The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-04-11
WENDELL PHILLIPS ON THE POLITICAL SITUATION

The Presidential Impeac
johnson Dissected-The Radical Re-
construction Programme - General
Grant and the Presidency.
MUsCATNE, Iowa, April 5.-Dear Standard
1t is OF course needless Tor me to tell you of my
interest in your labors; yet do not know that
l have anything else to tell you. Thus far dis
tant from the centre of public affairs, hardly
dare to risk any conjecture before your readers.
1t seems 10 us of here that the FortIeth Con-
gress dares not impeach the President The
patronage of the Executive has been too strong
a temptation tor Congressional virtue to resist.
How gratefully the members pick up every
little crumb OF comfort that can be cot from
any slight show of difference to their opinion
on the part OF Johnson |. Again and again have
| uembled, lest the two parties should
fraternlZe; they yielding nine-tenths and he
yielding nothing except gracious phrases Still,
| think we may have great trust in the stolid
Obstinacy OF Johnson. That is reliance which
has never yet failed us, and the stock seems in
eXhaustible. We're he an ordinary man, Simply
mulish, l should be tempted to despair. little
compliance with the temper of the people, and
a seeming submission to the military law would
largely reinstate him in public respect and SYM
pathy, But with his sublime self-conceit and
his entire belief that the North is really with
him, think we may trust him so as to astound
the public and exasperste Congress that In due
time he will either be impeached or wholly
crippled in his Executive power. The Kentucky
and Tennessee mules are the finest in the world.
Ii any man doubts it let him watch our history
the next five years.
Without counting, therefore, much ON the
virtue or intelligence of Congress, look Tor
constant progress in the right direction. Lord
John Russell, you remember, talked OF the
reform bill of 1881 as "hnality." 1t is only u
halfway house on the Congressional road from
Lincoln to Stevens. The train stops there to
wood and water; gets rid of some passengers
and large amount of baggage, to go forward
at an increased speed.
All our duty is to press constantly on the
nation the absolute need OF three things:-
/. The exercise OF the whole police power of
the Government to hold the south quiet while
the seeds OF republicanism get planted.
| 2. The Constitutional amendment, securing
universal suffrage, in spite of all State legis,
| latioD.
8. A Constitutional amendment authorizing
| Congress 10 establish common schools in any
! State destitute of them, at the States expense.
For these measures we mast educate the
| public mind. These are the soil in which the
seeds of good government and equal rights can
| alone be trusted.
But think we must direct our care a little
! farther ahead. johnson is watched, aud will
! be impeached or crippled The next important
! question is, to whom shall the nation give the
helm for the next four years If a Democrat
gets it we shall lose two-thirds OF the fruits of
the war. II a COMPROMISED has it we shall lose
! one-half. With radicalism at the helm we NAV
save two.thirds of what we have earned. In
that next four years the pressure from business
men for the Government TO open, in some way
and on some conditions, the old channels OF
business, will be Irresistible. The Republican
leaders having secured (if they do securej q
party triumph, by keeping the South out of the
Electoral College OF 1865, will give way. The
next administration, therefore, must be ex-
pected to settle this question. The bias OF that
man who occupies the White House then viii
be of immense Importance.
Now the country is drifting into the Presi
dency of General Grant-a man of whose politi
cal ideas Qf he has any no man can tell us any
thing. The first assertion of his friends is thai
he is q safe man, because he has no political