The Portland daily press., 1867-07-22


The message of the President communicat-
ing to the House of Representatives his oljec-
tions to the supplementary reconstruction Dill,
refers first to his message returning the act OF
the ID of March, reaffirming its positions, and
declaring that the objections then urged apply
with unabated force to the present measure
AS Mr.. Stanbery has since shown that the
President entirely miseonceived the purport Of
the original bill, it is at least possible that he
may be mistaken in his apprehensions respect
ng The supplementary act which has lust been
passed, t1 alr s.e.,.., ..... .s...... ....
The President doesn't see how, if the pro.
visional governments are illegal, Congress car
authorlzs military officers to carry on these il
legal governments He is exercised about the
inconsistency of Congress in referring to the
southern communities sometimes as rebel
States, and again as simply disorganized COM
munities inhabiting military districts. He ar
CUES that there is not foot of land ia any
one OF these ten States, which the United
States hold by conquest" He is Furthermore
bothered to make out the character of the mil
itary appointees who are to assume the func-
tions OF rebellious officials who attempt to him
der tine work of reconstruction. Are thew
State officers, or United State officers, asks
Mr.. johnson. And Congress replies, "Don't
distress yourself, Mr.. President; we don't
intend to trouble you about this husi-
ness any further" At which the Presi-
dent grows still more excited, and saws,
the military commander is, as to the
power Of appointment, made to take the place
OF the President and the General of the Army
the place Of the Senate" One would suppose
that if the Senate did not complain the Presi
dent need not; but he not only complains but
decorously howls, so to speak, and what is
worse, threatens to interfere and assert vbat
he calls his Constitutional authority"in the
premises. % -.t- 1861 .tl4rtf- .f4sls. Jed
1t is time for Andrew johnson to understand
thai the constitution was made by and for the
American people, and not the people for the
constitution. 1t is the people, through their
representatives in Congress who rule this land
and wo be to that man, be he President or he
he who he may, who attempts to resist their
clearly expressed will. If Mr.. johnson like
Cahute, plants his official chair in the path of
the advancing tide, like Canute he will be
compeiledtO make timely retreat or be over
~'Ss Aoi OfCi Will tut DdElelce OF an
outraged people endure. III the President
makes use of his high office to obstruct and
hinder the work of reconstruction be will be
removed as summarily as the mayor of anv
disloyal Southern city-not indeed by the act
OF military commander, but by the verdict of
the Senate of the United States sitting as
high court of impeachment Iii n;
There must be a limit somewhere to the va
garies OF headstrong officer Repe atedfy
mas MIR. johnson approached that limit. but
never SO nearly as now when in an official
document he dares to threaten the assembled
representatives ofthe nation. No wonder that
Boutwell,, and Butler, and Williams, and
schenck, seized the opportunity to urge the
instant necessity of presenting the articles of
impeachment. 1t needs only the supreme fol-
iy on Mr.. Johnson's part, of single overt act
in the spirit Of his words, to rouse the Repub-
mean party IN Congress and throughout the
country from the indifference with which it
has hitherto regarded the proceedings of the
Judiciary Committee. ~ 70 o's "a ~ 2r