The Orangeburg news. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1867-1875, 1867-12-07
The Presidents Message and Congress.

Tho scene, which followed the reading of the
able Message of President johnson to the dig
nified body, yclept Congress, deserves record,
and is telling comr rontary on tho animns of
the honorable gentlemen constituting tho great
legislative tribunal of the land. It has always
been customary for the Message of the Prcsi-
dent to be printed by; order of Congress- as a
deserved tribute of respect to him, and in or.
der to permit at least partial oficiat circula-
tion through the country. A motion to this
end having been made in the Senate, on Tues
day, elected bitter opposition. and wc.s finally
laid over. During the discussion, several
prominent Radicals delivered themselves as
follows;
Senator Howard did think not it worthy Of
publication, as it was libel on every member
whovoted for the Reconstruction bill, and it was
nothing less than an insidious invitation to the
rebel States to resist, by violence, tho Recon
struction acts. He would not vote money for
the distribution of such attacks upon the pco-
pies representatives.
Senator Cameron thought tho Message al
ready sufficiently published.
Senator Sumner moved to amend by publish
ing only the reports. lie considered the Mes
sage not only libel on Congress, but an inccn-
diary document designed to stir up tile rebels
~ l.
detcrrcd from its work by cithor tho President
or the press, and the South will bc represented
by the Fourth of July next. The President
libellcd not only Congress but~thc freedmen,
in declaring them unfit for tho ballot. lie, de-
clared that newspaper correspondents were in
the interest of the rebels, and made garblcd
statements.
Several Democratic Senators raised their
voices in defence of the President and of the
motion, but they were unhcard. or at least un-
needed
1t is not unlikely that this action of Con-
gress, be: idcs indicating their continued bitter
animosity to Mr.. johnson, forcshadows i'm
pcachmcnt. To the. plain but potent argu-
mcnts, which he has offered to the country
and the world in defense of his policy, thcy
can fabricate no reply. Logic and Rhetoric
will avail them nothing; no sophstr:es they
may devise will be sufficiently ingenious to
controvert the truth he has announced and
thus ncutralizc tho OBJECT which the Message
must produce on every candid reader Two
alternatives only present themselves; they must
either relinquish their schemes, or remove tho
author of their confusion and disappointment
The former course they will not adopt, and they
must therefore mpcach and suspend the Pres
idcnt and thus, by attack on the man, en-
dcavor to ovcrturn his policy
That in this they will fail ignominiously We
have every reason to hope. The words of the
President are significant,
eff Congress should pass an act which is
not only in palpablc conflict with the Consti
tuition, but will certainly, if carried out, pro.
ducc immediate and irreparablc injury to the
organic structure of the Government, and il
there be neither judicial remedy for the wrongs
it inficts, nor power in the people to protect
themselves without the official aid of their
elected defender; if, for instance, the Lcgisla-
tive Department should pass an act, even
through all the forms of law, to abolish CO.
ordinate department of the Govcrnmcnt-in
such case the President must take tho high
responsibilities of his office, and save the life OF
| the nation at all hazards"
| He will not submit to be made sacrifice to
tho ambition and hate Of Congress Ho will
resist with all tho power of the Government
the last attack upon him and the consunama-
tion of impeachment will be the Inauguration
of civil revolution. The issue of this would
not be doubtful it would seal the doom of the
assailants.
"Queu Deus ruh perelcn, prius dcn,entat"
(Whom God wishes to destroy he first de-
prives ofrcason). Congress is nm illustration
nf tho truth of fho ,,rovorb 10 o,,o,t, 20