 1t seems impossible for
him tc learn from experience. A form-
alst and a doctrinaire, he can not COM
prehend that he is the chief magistrate
of the most practical people in the world,
and that their minds are made up to
certain course which he can no more res
sist than he could resist the blow Of a
trip-hammer To interpose technical OBJ
jections to law of which the intention
is written with a sunbeam, to invite an
Attorney General who has declared his
hostility to the law to interpret it 50 as
to secure the power of those whose pow>
er it is the known design Of the law to
overthrow, is to 90 very far toward OUT
raging the public patience beyond en-,
durance, and to persuade the loyal people
of the United States that their policy of
reconstru ction is impracticable SO long as
Mr.. johnson is their chief executive of
fioer .''"' ~" '-A 2ii o4 st1
The Military bill as everybody knows,
was meant to submit the Southern States,
directly to the national authority, until
they we're reorganlzed according to It's
provisions The existing civil officers
were t6 be respected, iinless they Inter-
fered with the workiug.o the military
system. Then, of course, the5,Tere to be
superseded. There was to lbeno excuse
for conflict. The civil authorities were
not to be equal or co>ordinate with the
military, each paralyzingr the other. Nor
were the limits of each sharply defined,
that they should be serupulously respect,
ed Such an attempt would be utter.
folly in a community radically -disorglnr
lied by war; In word, the plain intent
of the bill was to make the military au-
thority supreme and the civil subordinate.
If there were any difficulty of interpreS
tation there were but two evident conrse>
the Legislature must be asked
to explain its intention, o., in the absence
of the Legislature, the law must be inter-
preted in the spirit Of its well'known de- !
sign. Usv8s seIl
The AttorneysG eneral has given min
Of the law whiah is intended
to defeat it purpose. 1t is intended to
procure the restoration of Wells as Gov
ernor of Louisiana; of Alell as Judge;
of Monroe as Mayor of New Orleans
and Withers as Mayor of Mobile. If
the President acts upon the Attorney,
opinion he will break faith with
the county. But that he may clearly
understand what the country means, Con
gress, now in session, will declare its own
purpose in the reconstruction law. The
President should himself desire. it,
Then, when the wish of the country has
been indicated, should he still seek to
peryert the law to its own overthrow, he
will compel every truly conservative eiti>
zen to ask whether it is not his manifest
ia this grave crisis TO battle the
national will and to prolong the perilous
position of the country. = Harper's
WeeAly. ~
OF what trade is a Clergyman at q we'd
ding a ioin her,