The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1867-09-17
From Harpers Weekly.

The experience of the last six years
should have taught us that even in the
United States there is no security
against civil trouble. A more appall-
ing introduction to it no nation eyer
had. Yet to the very moment OF the
actual blow IL was considered impossi-
BILE. The republic was charmed. Other
countries had suffered, but we were ex-
ceptional. Wars were over, and how.
ever loud the threat of violence II would
pass as an idle word. The method OF
the Southern madness was not needed.
The plainest declarations were regard
ed as political 'gag." The most evil
dent preparations were unseen or un-
minded. IL was said that Senator Sew
ard would rise in his place, and, in the
midst of the most courteous but crush
ing anti-slavery speech, turn to Senator
Butler, who sat behind him, and hold
out his thumb and finger for pinch of
snuff. The Carolina Senator, avertinH
his head, would extend his box TO his
colleague from New York, who still
could not see any thing in the Sothern
speeches but party rhetoric. 1t was
game they played in the capitol. Ii
was supposed that they would vow Sc
cession aud disuniOn until after cleo
tiOn, and then nobody would be 80
sound and earnest ii Union man ns
Senator Stewards excellent friend from
Georgia, Senator TOombs. 1t is only IA
cry Of wolff wolf! said comfortable
public opinion. But one day the wolf
came.
Is it worth while to return to that
chastity self-deception of six and eight
years ago? Is it any more foolish to
believe that the President will push
the present extremity to an armed So
luton, If he can, than 1t was to believe
that the secessionists would take arms
at the first favorable moment? Andrew
10 To ut Hn 10 comedians
the cOntemptuUus condemnation of his
country, and of the doom to which his
tory will consign him. He is ignorant,
passionate, and headstrong. He is sur
rounded by the worst demagogues-by
Fernando Wood, Jeremiah Black, and
men in sympathy with him. He is the
constitutional ComLnRnder-in-Ch OF
the National forces, and he has told us
how he interprets the Constitution.
After long and exasperated struggle
with Congress, in which II WAS supposed
that he had been so bound by the laws
as to be powerless, II not to have ac-
uuiesced in the inevitable, he sudden
ly assumes the defensive. deties the I'M
questionable public opinion OF the
country, quarrels, under polite phrases,
with General Grant, and knows that
within ninety days Congress will as
sembls and will probably impeach him.
Has he done all this for the sake of be-
lDR 1hb ne uOhe ~ WIN
the intention ofplacidly yielding when
he is impeached, and going humbly
out of office? Or does he mean, If pos
sible, to provoke an arme crisis?
We learn, upon good authority, that
there are ten thousand men in Mary
land, called militia, armed and under
the command of rebel officers. Not
long before Mr.. Stanton was suspended
ii requisition came from the Governor
of Maryland to the War Department
for batteries, which the Secretary re-
fused. For what purpose is such H
body of men SO armed and SO otdceEedr
We do not mention this to excite a fool
ish alarm, but an alarm which is not
foolish. II may be an untrue story,
but 1t is not in the least improbable
that the President intends SOME action
hostile TO Congress. 1t may be in the
guise OF resistance TO the process and
results of impeachment. IL may be in
pursuance of plan to issue an amnes-
ty and to assemble new Congress.
The wildness of the plan and its fulfill
ty do not make it improbable. II the
President knewthe feeling of the coun-
tryIhe might pause. But he does not
know it. He cannot know it. He Is
surrounded and led by men who mis-
represent II; and to General Grant, the
true friend of the country in the Cab
met, he does not listen.
The times are grave. No man should
deceive himself, or "deride," with the
New York Tribune, the imminence of
trouble. To be forearmed against dan
ger we must be forewarned. We need
not, indeed, imagine that we are al
ready Mexicanized; but we ought GER
tainIy to reflect that in revolutionary
period, when the country still trembles
with civil war, and peaceful order Is
not yet restored, desperate, ignorant
and obstinate Chief Magistrate may
DluDpa no into yary sariOnS difficulty,