The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1867-08-27
The Crisis.

Impeachment has been opposed and delay
ed from time to time because the President
has for the most part only talked in his big
Indian" fashion against the policy upon which
he has nevertheless shown a marked disin-
clination to lay violent hands. But he is now
unquestonably in more dangerous mood.
In the graphic language Of correspondent
"he is striking rapidly" The official National
Inteligencer feels itself authorized to state
that the retention of Lincolns Cabinet " was
a mistal1e." The President must reorganize
his Cabinet, and then show prompt, decided
action; for these are times when public opin-
ion must be startled into the support of the
right and not coaxed." Even the friends that
have followed him till they have lost their
places in the healt Is OF the American people,
are astonished and alarmed at the reckless
vigor OF his recent acts, and having given
them only a qualified support, are languishing
under the irown of the superior in whose
smile they have been accustomed to bask.
Poor Mr.. Welles, some cruel reporter says,
'looks bewidered,7 as if that were something
new. Mr.. Seward says that, 'as soon as be
ascartains that the demand for his resignation
has not originated with an irresponsible out
side pressure, but is dictated from the White
House, he will tender his resignation without
waiting for {, letter from the President telling
him that his time has come. The present
premier has been the very dove of peace in
the Cabinet, and if he is to give place to that
Black raven from Buchanan's aviary, the era
of good feeling, of which he has been the
cheerful apostle, is great way of. Black is
now Enthusiastically the power behind the
throne and any measures that may be dictat-
ell by him are not likely to be pleasing to the
people. The work he now has in hand is the
reorganization of the Cabinet. The word
has been passed around to the retainers of the
Executive, and by what seems remarkable
concert of action, all the Democratic journals
demand this slaughter Of innocents" as es-
sential to the well-being of the country. The
New York World would except Secretary
McCulloch from the general prescription tor
the ostensible reason that the monetary inter-
ests ofthe country would suffer from achange
at the head of the Treasury Department. 1t
declares that the Metropolitan Revenue
Board he has created in New York has put
sudden stop to the whiskey frauds and that
in consequence the revenue was increased in
that city during July to three times the
amount collected during the previous month.
But the true ground of the Worlds tender
ness is probably that no more seryile obedi-
ence to the Presidents mandates can be ex-
pected from anyone than has been rendered
by the Secretary of the Treasury.
Since Stanton has left the Cabinet, the peo-
pie can see the heads of his old associates fall
into the basket simultaneously, OF one by one,
with undistrrbed equanimity so far as any
sympathy for the decapitated individuals is
concerned. But they are disquieted in view
of the bold and criminal intent disclosed by
dismissal of men who have shown disposi
tion to follow the President farther than eth
er prudence or patriotism would justify, in
order that they may be succeeded by active
Southern partizans, who are willing to lead
instead OF follow. Hence it is not surprising
to learn that many prominent members of
the House of Representatives who have hith-
erto resisted the impeachment movement are
now prepared to join it. So long as only But
ler and Ashley were active in urging the
measure, Mr.. johnson had some excuse for
affecting to regard it with Indifference. But
about to be REINFORCED by men who undoubt
edly enjoy larger measure of popular conf
dence.