The New York herald., 1867-02-12


dominant party dare not go 50 far as to ahrm mat
IS and they therefore driven TO the fabrication OF
which w,' give them ans aurhofs =, shs r"h
explanation OF Their recent proceedings None OF tnem
deny IL They boldly say that they would be justned IN
adopting any course to gain their ends.
THE INTERVIEW.
There Is advantage, however, 70 the stranger,
which American politicians do not appreciate Of hear
ing both sides OF question and in these days the only
eiectual oi getting at the Pressdents views ID
from himself Is some monehs s,nc. ia ss saw cns
upon the of the country and the events Of the last
few months Mr. johnson was good enough TO sve me
an interview this afternoon at the White House, aud he
expressed the views which shall, with hs sdHc.
ton, endeavor 70 repeat 70 you.
garded public affairs At the present moment was that
minority in the country was seeking 10 impose is
Views ,as .ss spCn .oa,d I - syrsd Scou them s I'm nS
ber Of s States repvesensd in Conore and hencs
they inaerbt ta her determination keep thsss cut
III the people could be brought understand that
the fundamental principles Of the government were at
stake and not moro questions OF party supremacy there
would hope that justice would be donc In the eec
tions last autumn false issues dexterousy intro
duced, and upon them the people pronounced judg-
readmted the national interest would be imperilleds
and they did not stop 10 consider whether this was true
not They forgot the weakness TO which the South
had been reduced and never considered that would
still bounayoidable that IL should obey the North, the
stronger power-thc power with available force " Its
back.
But continued the President it is impossible that the
question shsuld rest here. Little by little the Southern
States had been brought back into proper action with
the general machinery Of government Tho govern
ment and the States had gradually approached each
other, law and constituted authority resumed their
sway, and everything completed except the admss
sion Of representatives from those States to Congress
But here Congress nteposcd and 1t said You are not
States all and you shall not be represented From
that moment bgan 10 pull 10 pieces ne main fabric Of
the government il began 70 wipe out the States from
which alone it derived its existence. Tue States
had brought Congress into existence and now Con-
gress proposed to destroy the States. II pro-
posed to abolish the original and elementary
turned round upon the creator and attempted %
destroy him. But suppos these States wi their sduuty
appointed Governos a.d adnainiardors, refused % obey
they said eve within the scope Of the Constitution.
are obeyng tho laws; the government recognizes us
by the in1con Of taxes and the appointment OF public
officers; and Congress decree dissolution ~
Could the government deny repudate this argumentf
II before the and they what
would remain to Congress but the exercise of force
order to out its views? Thus the country uod be
iscotrcd ia another revolution towards that all the pro-
ceedngs of Congress in relation TO the South were
tending The executive government were, ut least,
eudeavoring to fulfil what was The supreme
time when men considered the constitution first
when they framed laws Now they occasionally men,
around discovered the constitution, with much tho same
sense OF astonishment apparently that man who was
watching the stars might experience when he discovered
new planet. Bat the constitution was the side Of
the Executive; law its sde and reason and JUS
tice. The people would eventually perceive that i was
government although their attention might be diverted
"There II. added the President "no answer 10 this
argument-no attempt is made TO answer it, except by
the use Of arbitrary power You feel sometimes as II
you following up principle straight 70 its source
and had got tight grip upon il; and It is exactly 20 in
The constitution the President further said, had been
ton No section Of the people, their
could ignore or overthrow 1t, except arbitrarily BY
and BY when the people heard the crash Of the fabric
which they had formerly priced so highly, when tho
OF the falling mbers reached their ears they
the dust and confuston they would stop and look
up ascertain who was that bad been doing the
OF destruction Thai portion Of the people which was
now unhsard would eventually demand by what right
s only n.
measure vas introduced, the drst question
asked was, 'Is Y const;Stonal on, - and the
asked 's expedients" but, in tho Judgment or the
Executive what unconstitutional could mot be OK.
pedent The constitution did, indeed provide for its
own enlargement amendment, and II was competent
for the people TO change according TO the method
Scsaas the Question ey had NO
make themselves heard. One duty OF the Executive
undoubtedly to protect the rights Of the minority, and
hcrce Congress was aiming TO pull down the Executive
| and threatening the Supreme Court. II wal
opposed to the best interests Of the people that th
attempt sheud succeed, and the Executive still had
6dcnce that the people would discern the truth fo
| themselves
Tbe President presently referred 10 the alleged abus.
| which had been committed OF the appointing power
He said that there was great misconceptions abroad q
the good which tho Executive might do for ITSELF the
harm which IL might do others, BY the bsstowal OF
Offices Suppose, for instance, that there post 10
be given away there were sure TO be twenty applicants
for It, and when il bestowed all that tho President
had done was 10 mako one lukswarm friend and nine
teon enemies Tho friend silenced for after be
celved the appointment he had 10 make favor with tho
i Senate In order to get Et confirmed The man o.
likely not to throw over the President altogether H
was different when tho Executive was in harmony with
majority Of that body, and he could venture
give his adhesion TO the President In point OF fact
the Executive had not made moro changes than were
required by the public servce-not many
dinarily made. There great 0utcry because the
men who were actually in power had filled all the ofces
with their friends and supporters and they did no. want
with regard to the threatened impeachment the Pres
ident said. with a sme:-.I had contracted Old World
ideas, derived from Magma Charta and downwards
respecting the right Of the accused TO be heard and
fairly tried but these seem TO be going out Of date
Now committee sitting In secret and hearing one side
only and that side the enemies Of the accused preudge
bis case Il Il consistent part Of tho general system
Frequently during the conversation tho President
reiterated his belief tuat the people would eventually
begin look at all the questions now before them from
the constitutional side. He seemed to be content 10 be
judged by the fidelity and persistence with which be had
bis oath oblees him to defeud that oath might as well
be rescnded II Congress and the country refused to
recognize the constitution as Law binding upon all
alike
Certainly the Presidents opinions with regard to the
constitution not singular although few besides him
self have the courage 10 openly proclaim them There
are numbers Of lawyers who do not hesitate TO admit
privately "the President s right; but what is to be
gained by going against ono c0nStltuents Inc demo-
/ Gratis have dscredted themselves in the country
by the they took during the that their advo
cacy is disastrous TO the object Of IT, Now and then
however public is found who is not afraid to de-
i clare his convictions Judge Black, for example, made
forcible speech in defence OF the President and the
Supreme Court He said in the Of his remarks
'sThe judges and all who think with them are called
traitors because they declare the constitution TO mean
what says ann because they viii not violate II them
selves0 permit its violation by Others when they can
prevent II. II this conflict for and against the constu
tion implies either sde the guilt does not lie
At door, IL Is not the who sustains and loves.
and believes in the laws Of his countryt Is not such
that be Justly called traitor But II there DO
an American citizen anywhere who, with an oath upon
his conscience TO support the constitution would make
upon t. subyert II by brute force and take away
the defcnces u affords TO life liberty and prosperity,
leaving them 10 the mercy Of mobs murderers, kidnap-
pers military commissions and bureaus Of military jus
tice such man 10 thoroughly traitor" Sentiments
like these make man unpopular, and therefore few
venture To utter them.
The country ought not 10 be in any doubt ~ 70 the
objects which radicals have in view in mpeaching
the President. II cannot be alleged a. prstex that
Mr. johnson prevents necessary legislation The major
ty Of twohrds il secured and the veto always be