The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1867-02-25
The Test Question What Will President
johnson DO With 1t.

The Test QucstlOn- What Will Presi0ent
johnson DO With Its
Where jackson stood now doth another stand
The favored ruler OF our favored land;
With heart pure and patriotism as great
A second Andrew steers the ship of STATE
The end approaches-that sublime event
The people rallyng to their President
So sings the enthusiastic B. B. French, Com
missioner of Public Buildings at Washington,
Chief Bouquet Provider for the White House
and Poet Laureate of President johnson. His
"great expectations" however, have vanished,
like those Of the prophet Miller, who foresaw
little too soon
The angel Gabriel with his trumpet come,
The day OF judgment and millennium
The Rev. DR.. Cumming, with his three fear
full books, "The Great Tribulation," "The
Coming Preparation" and "The Awful Con-
summation" is much nearer the mark. The
raptures of MI. French are like those of the
excited Frenchman at Niagara Falls: "Ahi
dis is de grand spectackell Supaarb! Mag
miguel By gar! he is come down first
ratew Moreover, as the hard-fsted democracy
were very much scandalized with the gorgeous
President Van Buren,, what will they say OF
this royal appendage Of poet laureate to
President Johnsonf The action of the House
Of Representatives, in refusing any appropria-
ton for this monarchical luxury, will be ap.
proved by the people. Shall the glories Of the
administration be hawked about in doggerel
verses like the healing virtues Of "Old DR..
Jacob Townsend's sarsaparilla?" No! We
must hold even President johnson to the line
and plummet of the constitution, and to the
diagnosis Of Old Thad Stevens and his ALI
healing Reconstruction Bitters.
Upon this test how stands "the Second An
drew" Of the enraptured Mr.. French! 1t ap-
pears that the Blairs, the whole family, from
the old man down, advise the President to
smother the bill in his pocket; that Mr.. Seward
advises him to veto it, for reasons best known
TO himself, and that the democrats of Congress,
taking their cue from Senator Reverdy John
son, are urging the saving policy Of signing the
bill. This Maryland Senator, it appears, en-
tertans the impression that If this bill shall
finally fail the incoming Congress will 60 a
step further in parcelling out the lands Of
Southern white rebels among the loyal negroes
of that distracted section. Old Thad Stevens
is watching his chance. General Fitz John
Porter, now in New York, who has no great
cause for admiration of the radicals, it is also
given out, has written to Senator Johnson
highly approving his course in going, rs a last
resort, for this radical reconstruction bill. II
is rumored, too, that this sagacious Senator,
apprehensve of veto, has been counselling
the President to walk lightly over the ground
of his objections, lest in stepping too heavily
he may spring the impeachment steel trap
which lies under them. The prevailing idea
seems to be that the President, within day
or two, will send in moderate veto, so as still
to give the two houses of this Congress an op-
portunity to pass the bill over his head.
This course, if pursued as a compromise,
may answer the purpose of securing the policy
Of Congress without sacrificing the Executive.
In Withholding q veto, ifresolved upon, till too
late to be reversed by this Congress, or in
pocke.ing the bill, q challenge is involved to
the incoming Congress, elected upon the pre-
else test Of hostility to Mr. Johnson's policy.
Some concession, therefore, to the present Con-
gress has become essential to his federation
under the next II Mr.. Johnson, therefore,
cannot bring himself to the point Of putting
the Reputation Of his pet policy under his own
hand and seal, be can, perhaps, over
come the difficulty by temperate veto
sent up In season, and with the I'M
derstanding that he wishes to avoid every
appearance Of any further tactics or strategy
to defeat the will Of two-thirds vote of each
house Of Congress. We think that, with the
evidence before him OF two-thirds vote for
the bill in each house, his best plan Is to put
in his objections against IL, and then the rea-
sons Of Senator johnson for signing il. This
course would not only effect at once the indie
finite postponement Of the impeachment pro-
ceedings OF the Judiciary Committee Of the
House, but il would at once prepare the ruling
politicians Of the rebel States for graceful
submission to the law.
or all the occupants Of the White House
Captain John Tyler was the fullest exemplif-
cation Of "the happy man." He enjoyed u
with keen relish. lie threw In his vetoes
right and left, and laughed at the wrath Of
Henry Clay and the rage Of John Minor Bolts.
lie could afford to do 1t, because the Southern