The Conservative. (M'connelsville, Ohio) 1866-1871, 1867-11-07

be practicable further TO inflame the
public mind against the President, or
longer to retain party power by wAg-
ing war against him. Whether ho
betrayed his party in tho absurd hope
of thereby pcrpetuating his own power
or sacrificed power and party on the
alter OF his country, ceases to be n
question of national Importance. 1t
is question on which opinions differ,
and can be better settled when the
country IS relieved from its present
disturbed condition.
BY retracing their steps, which have
been obviously taken IN a wrong di-
rection-by an honest effort to estore
the Union, without regard to party
supremacy--by following, promptly
and cheerfully, the late indications of
the public will, tho Republican party
may deserve and assure the continu-
anco Of political power; and they can
secure it by no means. DenuncJation
can now avail nothing. Our republi-
can institutions are endangered-the
people wish thom preserved--and
elimination Of an Executive, stripped
of all power to do good or evil, does
not tend to restore or preserve thom.
1t is idle to denounce the President dis
an usurper, because he refused to sane.
ton series of bills giving him uncon-
stitutional power, and stripping hlm of
power which the Constitution gives
him. Partisan presses may join in q
crusade against ham; the people will
not, but rather look to his acts and the
acts of Congress, and weigh them
against each other. The public mind
is prepared for calm comparison, the
temper in which each was conceived,
and .he effects that each has produced,
and producing, on the country, its
prosperity and peace.
Very little can now be gained by
calling hard names and the acoumula-
ton of harsh aud reproachful epithets.
Coppcrhead is now understood TO be
a flash term, and TO mean one who is
not a Radical, who thinks the Consti-
tutCn still worth restoring and pre-
serving, and of more binding efficacy
than the most solemn Radical plat
form. Tho bitterest and most vehe-
meDt curses against those who refuse
conformity, are now without effect.
Our Vice President, MIR. Wade, tried
them To the utmost in some OF the
Southern counties in Ohio. In Gallia
these. with bis exposition of Radical
policy, brought down the Republican
, muiority from l,l07 to 80, and IL
Washington from 607 to 80, with re
suit in Scioto, Meigs and Athens coun
, ties. Had he canvassed the Stat,
with like effect the Democracy would
have carried it by \ majority OF thirty
thousand.
. His earnest efforts. however, were
not entirely lost. The publication il
GaliJHan's Messenger ofchoice extract
/ from his speeches has gwen us q mos
, distinctive reputation IN Europe 70
D that species Of orItory At hom
= every effort of gonins seems to hav'
=, lost its efiect--even sneer does no
q avail now in the place of argument
= General Schenck tried il IN answer L
| Mr.. Stanbery's official opinion on th'
0 Reconstruction Act, and his county
0 which had gwen twenty majority 10
q the Republican tIcketin 1866, there
. upon gave $50 for tho Democracy
S No one should carp at General Srhehc
Q because of his failure. The opinio
i was u compact, carefully considere
c law paper, absolutely unassaIlable b
It argument, so General Schenck mus
II either let it pass unanswered or wor
Il off his wit, even though not Attic,
Il stand in the place Of argument agaIns
It 1t. Mr.. Wade, ofcourse, could do n
4 more than to damn 1t, and the Attor
Q ney General with it, General Butlc
d might I'M peach the President for cal
. ing for it; it were, indeed, more tina
p absurd-it were criminal event
l. fancy that such an act, framed in th
e temper in which that was conceive
J. and framed, admitted of construction
II indeed, 1T was proved at last that nor
= but the law-giyors who framed coul
70 construe it. r 9Hf
q But the impeachment of the Pres
? dent has beeu, and perhaps is still tn
Al Alpha and Omega of the extreme Ra,
1t ical faction, and the crimes for whic
ID he is to be ousted are numerous, If M
l. fragrant. r..
i. / will briefly consider them, at Il
Same time expressing u hope that Il
m House Will not initiate an impeacl
mont, which unbiased opinion wi
- construe q mere act of party malignit
j. or the prosecution Of purpose to 6
or full possession ofthe Executive powe
ID If lt be touched, the crime should
i definite and the proof clear, 9th orwi
o, some men may, like the mad Xii
IL Lear, propose to change sides, hant
I'd dundy," and ask "which is the JUST
or and which the thief" 1t will hard
no believed that he employed an assRss
n, to murder himself
10 The frat and most complained Of