Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1867-10-30


nanis Messenger of choce extracts from his
speeches has given us most distinctive
reputation in Europe .for that species o.
loratory. At home every effort of genius
seems to have,lost its effect-even a sneeI
does not avail now in the place of argu-
ment-General Schenek tried it in answer
to Mr.. Stan bery'S official opinion on the
Reconstruction Act, and his county. which
had given twenty majority for the Repub.
lican ticket in 1866, thereupon gave $50 fol
the Democracy. No one should carp al
General Schenck because of his failure
The opinion was a compact, carefully con-
sidered law paper, absolutely unassailable
by argument, SO General Schenck must
either let it pass unanswered or work of
his wit, even though not Attic, to stand in
the place OF argument against it. Mr.
| Wade. of course, could do no more.than to
damn it, and the Attorney General with it.
General Butler might impeach the Presi-
dent for calling for it; it were, indeed, more
than absurd-it were criminal even-to
fancy that such an act, framed in the tenn
per in which that was conceived and
framed. admitted of construction; indeed,
lt was proved at last that none but the
law givers who framed could construe it.
But the impeachment of the President
has been, and perhaps is still, the Alpha
and Omega of the extreme Radical faction,
and the crimes for which he is to be ousted
/
| 1 will briefly consider them, at the same
time expressing hope that the House will
not initiate an impeachment, which uDbi-
| ased opinion will c6nstfue mere act of
! party malignity, or the prosecution of a
purpose to get full possession of the Exec
utive power. If it be touched, the crime
should be definite and the proof clear,
| otherwise some men may, like the mad
King Lear, propose to "change sides,
handy dandy" and ask switch is the JUS
| tice and which the thief" 1t will hardly
be believed that he employed an assassin
to murder himself.
The first and most complained of is an
act of party MISUNDERSTANDING as rep
resented, but not sshigh crime" within
be Ineligible, requires brief introduc-
| tory statement. .... -.,
At the time the people of Tennessee
passed their ordinance of secession, An
drew johnson, a Senator in Congress from
I that State, refused to join in the rebellion,
and used all the means in his power to
counteract and defeat it. This excited Bit
ter Indignation against him, and he was
insulted and abused, and, at last, driven into
exile; bis anger was thereby reused to the
! highest pitch, and in anticipation of I'm
ion triumph, he threatened the most signal
vengeance against his prosecutors. The
rebellion was put down-he became Presi-
dent OF the United States, and found the
enemies, whom he had threatened. crushed,
PROSTATE and suppliant. And here is his
crt1ne-as as we have it from one of the most
able Republican speakers: He did not, and
strangely persistent-he will not, as
President, iDflict on them the vengeance
with which, when in exile, he threatened
them. He even went, and seems still dis
posed to go, the length of relieving, as far
as possible, the miseries which they have,
m pl
lin other words, of doing good to those
who despitefully used him, and prosecuted
him. The Republican orator to whom
refer, could find no human motive for this
change of feeling and action, and, there
fore, concludes that he was moved to it by
the instigation of the devil. All motives
merely personal, he proves to have been
strongly in favor of the threatened ven
geance.
We need not be told that revenge is a
sweet morsel, -.- ..... ..'.
Sweet to the soul as honey to the TASTE"
And the orator says that the two Houses
would have sustained the President-that
the people would have sustained him-had
he carried out his threats; and that he
threw away these advantages and brought
| himself into disgrace and peril, with the
party who honored him, by listening to the
voice of mercy, and weakly and wickedly
| forgiviHg his enemies. H
| But, after all, 1 think the orator, for
| whose opinion have great respect, was
mistaken as to the motive power to which he
imputes this changepf purpose and action.
The devil is often accused unjustly. That
high functiorary, ash am instructed, new
er interfered to allay the angry passions of
men, but rather to excite and intlame them,
Indeed, l think rational human motive
may be found for all these evils of the
President, charged and proved against him.
1t was certainly quite natural to be in
censed against the rebels who dishonored,
insulted and drove him into exile, and
equally so to express his indignant feelings
in language of defiance and in threats
and 1t is also quite probable that when he
became President. he thought it improper
to use his high official station to avenge his
private wrongs. and to execute, as Presi.
dent of the United States, threats which
he made as Andrew johnson. of Tennessee
thought and felt so. Itwas the paramount
duty of our President, obvious to one who
| had no private wrongs to avenge, or, hav-
ing such. determined to forgive them, to
allay divisions and promote peace, ana to
restore the Union, and bring all its parts
as soon and as effectually as he might, into
| harmonious action. Indeed, he seems to
have felt thie, and to have thought it bet
ter and more surely accomplished by kind
ness and conciliation than by continued
insult, menace and arrogance. So he seems
to have thought, for SO he acted. ~.
And on reviewing the ground, as far as
my limited observation extends, 1 see no
| reason to anticipate reactiOnary excite
ment In favor of extreme Radical men OF
measures. The tide is setting against them
and cannot be suddenly checked. The more
conservative Republican leaders, If they
would retain power, must learn to know
that there is public opinion not created
by themselves or changeable at their pleas
ure, which, when it speaks-as it has spo-
ken-is entitled to their respect. In obe-
| dience to this they must dethrone theii
Radical despots, and conform their action
in Congress to the expressed public will,
and legislate like rational men, with calm.
ness and consideration rather than with
passion. 1t is hard to ask political party
to acknowledge error and retrace theil
steps, but in this case the good of the coun-
try requires, and the expressed will of the
people demands it. The correction must
and will be made, either by them or by
those who will succeed them, and it were
better done in a conservative spirit by
them than by the Democracy, who will bt
otherwise called to the task under more
difficult complications.
If the Republicans will do this promptly
and cheerfnlly, they will probably regain
and retain their ascendancy. and they may
rely on the Democracy to render them al
needful aid i'm restoring and securing it
That party, wherever in power, will, un
less they have learned wisdom from hare
experience, adopt Objectionable measures
or bring forward obnoxious men, such a
will destroy their ascendancy, if the Re
pubicans have conservative wisdom
enough to profit by their errors.
| - - T. EWING.
LudicrOus Attempt at Suicide
EAJSnDnO{u fed Love.