Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1868-01-31
THE PRESiDE 4 Mt.
NIr. Johnson's Opinion of the Existing Cri-
sis, and of tbs Real Designs of the Radi-
cals-Hfs F'oN.ers, Duties q nd Int lions
Special Dispatch to the NY. World.


Special Dispatch to the N. 7. World.
WAsHINGToN, January l9.-The follow
ing is synopsis of a desultory conversa-
ton had by the writer with President
Johnson last evening:
began by remarking the anxiety of the
people to comprehend the present crisis
The position of Congress was never suffer
ed to be in doubt Every night there was
sent by telegraph from Washington to all
sections of the country where a newspaper
is printed, q report of the days debates in
both Houses, in which the purposes of the
Radical majority were distinctly expressed.
But the position of the President in re-
spect to the pending measures which
threatened to deprive him Of nearly all au
| thority i'll the Government could only be
inferred.
cit would SEEM" said Mr.. Johnson,
very deliberately, "as if there could be no
doubt as to that position"
He paused a moment, and went on:
"Let us first briefly consider what has
been and is the situation. Men, before
now, have suffered much who were entrust-
ed with Or who took upon themselves the
duty of defending principle. Such a du-
ty became very painful when, as III this
instance, a President of the United States,
who was compelled by his oath to admin
lister the government in strict accordance
with the Constitution, found himself sin
gularly opposed in SO doing by another
branch of the government claiming 10 rep
resent q majority of citizens. For . long
time it required f1mness to act up to the
conviction that the demands OF the Constr
tuition were far more imperative than the
partizan will of Congress and the transient
desire of thed eceived people Of the North.
1t was like breaking thick ice to break
through the crust of rejuGice that inter
vened betwiXt the perceptions of the mul-
titude and the Presidents real motive
But, even III the worst period, faith was had
in the ultimate good sense of citizens eve
rywhere; and as it happened that as The re-
sistance Of the Executive tOthe unconsntu-
tional measures of Congress became frner,
the test applied to it by Congress became
more aggressive, the people did at last be-
gin to be alarmed by the rapid rate at
which cherished institutions were being
subverted. A modification perhaps /
might say decided change-of public sem
timent in the North has been the conse-
quence. One who held fast to u principle
when majority Was arrayed against him
is not likely to loosen his hold upon it when
SO much Of the pressure has been re-
moved"
LEI, L ODSclFGil, GuS IStulcbiS III
Congress appear to take precious little
would think, from what they are now do
ing, that their pressure is increasing"
The President smiled grimly. 81 he rali
Gals in Congress are desperate. They have
made Of that body a political monstrosity.
While they still seek to hide their deformi-
ties with the cloak of patriotism, OF strive
to distract public attention from them by
speciOus mannuvTes, they are becoming
more and more convinced that the people
see through it all. Having gone farther
than they intended, 50 far that they have
overleaPt all bounds save those Of party
and personal ambition, retreat would be
equivalent to h0fi kari. They keep on now,
hoping to obtain 10y conquest in the South
this year power more than equivalent to
their loss Of prestige in the North. Perhaps
they trust by such a conquest to awe and
subdue majority il the North whom they
are failing to lead. This extreme party,
which is represented by men like Mr. Bing-
is in worse dilemma than ever party was be-
fore in the Republic Its vacilating legis-
latlon in respect to many vital matters, and
the character q is late struggle for in
parchment, prove gross lack of principle.
What kind of disposition and estimate OF
human nature was shown by the person
Ashley and those who assisted him in get
ting up the assassination charge They
had simply to seek in their own natures for
ample support Of their theory, that human
nature is corrupt. They recollected the
suspicious which attached to the Vice-Pres-
idents under Harrison and Taylor, and de-
rived from those, and from their partisan
enmity to all Executive who had consist
emily thwarted their unholy designs, a vague
excuse for accusing me. How did they
proceed to obtain their so-called evidence
By ransacking brothels and slums, and ac-
cepting statements from the lips OF a felOn.
After employing such means to compass
the removal of a President, it is not sur
prising that, banked as they are, they are
capable of employing any means, constitu-
tional Or unconstitutional, to get rid of him
or shear his powers.
'Well, sir, [ suggested, ''nOW to con-
slider what Congress is actually doing.
Why" responded the President, ''these
measures are of course revolutionary. The
argument used to defend them are as clear
~ fallaciOus as the assertion that black is
white, would be. A proposition to deprive,
by Nero act Of Congress, the President of
the United States OF ally portion Of the
authority vested in him as Commander-in-
Chief OF the army and navy, Is proposal
to do direct violence to the Constitution.
There are three separate but coordinate
branches of the United States Government
the Legislative, the Judicial and the exec
utiVe branches Each OF these branches
or departments has its special functions,
which the Constitution rightly defines and
the provisions of that instrument are so
framed as that no one OF two of the de-
partments obtain any power to abstraotfrom
the functions Of the other. Yet, for a
special and despotic purpose, the bill sub
mitted by Mr.. Bingham is being forced
through the House to place in the hands
of a military subordinate of the President,
independent of the latter, an executive
privilege which can only be lawfully re-
moved from the Presidents hands by the
people themselves voting the requisite
amendment to the Constitution. This bill
assumes a right of Congress to do away
with the President altogether, if it choose,
and make itself executor of, as we'll as legis-
lator for, the Government Could any as
sumption be more arrogant, more danger
Gus and destructive in its tendency? Could
any assumption so completely annul the
indiotynaDt AGAINST tho prac;5o,,4