The New York herald., 1867-03-14

The Approaching Collapse OF the hep""1''""
Party-Mr. Johnson's Policy.
Parties, like nations, rise, flourish, decline
and disappear 1t IS the universal law q
nature. The present republican party OF This
country has had short reign, but iis cam
paigns against the old efsete democracy have
been those Of the Great Napoleon against
Austria, ''short, sharp and decisive Yet
this powerful party, called into life for the pur-
pose of arresting the extension Of slavery, has
fulfilled more than its appointed mission in the
complete extirpation of slavery and in the
elevation of the emancipated black race in the
South to the radical ultimatum Of civil and
political equality. These great issues being
settled, new issues must inevitably come into
the foreground and new organization OF
parties in reference to the future policy of the
general government.
President johnson, with the keen scent OF an
old politician, has struck upon the trail OF the
money question as the great issue upon which
our political parties are next to be divided.
He is right in this; but his particular view Of
the impending conflict, as publicly detailed in
his behalf by Private Miles O'Rcilly, is dis
torted, exaggerated and full of mischief 1t
takes the broad, downhill road to reputation,
national dishonor and national bankruptcy,
the only opposition programme against which
this republican party may hold its ground
until the debts twenty-five hundred millions)
of our great and terrible war for the Union
are fully paid. Miles O'Reilly, however,
though figuring in this matter as the private
secretary and attorney of Mr.. johnson for the
Southern district of New York, has no doubt
overshot the mark, as poets, in their flights Of
fancy, are apt to do. Nevertheless, the re-
publican party has reached its eliminating
point, and its leaders and managers, in look
ing ahead, are becoming alarmed. As evil
dence strongly supporting this fact we pub
lish to-day very suggestive Washington let
ter from George Wilkes to Waces' Spirit Of
the Times, written the next day after the final
passage Of the new Reconstruction bill over
the Presidents veto.
Wilkes is shrcwd observer. As an expo
rienced man Of the world, as gentleman jockey
and radical politician, he knows thing or
two. He is evidently, likewise, as intimate in
the councils of the radical camp at Washing
ton as Miles O'Rcilly is with the private
views of Andy johnson on public affairs. The
profession of jockey, involving thorough
knowledge of all the points Of excellence or
inferiority in horse, has been applied to some
purpose by Wilkes in regard to politicians.
As at single glance, from his nostrils to his
tail and his pasterns, Wilkes knows all about
his horse, so in single glance, under the same
rules of judgment, he knows his politician. In
this respect the jockey, as a man Of science
and fixed facts, has an immense advantage in
q view of the political situation over the poet
and his flights Of fancy. 1t is the difference
between Agassiz and Beecher in description
Of Greenland whale or the woolly horse.
Mark, then, what Wilkes says Of the dilemma
OF the radicals at Washington. He says that
when the Reconstruction bill had become law
they saw clearly "that the man at the other
end Of the avenue, who now stands utterly
without a friend or party. may In less than
six months have at his back the compact
power Of thirteen States and all the copper
head party of the North;" that then, with its
two-thirds of each house of Congress destroyed,
the republican party will become demoralized
and will perhaps be broken up. The only
remedy, he contends, in order that the military
machinery Of Southern reconstruction may be
given into upright hands, is the removal of
President Johnson. He must be removed, or
with the weapon which has been furnished him
in this Reconstruction bill he may demolish
the republican party.
This, then, is the radical difficulty at Washing
ton and the secret OF the new movement for the
Presidents impeachment 1t is manifest, how
ever, that since the passage Of the Reconstruc-
tion bill, and with the general belief that Mr.
Johnson will 'see the law faithfully exccuted"-
it is manifest, we say, that this alternative
Of impeachment has SO far lost ground in
Congress that it may be considered as virtually
abandoned. Let Mr.. johnson faithfully exc.
cute these new laws Of Congress, and even the
impeachment investigation will be given up
He has the case in his hands, and by straight
forward, honest work he may by next Decem
ber have all the excluded States at his bach
in both houses Of Congress. OF course
this will produce complete change
in our present party organizations, in Con.
gress and out Of Congress- North and
South; unquestionably, as Southern slavery
and all its accessories will be settled, the
money question in all its phases, national debt
national taxations, expenditures, currency
banks, everything, will form the absorbing
question of the day, marking party lines as in
the time of Jackson.
In this view Of the coming conflict, IL Mr.
johnson will only take time by the forelock, in
careful message to Congress, defining well
considered financial policy Of reform, economy
and retrenchment he may still become master
Of the situation. The statement of his views
Of the tendencies Of this financial question a.
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