The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1868-01-24
THE PRESIDENT ON THE CRISIS.

NIB. JoHNsoN's OPINION OF THE REAL DESIGN
OF THE RADIcALs-Ms POWERS, DUTIES, AM
rNTENTIoNs-THE EFFECT OF THE ftDAMNINt
POLICY TOWARD THE SOUTH" H"-coNaREss AM
THE SUPREME CoURT-THE RADICAL REBEL
WORSE THAN THE SOUTHERN REBELS, ETC.
ETC., ETC.
Especial Dispatch to fhe New York World
WARRINGTON, January 19.-The following il
the writer with President johnson last eve
ming. AS no mans uterances are 80 import
tant or 30 eagerly sought for at this moment
GUS time as those of the Chief Executive, I an
convinced that the dignihed tone of these un.
official remarks will be hailed with satisfaction
by every true friend OF the republic and o
constitutional government.
began by remarking the anxiety of the peU
pie to comprehend ths present crisis. The
position Of Congress was never suffered to be
in doubt. Every night there was sent by tele.
graph from Washington, to all sections of the
country where newspaper is printed, q re-
port of the DAYS debates in both Houses, in
which the PURPOSES Of the Radical majority
were distinctly expressed. But the position oi
tas President in respect to the pending mea-
sures which threatenedto deprive him Of near
ly all authority in the government could only
be inferred.
sIt would SEEM" said Mr.. Johnson, very de-
liberately, 'as if there could be no doubt as to
that position"
He paused moment and went on:
.sLet us frat briefly consider what has been
and is the situation. Men, before now, have
suffered much who were intrusted with or who
took upon themselves the duty Of defending q
principle. Such duty became very painful
when, as in this instance, a President of the
United States, who was compelled by his oath
to administer the government in strict accord
ance with the constitution, found himself sin
gularly opposed in 30 doing by another branch
Of the government claiming to represent a ma
iority Of citizens. Fora long time it required
firmness to act up tothe conviction that tho
demands of the constitution were far more i'm
perative that the partisan will OF Congress and
the transient desire Of the deceived people of
break through the crust Of prejudice that in
terveued betwixt the perceptions Of the multi
tude and the Presidents real motive. But,
even in the worst period, faith was had in the
ultimate good sense of citizens everywhere;
and as it happened that, as the resistance OF
the Executive to the unconstitutional meas
ures Of Congress became frmer, the tests ap-
piled to it by Congress became more aggres-
sive, the people did at last begin to be alarmed
by the rapid rate at which cherished institu-
tions we're being subverted. A modification
perhaps might say decided change-of pub
lie sentiment in the North has been the conse-
quence. One who held fast to principle
when q majority was arrayed against him, is
not likely to loosen his hold upon it when 30
much Of the pressure has been removed"
''Yet," I observed, "the Radicals in Con-
gress appear to take precious little warning
from the Northern reaction. One would think,
from what they are now doing, that their pres
sure was increasing"
The President smiled grimly. "The Radi-
Gals in Congress are desperate. They have
made of that body a political monstrosity.
While they still seek to hide their detormities
with the cloak OF patriotism, or strive to dis
tract public attention from them by specious
maneuvres, they are becoming more and more
convinced that the people see through it all.
Having gone farther than they intended, 30
far that they have overleapt all bounds save
those of party and personal ambition, retreat
would be equivalent to hdri-kdri They keep
on now, hoping to obtain by conquest in the
South this year power more than equivalent
to their loss Of prestige in the North. Perhaps
they trust by such conquest to awe and
subdue majority in the North whom they are
failing to lead. This sIi-;S1.e PpSrsy, wnicn M Is
re.reseute1 by mon IKE Mr. blngnam, MI.
Boutwell, and Senator sumner, ls IN worse d.
lemma than ever party was before in the Repnb-
ic It's vacillating Legislation in respect to many
vital matters, and the character OF it's late
struggle for impeachment, 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
getting up the assassination charge? They
had simuiy to seek in their own natures for
ample support of their theory that human ma
ture is corrupt. They recolfected the suspi-
cions which attached to the Vice-Presidents
under Harrison and Taylor, and derived from
those, and from their partisan enmity to an
Executive who had consistently thwarted their
unholy designs, q vague excuse for accusing
me. How did they proceed to obtain their So
called evidenceP By ransacking ,brothels and
sums, and accepting statements from the lips
of felon. After employing such means 10
compass the removal of q President, it is not
surprising that, banked as they are, they are
capable Of employing auy means, constitution
al or unconstitutional, to get rid OF him or
shear away his powers"
"WeI, SIR" I suggested, "now to consider
what Congress Is actually doing,
"Why," responded the President, "these
measures are Of course revolutionary. The
arguments used to defend them are as clearly
would be. A proposition to deprive, by mere
act of Congress-, the President of the United
States of any portion Of the authority vested in
hm as commander -in-chief OF the army and
navy. is q proposal to do direct violence to the
constitution. There are three separate but CO.
ordinate branches of the United States Govern
ment, the legislative, the judicial, and the ex-
ecutive branches. Each OF these branches, or
departments, has its special functions, which
the constitution rigidly defines, and the pro
visions OF that instrument are 30 framed as that
no one or two OF the departments obtain any
power to subtract from the functions OF the
other. Yet, for special and despotic purpose,
tho bill submitted by Mr.. Bingham ls being
forced through the House to place In the hands
of n military subordinate Of the President, in
dependent Of the latter, an executive privilege
which can only be lawfully removed from the
Presidents hands by the people themselves
voting the requisite amendnent TO tne consul
tuition. This bill assumes right OF congress
to do away with the President altogether, II IL
chooses, and make itself executor OF as well as
sumption be more arrogant, more dangerous
and destructive in its tendency! Could any
assumption 30 completely snnul the indict-
ment against the President that he Is In
a position to thwart tho administration
of the law Truly enough the fallacy
was not needed to prove that the Executive ls
not, though it clinches the proof that Con-
gress is the aggressive one OF the three gov
ernmental departments. Wnen our fathers
framed the constitution, the great aim OF the
majority in the convention was 10 avoid what
ever there was obnoxious ina Kngly govern
mcnt. BY carefully delegatng to Congress
many Legislative powers which the King OF
Groat Britain had been accustomed to exercise
without consulting Parliament, they rendered
the Executive merely an executor OF the law,
without tie right to originate measures except
in sudden emergencies and in defence OF the
constitution. Congress, vested with such ex-