Delaware tribune. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1867-1877, 1867-09-19
FRO BE CONTINUED.


The experience of the last six years should
have taught us that even in the United
States there is no security against civil trou-
bic. more appalling introduction TO it
no nation ever had. Yet TO the very mo-
mcnt OF the actual blow it was considered
impossible. The republic was charmed.
Other countries had suffered, but we were
exceptional. Wars were over, and however
loud the threat of violence it would pass as
an idle word. The method of the Southern
madness was not needed. The plainest de-
clarations was regarded as political gag.
The most evident preparations were unseen
or unminded. Ii was said that Senator
Seward would rise in his place, and, in the
midst of the most courteous but crushing
anti-slavery speech, turn to Senator Butler,
who sat behind him, and hold out his thumb
and finger for pinch OF snuff The Caro-
lima Senator, averting his head, would ex-
tend his box to his colleague from New York
who still could not see anything in the
Southern speeches but party rhetoric 1t
was game they played in the capitol. 1t
and dislinon until after election, and then
nobody would he so sound and earnest II
| Union man as Senator Stewards excellent
friend from Georgia, Senator Toombs. 1t is
only cry of wolf 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 Prcs-
dent will push the present extremity to an
armed solution, if he can, than it was to be-
| licye that the secessionists would take arms
at the first favorable moment Andrew
johnson is at bay Hc is conscious of the
contemptuous condemnation of his country,
and of the doom to which history will con-
sign him. He is ignorant, passionate, and
hcatlstrong. He is surrounded by the worst
dcmagogucs-Fer Wood, jeremiah
Black, and men in sympathy with them.
He is the constitutional Commandcr-in
Chief of the National forces, and he has told
us how he interprets the Constitution. After
long and exasperated struggle with Con.
gress, in which it was supposed that he hat
been so bound by the laws as to be power
less, if not to have acquiesced in the incyita
bic, he suddenly assumes the defensive, de
lies the unquestionable public opinion of The
: country, quarrels, under polite phrases, will
, General Grant, and knows that within ninety
davs Congress will assemble and will pro
badly impeach him. Has he done all thi'
for the sake of being impeachcd? Has III
done it with the intention of placidly yield
ing when he is impeacled, and going hum
bly out of office? Or does he mean, if pos
siblc, to provoke an armed crisis?
: We learn, upon good authority, that thcr
, arc ten thousand men in Maryland calle'
, militia, armed and under the command o
rebel officers. Not long before Mr.. Stantol
t was suspended reuuisition came from tn
Governor of Maryland to the War Depart
I mcnt for batteries, which the Secretary re
!, fused. For what purpose is such bod
. OF men so armed and so oflicered! We Il
G not mention this to excite n foolish alarm
Ii but an alarm which is not foolish. 1t ma
he an untrue story, but it is not in the leas
improbable that the President intends som
action hostile to Congress. Ii may be in III
$ guise of resistance to the process and result
c of impeachment. 1t may be in pursuanc
y of plan to issue all amnesty and to assen
bic II new Congress. The wildness of til
y plan and its futility do not make it improbi
: Bile If the President knew the feeling I
Y the country he might pause. But he do'
q not know it. He can not know il. lie
surrounded and led by i.en who misrcpr
Is sent it and to General Grant, the true frei
y of the country in the Cabinet, he does III
listen.
The times are grave. No man should d
1t ceive himself or "deride," with the Ne
If York Tribune, the imminence OF troubl
: To be forc-armed against danger we must
y forewarned. We need not, indeed, imagi
j; that we are already Mexicanized but '
lc ought certainly to reflect that in q rcyol
,r tiondry period, when the country still trel
), bles with civil war, and peaceful order
. not yet restored, a desperate, ignorant, al
is obstinate Chief Magistrate may plunge
IN into very serious difficulty.