Brownlow's Knoxville Whig. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1866-1869, 1867-09-18
From the New York Tribune
The Duty OF the Countryside Presi-
dents Power Must be Broken.

We trust the friends Of the country will not h
lulled into false hopes in reference TO the President
careful study OF his character and Of the princi
pies governing his Administration makes us Zee
that as ruler be is not 20 be trusted and that 4
must be watched with suspicion and ANXIETY w
90 not say word in derogstion Of the dignity q
the Presidential Office The Office is 50 exalted. an
lS powers so vast and far-reaching, that we owe
70 our children that it should not be wantonlv dc
degraded. The President has degradedit t. he ha
made bis Administration 8 shameful PAGE IN on
history: The country must not permit the page +
close without proper recompense. Our rulers ma
dishonoF their Office We must not dishonor our
Andrew johnson stands forth among public mel
as the Gigantic Demagogue, of America. This
saying good deal when we consider the manner o
men the nation has at times produced. Aaron Burr
| Calhoun, Van Buren, Pierce Douglas and Buebsn
an, are enough for one century. They had redeem
ing qualities-Mr. johnson has shown none al
devotion to the Homestead law as Senator, was no
teea0le Men did not fail to see, however. tha
while TINS devotion was forced upon him bv hi
class ne sustained in John c. Breckiuridoa f,srt,
that aimed to reduce his class below the level of tb
negro slave. While he professed TO give labor ,
nome ne voted TO have it sold on the auction block
hnen the war came, he gave the Union cause ,
mild and incoherent support. In this also he fol
lowed ms class, and we presume he not slow K
follow it by reason of the indignities he received
from the men who created the Southern Confedera
cy. he was made Military Governor of Tennessee
and was roaring Radical He ruled his State viii
more sternness than any Of our military command
ers. BE raved about the Union and the negro, pro
claiming himself the Moses Of the colored race Il,
friend, leader and champion. The people made
him Vice President. Peace came; and in the first
sunny, healing hours of peace this demagorue
| roRred for war. The sword had done its WORT !. bf
shrieked for the spaffold He wanted new Jedrie.
IN the South, and Bloody Assize in every State
The spirit Of vengeance had no more insatate dis.
ciple IF his advice had been taken our victories
would have been ss inhuman as those of Escobedo
and Diaz. Gcds inscrutable Providence made him
PRESIDENT, and she demagogue who urged Mr.. Lin
coin TO play The part which has been SO eminently
llluatrsted by Juarez himself sought to repeat the
treasons Of Charles the Second and the obstinate
crueties Of james. Power transformed him from
the Demagogue Of Radicalsm to the Demagogue of
Slavery. His purblind narrow vision saw only in
the South many electoral votes that might be
Hconciliated," and in the North a Democratic par
ty that might renew the alliance that gave us Ne
braska, Lecompton and the Rebellion. We had no
more of the Moses leading down-trodden race to
the Promised Land, no more cries for vengeance
10 more clAmorous appealing for blood. The dem
sgogue saw political conventions in the future with
Rebel delegations holding the balance of power
Unable TO snswer the high commands Of Justice he
thought that tae nation had similar Inability. I'M
bued with prejudice that had come TO him with
his birth and condition he sought to make it prin-
bowed 10 the rebel that he might retain power
Never in earnest himself about emancipation, he
could not feel that the country was terribly in ear
nest. A demagogue in his SOUL he saw only in his
fellow-citizens nation Of wire-pulling and wire
pulled demsgogues.
Men may be false, but nations never. The peo-
pie what their Chief Magistrate could not see.
