The Louisiana Democrat., 1867-12-25

fact that he has got beyond the ordinary
balderdash and special pleading Of his par
ty. The second strain in the melody how
to make the Union perpetual, how to meet
the alleged usurpatio1 of Congress, how to
apply the provisions Of the Constitution to
all men in the land, and how to ward off the
supposed dangers ofnegro sufarge-he he has
not learned.
From the St. Louis Democrat (Rad.)
What need be said of the Presidents
message? The people have become so un
happily familiar with Mr. Johnsons obsti
nate wrongheadednesss, his dreary plati
tudes. which he mistakes for thoughts, aad
his stited, and pretentious style, that there
is no need of calling attention to these pc
culiarities. We expect message from Mr.
johnson to be pig-headed, conceited, anc
sadly lacking in an understanding of the
age in which he lives. And we are never
disappointed. His messages bear the same
relation to the statesmanlike and dighiied
state papers Of other days that his blatant
and vulgar harrangues do to the eloquent
speeches of the best orators.
From the Cleveland Herald (Rep.)
| What there was either In the Presidents
message itself, or in the fact that 1t was in
circulation in advance of its delivery, that
should so stir up Congressman Schenck
the country will fail to discover. The
message was dighifed and courteous, and
its being hawked about the streets before
it was officially sent to Congress is mat
ter for which Mr.. johnson was, necessarily
no more responsible than was Mr.. Schenck
Evidently Mr.. Schenck was disappointed
in the tone of the message-anticipating 9
document more of the temper and style o.
some of MIR. JohnsoBs stump speeches.
and therefore was somewhat put to it fol
matter for fault-fnding. Whatever the ar
gument OF the message may be worth, its
style was digniGed and respectful, and wher
Mr. bcienck said the message, in that part
relating to reconstruction, breathes only
defiance, he, said what was not true ane
what the very language of the message
proved to be not true.
| From the Cincinnati Gazette, (Rad.)
! johnson goes over the old shufling falla
cies about the States being always in tht
Union and about Congress putting then
out of the Union, and he repeats tht
weighty argument, that ifnot in the Unior
they could not ratify the constitutions
amendment, as Congress asked them to do
We are not inclined to wdste words on thi
stale repetition. Of course the States
were always in the Union. Does it follow
that they had State governments and i'm
munities for their political institutions
and their citizens from all the consequen
ces of their rebellion? He denies it b,
turning out their State governments-b,
destroying the State and building anew
We have always declared that their rati6
cation ofthe amendment gave that no va
lidity. A hostile beligerent can not hav
voice in our legislation. Congress re
quired their acceptance of it as one of tn
terms of peace. 1t became the law whel
three-fourths Of the adhering States ratif
ed it. 4 X
: johnson claims the turn of the elections q
a condemnation of Congress and an in
dorsement of his policy, and he says h
does not permit himself to doubt that Con
, gress will Immediately strike all its recon
struction acts from the statute book. Thi
, is the most infnitessimal point to which
want of daring ever reached.
, On the whole, Johnson's message is BET
; ter written than this usual style. Contin
!, ual repetition ofhimself, as in the case Q
} his fierce denunciation of vengeance upo
traitors, which be sometimes delivered t
six different delegations in one day, ha
given him more fuency. The main part i
what We have all heard many times before
but practice has worn off much of the ma,
ural clumsiness of his style. The messag
will have no appreciable effect on the worle
but it was q matter of custom that b
: should make it, and it is a matter of cus
tom that we should telegraph it, and con
ment upon it, all of which duty we hay
conscientionsly fulfilled.
From the Courier des Etats Unis.
~, The Message.
This document is, on the whole, one {
the longest Of the kind we ever remembe
, to have seen; and is, also, in all that r,
lates to international policy, one of th
: most remarkable. Never has an Amer
can President, previous to Mr.. johnson
: spoken in such firm and logical language.
, Those parts Of the message which bes
upon the struggle between the Presider
! and Congress are the ostimportant. Th
j argument of Mr.. johnson against the col
} stitutionality Of the reconstruction acts, au
r the perils arising from them, is most stril
: ing and irrefutable. Every honest min
must endorse his eloquent plea against NJ
J gro suffrage. Is it Just, says Mr.. Johnso,
J that the white race, deprived Of polilic;
rights, should be governed by the black
} Is it right that the inferior should max
laws for the superiors Is it prudent tbs
these men, the slaves of yesterday and prt
foundly ignorant, should be called upon
direct public affairs !? II may be said tho
! the argument Of the President against NJ
, gro suffrage is an excellent one against un
versal suffrage in general. We do not col
test this and when Mr.. johnson assert
that suffrage, when evercised by other tha
I virtuous and intelligent men. leads directl
| to despotism, many Of his adyersafies an
ours will be of his opinion.
, The energy Of the Presidents languaa
(; lin respect to Congress is, remarkabl,
This independence pleases us. It woul
J be singular if in republic the first magi
: trate should be the only citizen withor
the right to an opinion aud the courage
! proclaim it, or that he should be obliged I
5 cringe as slave or bow as a lacquey. M
3 johnson is not of that temper; his opir
ions have not varied, and if he does NJ
treat Congress precisely as q faction, /
5 gives it clearly to understand that he col
i siders it such. He declares to them, abo,
: all, with tone of defiance, that we full
9 approve, that he will resist with force al
J. unconstitutional effort to depose bin
: This, in reply to the bravadoes of the in
{. parchment committee. The passage trea
ing this question is very clear and forcibl
g and we advise its perusal.
n ~ n n
7 That portion Of the message which di
: cusses she finances is not so strong, in o.
D onin;on as that which relates to the r