The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-06-19
The Latest Phase OF Executie Usur-
nation.


WHATEVER NAV be the result of the new agita-
ton which is being sprung upon the country
in connection with the subject oil reconstruc-
ton, it will be Justly chargeabe TO PRESIDENT
Johnson. II we are to have a session OF Con-
gress in July, he is the cause OF 1T. II new
legislation shall be found necessary, he is at
the bottom of it. If distrust and anxiety
shall displace confidence and hope in the pub
lie mind, he is responsible for it. If business
shall thereby be stagnated, he must be charged
with it. If the great work OF reconstruction
shall itself be delayed and put back, so that
the late Rebel States shall take no part in the
+ Presidential election of 1868, he must bear the
odium of it.
The Reconstruction law passed by Congress
was fair settlement of the whole question.
The people were satisfied with it. The coun-
try looked upon it as fnality. The South
was disposed to accept it. The work of re-
storation was proceeding apace under it. No
complaint, except from the merest handful Of
faotionists, was made against it. Quiet, con-
fdence, and hope for the future were taking
possession of the public mind. At this juno
ture President Johnson steps in and nullifes
the law. He puts a construction upon it
which deprives it of all power and vitality. 1t
is an insult to the intelligence of the country
to pretend. that this is anything else but a
mere dodge to nullity the law. He fatty con-
tradicts his own recorded Interpretation of the
law. He contradicts what everybody knows
was the purpose of the law. There is no
chance to dodge on this question. The object
-. of the law was notorious, and acknowledged
: by all parties. The pretense OF putting new
construction on it is mere pretense, and the
people so regard it.
The true state of the case is that Mr. John
I son has made up his mind to nuliitg the La,o.
He means that the work of reconstruction
according to the popular will, as expressed by
Congress, shall cease. He refuses to execute
the law. That is the long and short of the
matter.
What is the remedy for this state of things
Shall new laws be passed What law could
be more explicit than the present one ? Read
the Presidents veto messages, and see how
clearly he saw and understood its provisions
then. Can any law be passed which a tricky
lawyer like Stanbery could not construe to suit
his chief? The fault lies not with the pre-
sent law, but with the Presidents disposition
to enforce it. Congress may pass laws, but it
cannot execute them. That is the work of the
President, and if he refuses to do it, no heap
ing of legislation upon the statute books will
help the matter in the least. We come, then,
to a deadlock, which must be removed, or the
Government cannot go on. This is the aspect
of the affair which now looms up before us. It
is useless to pass laws, to be construed away by
the Attorney General
The country may as well look this matter
fully in the face. 1t has been trihed with by
an arrogant Executive, who desires to make
his own will law, long enough 1t is high
time that this functionary was taught that he
is the servant and not the master of the
people. Under guise of mock humility and
hypocritical devotion to the Constitution, he
is constantly venturing upon exhibitions of
contempt for the fundamental principles of the
Government, and upon usurpations of power
such as have never been witnessed in this
country. He has tried to usurp legislative
functions ever since he came into the Presi-
dental Office and he now proposes to delibe-
rately nullify solemn act of Congress, which
by his oath he is bound to execute. We
grant that this is audacious, but it is an
erecrabLe audacity, which should arouse the
Indignation of every man who values free
government, or would see it perpetuated.
-----H1--
That Attempt TO Choke Inquiry.