New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1867-12-04

returning to it under the very acts which he
calls on Congress to repeal! If single one
fails to do so, it viii be simply because the ex-
Rebel part of their population, instigated and
pushed on by him, have refused to vote at an
election held under the authority of Congress.
That body has provided for their speedy re-
turn, under conditions with which they could
readily reply: Mr.. JolnsOn's Rebel protegfS
vote not to come III, or refuse to vote at all
(Which has, and is intended to have, the same
cflect3 and thereupon Mr.. johnson turns upon
Conqress and accuses it of keeping out those
| States! There never was more insane eX-
hibition of spleen and malignity.
If it were true that the States lately fighting
TO destroy the Union were entitled to return to
its counsels absolutely and without condition
then Mr. Lincoln was wrong in countemand-
ing Gen. Wetzers permission to meet gwen to
the Rebel Legislature of Virginia, ana MIR.
johnson Was wrong in every step taken by MN
looking to Reconstruction. Just look for one
moment at this telegram
" His Excollcncy JAMES JOHNSON, ., l....,,.
"Your several kilograms have been received. we
any state having resumed the relations o, o5idd ~
the Union that admits ts ieBa Os'e The war of Re.
! beIlion WILLIAM H. SEWARD.
washington, October %, 1896"
Here in q matter purely dOmestic-which
affected no one outside of the State-the Presl-
dent claimed and exercised the power OF re-
! fusing TO recognize Georgia as in the Union
unless she would repudiate a debt contracted
Nv her regularly constituted authorities, and OF
which the proceeds were paid into and dis
bursed from her treasury. And this is but one
of n hundred such acquisitions and exactlons
by which Mr.. Johnson has committed himself
| firmly and inextricably to doctrines the very
! opposite of those he is now propounding.
| Mr.. Johnson has placed himself intellectually
on record as affirming and exercising the right
of the Union to exact conditions OF the ex-
Rebel States. Let us now see By ,chom he holds
| that that power should be exercised.
The Convention of Florida, assembled by him,
proposed TO submit the reputation of the Rebel
Debt to a vote Of the people of their State
! but rcccded ON learning that this would not do,
and rcpudiated that debt outright A Legisla-
| ture was thcrcupOn convened, which ratified
! the Constitutional Amendment abolishlng
! Slavery, but appended the following condition
Resolred That tis amendment to the Constitution OF
the United states H. adopted By the Legislature Oh le
state 81 Florida with the understanding that IL docs nor
confer upon the Congress the power TO cgsate upon thu
| political stiius OF tic freedmen IN this state.
| Gov. Marvin, having issued a proclamation
with reference to Reconstruction, Mr. Johnson 5
| Secretary of State tcegraphcd him as follows
ct must however be- distinctly understood
that the restoration 10 when your p.ooi'i"'''" '
| civilian n. SEWARD"
So we might 90 on. quoting Johnson against
! Johnson but why need WEI Having turned
| against those who elected him. how could hc
| HELM turning his back on himself We leave
! the subject, with an ayOwal of our conviction
| that the Prcsidcnt-obstinate as he is-wlll re-
crct having uttered this most pcrvcrse Mes
/ sage.
! ON single further point DO we dare to remark
| to-day. His views on Finance are generally
sound. and in nothing more domonstrably so
! than in this forcibc statement of primary
economic truth:
"Tne proporton which the currency Of any country
should boar 20 the whole value OF the annual produce
circulated hy ~ means. isa question upon WHICH loli I,
cal economists not agreed nor can 1t be controlled
los legislation beat must be left 20 those lreV0ca9e Iaw
which everywhere regulate commerce ana traue' me
circulating medium will ever irreaisDiy now 10 those
points whore 10 m greatest demand the law oI DC
Inaud and supply 49, unerr'i6 rs That "eh iesu"'oS
/ the tides Oi ocean
I'm palpablc overt defiance Of the above, we
read in the next column this absurd recon-
! nicndntion:
! Specie payments having been resumed by the
Government and the bank all notcH or bills OF paper
issued by either of lcss denomination than go should
by law bee excluded from circulation 80 that the people
may have the benefit and conyenicnceot gold aud silver
currency. which ~ all their business tratbacuons VAL Dc
/ uniform n value at hOluc and abroad"
Here iucyocable laws including the
law of demand and supply are ignored, and
Congress asked to deprive the country of such
a currency rs il may choose to employ in order
| that the people may have the benefit and
| convenience of gold and silver currency
! But such u currency happens not 20 be either
! beneficial or convenient tO us, who have always
! supposed ourselves a part of tho people We
receive mt least 100000 per annum by mail in
small bank notcs-money which could not be
sent MS in gold and silver unless at a heavy
extra cost and risk. Those notes are indspen-
| sable to the successful prosecution of our bust
ness for what reason shall We he deprived
of them Who is TO he benefited by that
which win work ms so grave an injury
! We need those notcs-sO do thousands of
| others--wh0se need is subseryed by depriying
MS Of thcnl Let us have Specie Payments and
! Liberty of Choice-those who need or choose
| Specie drawing it AZ will, while we who need
notes of less than 500 are likewise accommo-
| dated Why cannot the President trust to a
law which he says il "uncuing as the tide -
and let the people use such currency as expe-
! ricncc has proved most convenient and useful
| |
THE NAVY REPORT
| 4. O.,