Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1867-01-16
From the Anti Slavery Star dard, Dee. q
A Little Very Plain Talk.

Every anti slavery man remembers what g
dead lock to all progress tie Supreme Court
of the United States has been in lines past.
To-day that samc Court stands the same-im-
movable obstacle in our path. 1t is under
stood that five Judges out of the nine support
the President. 1t is said that taey decided,
year ago, that the " iron clad oath" was un.
constitutional, and all that the Chief Justice
could do was to delay the formal announce.
ment of the decision. One Of these Judges,
appointed by Einceln, has Joined the enemy.
This state OF things is an almost insurmoun-
table barrier to some measures which are in
dispensablc to any safe and permanent recon-
structiou. But all men are mortal. Two OF
these Judges are very old, one other infi.m in
health. Il is very probable that Mr.. John
son may, within two years, haye-the appoint
ment Of TWO judges, perhaps more. Of
course, his nominations are subject to the
Scnate's approval; but we Ill know he may
select men Of fair repute, but welded to his
policy, whom it would be impossible to pre-
vent the Senate from confirming.
Such is one Of the dangers of leaving
rebel at the head of the Government for two
years more. We may, and probably shall,
have the Supreme Court reinforced with fresh,
young blood, to last another quarter CT cen.
tury, and be always the refuge of abuses and
the foe of progress. If his crimes have given
US sufficient grounds to remove Johnson and
avert this momentous danger, it is fool.hardy,
it is madness, TO leave the criminal untouched
and run all these risks. There is yet another
consideration urging US in the same direction.
The readicst, quickest way to secure true
reconstruction seems to be this. for the first
step at least, brush away these phantoms, the
pretended State governments, and set up
Territorial governments in each Of the lately
rebel States.
There seems some evidences that Congress
intends to take this course. Butsuppose the
Radical members achieve this result, Whit
next? Wby,-the nomination of oil Tecrito-
rial officers belongs to the President. lie
can so shape his nominations as to ke pthcse
governments wholly subservieDt to- his policy.
We see, therefore, that it is impossible to
make one step in the direction OF thorough
and permanent reconstruction while johnson
remain: in Office. We have the legal right
to remove him; the country, indignant ard
disgusted, demands it; the necessity Of the
situation requires it. Delay lis dangerous, and
may be fatal. Who darcs to trust such 4
man as Andrew johnson with the power thus
to baulk the plans Of the conqueror-with
the power beside SO to complicate our domcs-
tic with angry foreign questions as to post
pone any settlement for dozen years?
We regard this question of impeachment
as icing IN fact the decision OF the question
whether the Republican party shall succeed
in the next Presidential election n. There is
very little chance of its doing so unless i: re-
moves johnson out of its path. Give lin
another two years, and it will he almost c
miracle if ever he or his State Secretary are
witless enough TO allow themselves to be de-
leatcd. What their success means every che
knows. WENDELL PHILLIPS.