The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1867-07-30
THE PRESIDENT AND THE COUNTRY.


dent and Congress may now fairly be consid-
cred closed. First, he endeavored by the ex-
ercise of his Executive power to restore the
Southern States by plan of reconstruction
which, although not free from difficulty and
objection, was yet in q great degree both just
and generous. This was defeated by Congress
who inaugurated, after two years of contro'
versy, their own plan, which was neither Jus
nor generous. This plan the President op'
posed by his veto. That was overruled. Their
the President undertook to modify its execu'
tion by his method of construction and admin
istration Congress Immediately met, and BY
q new law made their construction explicit, ano
took the administration of the law out of his
hands. And in his last veto, which has beer
oyerruled Like all the others, he concludes the
struggle with this emphatic language
The remedy must come from the people them.
selves They know what it is, ana how it is to DC
anplied. At the present time they cannot, accord
ing to the Constitution, repeal these laws; ITsy y
cannot remove or control this despoesm. Inc
remedy nevertheless, is IN ther nanas I ls W ooD y.
troIled by fraud oyerawed by arbitrary power, OF
from apathy on their part too long delayed. WITH
abiding cofdence IN their patrlotlsm, wisdom any
integrity am still hopeful of tho future, and that
in the end the rod OF despotsm VIII VIII oe t Se
of the people, and the principles of violated Con-
stitution preserved.
Nothing can be clearer; the surrender Of
Gen. LEE was not more complete than this
abdication of Executive power. Like the
South, the President submits to his conqueror,
and waits for the returning sense of justice oi
the "people" meaning thereby the Northern
people-to terminate "the despotism' which
tyrannizes over him as we'll as US. And how,
indeed, could it be otherwise?
From the day when he (JoHSsoN) became
President, his position grew more and more
embarrassing. 1t is true that he was one OF
tho few Southern men of note who had un-
flinohingly stood by the Union as against his
section, that perhaps of all men OF equal
prominence he was most obnoxious to the
leaders of the secession movement. None who
will ever forget the scene in the Sen
ate in the winter of 1860, when, standing on
the Democratic side of the chamber, he spoke
his mind with q sullen and dogged courage for
two days, surrounded by DAVIS and MASON,
HUNTER and SL1DELL, BENJAMIN and lULEE-
the ineffable scorn with which they looked upon
muttered denunciation which accom-
panied and sometimes interrupted his speech,
But in spite of all that, Mr.. JOHNSON was
Southern man and State Rights Democrat,
and hc came into power as the leader of q
party determined to crush the South forever
and tramplc upon the Constitution if it stood
in their way. This party, whose leaders COM
bined the relentless perseverance of fanaticism
md the shrewd judgment of selfish AMBITION
Mr.. JOHNSON undertook to arrest in their mo-
ment of unhoped-for and unexampled victory.
This might have been done by Mr.. LINCOLN,
whose immense popularity with the masses OF
the Northern people, and whose Identification
with the cause of the Union, from the COM
of the civil war to its close, gave
him IN individual power which might safely
have de6ed the Radical rhetoric of SUMNER
md STEVENS 1t might have been accomplished
by great military chieftain, who, with the
army at his back, had the courage and the an
bition to use it. But what element of strength
had Mr.. JOHNSON? The first indication of his
purpose concentrated and animated the Radi-
Gals. The South he could not use, and the
Democrats were bent, at the first symptom OF
difference, upon using him to defeat their On
tagonists. Upon the first issue which he made
be failed. When, having laid down for the
Southern States the terms of reconstruction, he
them upon compliance to elect their
Federal representatives, he made the issue.
When he recognized the Congress which re-
fused to receive them as the lawful Govern
nent of the Union, he submitted to defeat.
The logic of his position was gone. We are
Iar from saying that he could successfully have
refused to recognize Congress, but this we do
say, that there was but one alternative, to re-
fuse Congress his recognition, or to submit to
it. The very same alternative was put before
Congress- They had either to submit to the
President or to conquer him; they have not
lesitated, and, ,as in every contest between weak
good man and strong bad one, might has con-
luered right. There is striking analogy in
he present situation between the relations of
he President and Congress, and the relations
between the Long Parliament and CHARLES l.;
ind it looks very much as if the analogy would
run further.
So far Congress has as steadily and as sue
,essfully usurpcd power as the Parliament, and
he last supplemental act is as complete and
radical Constitutional revolution as history has
ever recorded. For in order to carry out their
policy at the South, Congress has been forced
% deprive the President of powers which are
his. They have rcmodelled the
Executive Department Of their government, and
he President himself. after more than two
years of struggle, declares to the people of the
United States cat the present time they can
not according to the Constitution repeal these
avs they cannot remove or control this des-
,ostism," and thus goes out, we are afraid, for
EVER, that "returning CLEAN of sunshine,
which the prophetic vision of Governor PERRY
recognized in the luminous opinion of MIR.
STANBERY.
In saying this, nothing is further from our
purpose than censure of the President; for his
tfort he has all our gratitude, in his failure all
,ur sympathy. History will do him justice;
specially will it preserve for honor that con-
cientious love for the Constitution which seems
10Th to prompt and to restrain his action. But
surely it is time for us to profit by his expert
nee and to listen to his advice. If at last, even
n his opinion, this despotism can neither be
or controlled, are We Drawer or
trongcr than he, that we can hope to oppose
t? Ii this is so, is it not clear that whatever
eaction the future may bring, however sure