Every American gentleman had blushed over the
exhibition be made as Vice President, taking an
oath he was scarcely sober enough 10 understand
- IL
generally forgiven, But forgiveness does not al
ways produce repentance, and the man who reeled
into the Presidency speedily illustrated the senti-
ment that strong drink is devil A demagogue,
sober or drunk, Is demagogue still; and the Presi
dent was not slow to show that the spirit had not
left him. This humiliation was dreadful but what
was the inaugural address to twenty acts that fol-
lowed; TO his February speech, and his swinging
around the circle2 These were personal deeds seen
Of all men, and subject TO the rules that govern the
personal habits Of gentlemen. But we had Presi-
dent to whom no moral test could apply. Here was
Aeesa 5alHts. which
was a Chief MAgstrste-the first citizen of the Re-
public-for whom all Christians taught their chill
dren TO implore Gods special blessings commander
of our armies and naTies, and welding an authority
as great as that Of the Caesars Yet we bushed for
him and mourned for our country, as men in an
cient days blushed for Commodus and monrned for
Rome tf.ss
The stream cannot rise higher than its mountain.
Sweet waters never come from a bitter spring. If
the woof is straw we cannot weave the web into
silk We may SOW the field with tares, and cult-
vate them according TO the most constitutional me-
thods but they will never grow into wheat Inc
plain fact known TO all men, sorrowfully felt and
ourned over even to tears, is this, that most un-
worthy citizen sits in the chair of Washngton-that
the best interests of the country have no more ma
hgnant enemy than the President-and that. unless
the people save the country in spite Of their rulers
l. lal..- wifi nj
and yet sadly true. We are to-day surrendered
over 20 an Administration which began with bar
room capering and which seeks to rule the country
very much as the the Pewter Mug politicians OF
Tammsny Hall rule New York Congress believed
that yea meant yea and adjourned under the inhu-
ence of pledges which always govern the conduct OF
gentlemen. Scarcely sixty days have passed, and
every pledge has been broken. We leaned on
Grant and Grant is nentralized, overruled, ellml-
nated-reduced ito cypher he can protest ana
plead but hi protests are scorned, and his entreat
les sigh around the Presidents ears ike the winds
thnt come up from the Potomac. Grant is too in
genuous, too frank too honest too sincere and SIM
| ple-miDded 70 deal with the Gigantic Demagogue
i that rules him. He pleads for Stanton-Stanton is
driven from the Cabinet. He begs for his trusted
Sheridanthe finest soldier of his time is sent out
70 haggle with Indian chiefs and thieves Of the In
dian Bureau he demands the right to execute the
law Congress specially eonhded TO him. He prac-
titaliy told that the President viii execute the
law himself that be bad better write no political
essays and that he may devote his great genius to
Ouartermsssers and Commissaries, and mastering
idle Brigadiers out Of the service. Congress is
awav Grant is powerless, Tammany brother
reigns in New Orleans and the President merely
pauses 70 feel bis ground before ne taxes another
ster, and still overriding the expressed law OF Con
ress eail into power the elements Of the Southern
Confederscv. Where viii he stop2 be proc Aimi
himself on the war path. He tells his followers
that be has put ms foot down. BE means TO over
throw military despotism and re-establish the Con
stitutiou.p We do not mistake these menscesi fo
this man is capable of anything TO hold power
His fate is fixed. His political fall is IS certain a
any event governed by the laws OF national pohSy
He has betrayed his party, broken MS pledges aus
honored himself, disgraced the country resiius
this his policy is desperation and the'o Is ho'niDt
: he may not dare ,
Let us show him that he dare not that while D
has neither the respect of the people ror the conn
= dence Of any party, there is power above mn ~
heretofore patient and magnanimous, but Wnici
viii not allow its patience and magnanimiiy 10 oe
: come cowardice. This hour requires plaiG speak
|. ing, and VIC hsve sought 10 speak plEinly Of An
/. .. drew johnson. In the ike spirit we implore GU
friends TO organize 10 enter into this political cam
tIsaign with thespirit that moved our fathers whe
: thew drew sword against England, and which ser
million OF our brothers into the heart Of the prou
Z and naughty Rebellion Let the Republican part
, orranize Ia every county North and South. Sin
All minor issues in the one great duty OF drivin
J. from novger this dishonored Administration. This
' L The duty of every patriot. We have spent K
,,,ch r,orsav sye have she'd sco much blood in th
s,se sf freedom, to suffer Il TO be betrayed throue
s,Dinsness and timidity. We have many things
A. president-msking-dns -dnsnces-reconstruetlo
! tariHs-foreign relations First We must asstre