The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-06-14
Honor the Office.

COUNCILS yesterday had the proper sense Of
propriety when they passed a resolution ex-
tending the hospitalities of the city to the Pre-
sident of the United States, and we are sur
prised that any three men could be found who
were so wanting in becoming respect as to vote
against the measure. Those of our readers
who have watched the policy of this journal,
can bear witness to our opposition to the per-
sonal conduct and political career of Mr.. John
son. but because we do not agree with the
views of the gentleman who at present hap
pens to be in the Presidential chair is no
reason why we should slight the Chief Exeeu-
tive of the United States of America. 1t is not
to Andrew Johnson, a citizen of Tennessee,
that Philadelphia extends her hospitalities,
but it is to the President of the United States.
The Office, upon whomsoever conferred, covers
the holder with dignity which, if we respect
our nationality, we should acknowledge.
The American people, in their earnest
faith in universal equality, are almost
inclined to Jacobinism. There is a great diff
ference between proper respect for
Office and cringing subserviency to the occu-
right-thinking citizen, who, conscious of his
equality with the individual, does not scruple
to pay that respect which the position of the
officer demands. The other is the obtrusive
indecencies of an ill-bred coward, who fears
that people may deem him inferior, and con-
tinually pushes his equality before all others,
to prevent them forgetting that he is legally
their peer. manly consciousness of the
rights of citizen, and the possession of that
common sense which dictates that order is
best preserved by showing respect to autho-
| rity, teaches every man to deferentially
| approach the representative of our nation.
| Whoever insults the President insults the
nation. Suppose Mr.. Johnson was to visit
| Canada, and the British forts should refuse to
honor him with salute, or pay him any defer
ence, would there be man in the States who
would not be deeply indignant at such a recep-
tion of the President? We hope not. We feel
sure that an insult offered the Chief Executive
by aforegner would be repelled by all the nation,
without distinction of party. Yet if such
would be our conduct then, why should we
show that very disrespect which we
HOulu uOL LOl0IdI0 iIOu OLl6TS ARE
we like the Irishmann who would not
let anybody knock his friend down except
himselfY What a ridiculous attitude we
assume before Europe, in afording prece-
dent which we will not allow others to follow
1t is due to our self-respect, if not to our
respect for Mr.. Johnson, that we extend to him
the hospitalities of our city; and we feel con-
fideRt that when the bitterest radical calmly
thinks over the question, there will be a
unanimous assent to the action of Councils.
Colonel Page, who, although opposed to us in
politics, possesses a vast fund of that rare
article in Councils-common sense-well ex-
pressed the whole subject when he said that
he "was sorry that there had been any discus
sion on the subject. We O,Oe respect to the office,
irrespective Of the person UhO may fill IT," We
are glad to see on the passage of the resolu-
tion there were but three votes in opposition
those of Messrs. Fox, Shermer, and Stol1ley.