New-York tribune., 1867-09-02

Why cannot a Peace League be formed in this
country?
THE PRESIDENT AND PUBLIC OPINION
Public opinion is only private opinion In the
aggregate. Our many readers, now arrogantly
rejoicing in minds of their own, will be inter-
ested in knowing what is about to happen to
them in the matter of their intellectualities
That Presidential instrument, The National
Intelligcncer, is amable enough to let as into
the secret beforehand. Public opinion, here
tofore showing itself Obtuse, wayward, and in
suffcrably independent. is to be taken in hand
by DR.. Andrew Johnson. 1t must be
"startIed,v says the official journal, "intO the
Support of the right and not co0red.' His
Excellency, then, is about to discard the
Suapiter in modo and to resort to the torfiter IN
re. This announcement fills us with tile greater
apprehension because we have never remarked
any peculiar amiability in the Presidents de-
meanor, anything particularly persuasive in his
speeches, any prcpOnderance of cmollient
saponaceOusness in his policy. If, heretofore,
we have been "cOaxed," it has surely been
without our knowing it, We were rather than
else Iaboring under the impression that we had
been bulled; but now that we know how ten
derly we have been treated, and how deaf we
have been to the voice of the cbarmer, we
hasten TO record our gratitude, the rather
because we have constitutional Objec-
ton to being startled, which is the
euphonic phrase, we suppose, for being
scared. The President, it appears, il to lay
down the serene torch Of policy and take
up the pumpkin lantern of intimidation. He
is to cry "Boow with such sudden s0norous-
ness that majority of those Americans whose
auditory nerves are delicate will presently be
in fits He is to exhibit himself in all his ter
rors. "a village loafcr wraps himself in
sheet, and plays ghost up and down ceme-
terry. In short, we, the people are to be
startled not out of but into our propnety,
and we might as well begin to take little pro-
piylactic doses of valcrian at once.
We have great faith in the Presidents power
of startling but wc believe that he will need
it all. The truth is, we have been startled
so often that we are getting to he like the pep
perry gentleman in "Dombey & Som" tough,
Sir. dcvilish tough" We have lived long
time in a chronic condition of astonishmcnt, and
if the Executive has any " fantastic tricks IN
reserve for the demonstration of his "brief
"authority," all we have to say is that the
angels had better be getting out their pocket
handkercliefs. Forewarned, however, we shall
be forearmed. There is only one way
which occurs To us, in which the President can
astonish the people. If he would but show the
least morsci of modcsty, the minutest diminu-
tion of scf-coniidencc, the faintest memory of
his old professions. the least symptom of
emerging from the political muddle in which
he is floundcring, the simplest symptom of re-
turning regard for the peoples representatives,
we promise for ourselves and for our readers
to be startled to his hearts content. The least
token of such n regeneration would fill Ills with
awe like a miracle. We suppose that 1t would
he of snail Use for us, in the name of our fell
low citizens To ask for mercy. "Suiler and be
strong" grin and bear it'-these are season
able proverbs. The advantage of preserving
certain stiffness in the upper lip we need not
dwell upon If Hope refuses any longer to
spring in tho human breast she must be
touched up artifcially. We shall know what
the President intends when he comes to what
his mouthpicce calls prompt decided action
'Tis an old -womanly weakness, but we confess
To a curiosity to know what is to happen next
Except in cases of actual execution, anything
il more tolerabc than suspense
As citizens of the United States, we were be-
ginning to feel little wounded pride at the
organs overture. We have had such respect
for public opinion, have so trusted it. have so
believed in l., have so looked to it in all cmer-
gencies, that we found it hard to give it up.
But we suppose that we must have been mis-
taken Public opinion is humbug, a whim,
a notion-it il clay in the hands of the potter;
it is a ball of wax; it is a chameleon taking
its hue from the breath of Mr.. Johnsons
nostrls; it is a mocking-bird whistling the
tunes which he may please to teach it; 1t is
a timid, wavering, laundering, and cowardly
sentiment, to be controlled without difficulty
by spcctcrs, and hobgoblns, and gorgons, and
dire climeras, and squeaking and gibbering,
and mysterious, portentous, oracular and badly
written misleading articles i'll The National
Inteligcnccr. Public opinion is feeble and
habby, and must be stiilcned up. Public
opinion is erratic, and must be set in the right
path. Public opinion is willful, and must be
" startled" Bring on your bears