The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-09-03
What Next will He Dog

he violated his plighted word and made his
whole administration living contradiction
20 what he promised when out of office, but
he also acts the part of the serpent or the dove
with subtilty which we did not expect from
his coarse nature. The active agitation of the
question of impeachment caused him to
assume the saint and declare that il, after
doing all he could to prevent the adoption
Of the Congressional plan of reconstruction,
Congress was to adopt it, he would faithfully
perform the part of the Executive, and see
that the laws were carried into effect. The
pledge was repeated again and again, until
moderate Republicans were deceived,
and Congress took recess until
July. During the recess the President
was on probation, and until the middle of
June acted in manner to allay all suspicion.
On seeing the country lulled to sleep, and
believing that there could be no quorum in
Washington on July 5, he issued the Stanbery
opinion, and commenced to show the cloven
foot in seeking to evade the law. But the
people were not asleep. The calls OF the loyal
press throughout the land, and the demands
of the masses, sent a majority to Washington,
and the Supplemental act was passed. But
Congress would not be warned. With an
optimism which exceeds that of the State De-
partment, they still continued to trust the
President; and, despite his threatening veto,
adjourned until November. Then the mask
was entirely cast aside. No more pretense OF
obeying the law. "0f with the heads of all
loyal Generals" was the order, and to-day we
are in the midst of the drama. To-day the
Executive is violating the law. He has de-
Clared war to the knife, and we now call for
the knife to the hilt He has thrown
down the gauntlet, and the Republican party
has taken it up. The hatchet is now
unburied, and either he or we must win. That
such is the intention of Mr.. Johnson we can
have no longer doubt. His declared organ,
the Boston Post authoritativelys sannounces,
as it withdraws the veil from the Presidential
intentions, that che has determined to be
master of the situation; that he has exhausted
every effort at harmony and Cancellation, and
is resolved to resist to the utmost. Mr.. John
son recently declared to party of friends
that, having exhausted every effort at concilia-
ton, he should now unfinchingly enforce
every constitutional power to save the coun-
try from impending ruin; that the simple
issue was Constitutional Government or Mill
tary Despotism, and he had fully resolved
upon the course he should adopt to fulfil the
plain requirements of his Office" And it as
sures us that "the President has taken the
war path in earnest"
Repeated as this assurance is by all the
semi-oficial organs of the White House, is
there any wonder that spirit of anxiety is
aroused among the people, and men doubt
what next will be done by the mailman in the
Presidential chair -? We cannot, ourselves,
prophesy as to what may be the intention Of
Mr.. Johnson. Never before has he acted Sc
like an angry child. Never before has his
vindictive course appeared so powerless, sc
aimless, yet so dangerous.
What good does he get by removing Sheri
dan, or Sickles, or Pope What is accom-
plished by placing Cauby, or Hancock, o.
Swayne as their successors These generals
even if they were inclined to do the Execu
tive's bidding, could not, by reason of the in
terposition of the General of the armies. TIL
course of reconstruction must go on in tn
same direction, even if it be retarded. It car
only be delayed, not prevented. And yet
with petty spite, all the leading generals ar
removed and disgraced before the country, s.
far as Mr.. Johnson can disgrace them; AM
all this, too, without a purpose. What Cal
the President meanY What does he intend Il
attempt What does he convey when he say
he is ''really on the war-path l'' We hac
Thought he had been on it for years
but now it seems he is going furthe
yet. Is a coup d<Gt contemplated Specula
tion fails to reveal to us any definite obiec
which the President is attempting to gain b.
his conduct during the past two weeks. Th
most plausible solution is that given by
Western exchange, which tells us that "Mr
Johnson's frame of mind for the past ten day
is but prolonged continuance of that state i
which he took his oath as xiee-P President
If this be not the true solution, It is certainl
well calculated to explain the phenomen
recently Witnessed at the White House. III
people wait with anxiety for further develop
ment. The movements of the principal acto
are 80 erratio, that we cannot detect what for
the kaleidoscope will next assume, neither oi
we foresee what new extravaganza will start
us from the Administration policy. But '
can anticipate nothing but evil.
Il has m