Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1868-02-11
PREDICTIONS.

remarkable degree. They not only tell US
what has been done, what is now transpiring,
but are even prolific with predictions for the
future The last and most sensational letter
of this character that has fallen under our
perusal is one from the New York correspon-
dent of the Charleston Mercury, which, as
model of its style, We append, merely re-
marking that it was written before the publi~
cation of the spicy correspondence between
the President and Gen. Grant, which was
read in the House Of Representatives on
Tuesday last:
have it upon good authority that Presi-
dent johnson is determined to take decided
action in regard to the Bill making General
Grant Dictator of the Southern States. 1t
is quite clear to his mind that Congress has
no right to create Dictator for any part of
the country, and as the very terms of the law
take away from the Presidential Office pow
ers expressly granted to it by the Constitu-
ton, Mr.. Johnson is perfectly willing to let
matters come to crisis, and for that purpose
has made up his mind to make an issue on the
| Bill above alluded to- If in the course of
| said action Gen. Grant stands in the way, he
will be set aside and another man put in his
| place.
Ever since Congress. e>assembled after the
! holidays, it must have been noticed that the
+ Radical majority are doing all in their power
to exasperate and provoke the President in
doing some overt act, by which good grounds
could be obtained on which to build another
| impeachment furore, and get Mr. Wade in
stalled as temporary President. The Presi-
dent, thoroughly understanding the game,
hoe 1ara TO md nryly
| full in everything pertaining to the Stanton
imbroglio; he then was not ready to take is
sue with them, neither was the question of
who should administer the clerical duties of
Department of War in time of peace, con-
sidercd of sufficient importance upon which
to appeal to the country.
Since then time has advanced, and the
revolutionary schemes of Congress becoming
| holder and holder, and the Presidential battle
approaching slowly, Mr.. Johnson is about to
assume the offensive, return blow for blow,
aud as [ understand those well posted on
matters pertaining to the White House, Will,
whenever the Dictator Bill becomes law,
starte the country by some bold stroke, which
will equal any coup d'etat ever heard of in
! this country. The President has well calcu-
lated the results Of such collision with Con-
gress, and is not unwilling to be elected from
. the Presidential chair rs he then will, of
course, be nominated by the Democracy and
triumphantly reelected by people who are
over boiling from indignation at the doings of
the Congress now in session at Washington.
In fact. Mr.. johnson thinks that he alone is
entitled to the Democratic nomination and
considers it a matter of simple justice that,
owing to the battles which he has fought
almost single handed against Radicalism, he
alone ought to be the candidate of the Con-
sentative party of the country.
Taking thus all these matters into consid-
Grafton and having taken general survey of
the field, as we'll what is best to be done for
the South, for the Union and for himself, Mr.
johnson has finally agreed to crafty Con-
gress in furnishing them with capital ex-
cuse to impeach him. Only let the Senate
pass that Dictator Bill, and Congress will
have more than they bargained for. That
Bill is the Presidents great card. Upon it
he is willing to go before the country
Nothing more, nothing less. Let them pass
that Bill and Mr.. johnson will show them
that the President of the United States, and
Commander in Chief Of the Army and Navy,
shall no longer be brow beaten as SUCH The
overt act then to be committed by him will
of course lead to impeachment and election
from Office, but as already stated, on such an
issue, Mr.. johnson is perfectly willing to be
deposed and to be returned to the people
If impeached he must be, then let it be for
some act startling in its nature, which will
make the people rise in their might and tri-
umphantly carry him back to Washington
Such are the actual opinions OF the President
and his most intimate friends.
The state of affairs is we'll understood by
the leading New York Democrats, and it must
be acknowledg ed, they don't like it at all
They hate to see the occasion arising which
will compel them to take Andrew johnson
up as the standard bearer of the Democracy.
He has always treated them more or less dis
dainty; has steadily, when it was in his pow
er, kept all patronage away from them, and
somewhat cavalierly received even the very
best men of the party at the White House.
But all these matters sink into utter insig-
niicancc whenever Congress should dare to
depose the President simply for enforcing the
provisions Of the Constitution, which he has
sworn to uphold Then molens volens they
must take Andrew johnson up, and the bat
tie between him and Congress will be fought
unvarnished character of the entire Presi~
dental campaign will then be easily explained
by the two words-"J Johnson, Grant" The
country, have no doubt will be safe in the
hands of either, but, after all, it is best that
the peope-thc source of all power-should
say whether Congress is right in its recon~
struction policy, or whether johnson is right
in his. And for that purpose it is well that
the lines should be closely drawn and things
be we'll defined.
ALABAMA ELECTION.