The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-08-29
re Pr..idsrt.

onough. Too many white flags have been
exchanged The President means war. War
bo II. then, and God speed The right
Nearly five months since, the regular session
eof Congress was adjourned. The winter had
,vitnessed an angry contest with the President.
,rIora wore three parties:--1 The Democratic
f..or,ont which gave the President undivided
oueoiance. Q. The moderate Republicans,
ho Trusting in his honor, endeavored to make
NJ dntv 40 0lain. and his responsibilities 50
sxsot and limited, that he could not escape
Them. They hoped that the nation might be
reconstructed without violent appeals TO the
law. 8. The earnest and extreme Republicans
Who felt that we could not reconstruct the
country without the impeachment of the
President. The counsels of the moderate
Republicans prevailed. They carried the
Reconstruction bill With the aid of
one of these parties they prevented
impeachment. This was accomplished by the
assurance that the President, having protested
AGAINST the action of Congress, would content
himself to have the law quietly carried into
execution. He appointed generals in COM
mand of the military districts who were most
acceptable to the country. In the case of
General Sheridan, at least, we know that
some of these appointments were made against
his own judgment, and in Difference to the
wishes of Congress. The Senate and House
adjourned. II was felt that the virtual ac-
auiesoence of the President would make an
extra session unnecessary. Summer would
see the States reconstructed. Universal suf-
frage would be tested. The States would
gradually drift back into the Union. When
Mr.. Mcpherson called the roll of the House in
December, all the States would answer, and
once more a full American Congress would sit
in an American Capitol.
NhaH Hrcf prirn
construction, duly considered and well ap-
proved, was assailed by Mr.. Stanbery. We
give Mr.. Stanbery the credit of being an able
lawyer and upright man. But the President
wanted an opinion that was not upright, and
in an evil hour his Attorney-General wrote it.
Ingenious and subtle, the country did not fail
to see that it was a fraud, and that the Presi-
dent in inviting its publication, was dishonest
1t cut the heart out of the Military bill. Re
construction was brought to dead lock. The
opinion, to use the figure of General Sheridan,
was broad, macadamzed road to fraud and
perjury and the Southern States were thrown
into chaos. Congress was hurriedly assem-
bled. A bill was passed which even the sub
tlety of Mr.. Stanbery could not misconstrue.
The extreme Republicans contended that even
this would not do, and that to have Recon-
struction, the President should be impeached.
The counsels of such men as Mr.. Fessenden
and Mr.. Wilson, Mr.. ColfaX and Mr.. Sherman,
prevailed. 1t was held that with a law thus
plainly written the President would walk di-
rectly, and the South would be restored. This
assurance, indeed, was given by men who
claimed to speak for the President, Congress
believed it, and again adjourned over unit
winter.
Now comes the second crime. Stanbery
cannot explain the law. Blue is so palpabl,
blue that there is no making even the Presi
dent believe it to be grey. The President ha
- 4 r. L
cannot nullify the law, he persecutes hi
ministers. Stanton is stricken down. TIL
War Secretary, who has been retained tw
years for his disagreeabe qualities, is re
moved for his virtues. Because of the onl,
quality which the Republican party honors il
Stanton, he is disgraced. Then comes Sheri
dan. This glorious soldier simply performs
soldiers duty. He executes the law in it
true spirit. He does the work which tn
country expects him to do and is dismissed
A few days pass, and Sickles is removed fo
loyal devotion to Congress and the country
A Tammany Democrat is placed in New o.
leans, while soldier without record goes I
Charleston. In a few days Pope will /
ordered back to the Indian country, to ASST
Sheridan in guarding suffers posts and ba
gage trains. Grant has served the President
turn in removing Stanton, and his BxcellenC
is impatient already, calling the General
our armies ga radical spy and traitor"
will no doubt speedily be asked to retire
favor of Steedman or Black. That Christii
gentleman and soldier, Howard, who h
shown in his high place the philanthropy al
piety of the great name he bears, is WRIT
upon the slate of degradation. Holt W
follow-and with these men every soldier
civilian who will not aid the President in
treason.
Where will this end? The President mea
war. The country must stand and fight,
be defeated. We believe anything possil
Of Mr.. Johnson. His administration is
record of deception, cunning, disloyalty
antagOnism to the best interests of the cou
try. He has made the administration
Buchanan respectable by showing a degraG
tion to which even Mr.. Buchanan could L
sink. He has betrayed his party; he
betrayed his friends he has betrayed l
country. Nothing is left of his administl
tion but a few miserable jobbers like the
who hang around him, and few wretch
political adventurers like Black. The m
who accepted contumely for his cause, Ii
Seward, and Randall, and Welles he is imI
tient to drive out of his Cabinet. The sava
of Sahara is not insensible to the Obligatio
OF friendship; but even this no longer renal
with Mr.. Johnson.
We admonish the people to prepare fo
stern and high responsibility. 1t is nearly
hundred days until Congress meets. Till til
we are powerless. We can only bow to Il
dreadful tyranny. The President appealed
the country in his last message. We join
In the appeal. Let our friends organize eve
where. Let us make the canvass upon
infamy of Mr.. JOhnson's administration,
having defeated him at the ballot-box,
Azaa