The New York herald., 1868-03-09


ment business, and particularly the language
and bearing of the radical leaders, bring vividly
to mind the Jacobin reign of terror during the
French Revolution. When Thad Stevens, on
presenting the articles Of impeachment against
the President drew up his feeble frame In the
attitude Of dictator and shook his finger above
his head in threatening manner towards the
Senate, while fiercely exclaiming, 'Let me see
the recreant who dares to tread back upon his
steps and vote on the other side!" the history
Of Jacobin terrorism in the French Convention
was faithfully repeated. After analyzing the
vote Of the Senate as a strict party one, and
exulting In the prospect of there being no
chance for Andrew Johnson, the unfortunate
man, the unhappy man., escaping his doom,
he exclaimed, "Point me out one (of
the Senators) who dares to do it,"
who dares to vote against my pro-
gramme for deposing "the man at the other
end of the avenue" When the bold radical
chief uttered this threatening language he evil
IDENTIFY had in his mind the Girondists Of the
Senate-the Shermans, the Fessendens, the
Pomeroys and others in whom he had not
much confidence, and whom he felt it necessary
to whip in by the threat of party vengeance.
Well may it be said that history repeats
ITSELF 1t is especially so in revolutionary
times. The denunciation Of Andrew johnson
as tyrant and violator of the laws on the
fimsiest pretext by Thad Stevens and others
who show themselves to be the most violent
tyrants, and who scout the constitution as an
obsolete, wornout instrument, carries US back
Thad Stevens exclamations, referring to the
President, unfortunate man, thus sur
rounded, hampered, tangled in the meshes of
his own wickedness unfortunate, unhappy
man, behold your doom !" reminds US forcibly
of the language of Robespierre, Danton,
Camille Desmoulins and Marat with regard to
Louis the Sixteenth and Marie Antoinette.
Unfortunate, unhappy Louis Capet, sur
rounded, hampered, tangled In the meshes
of the bloody Jacobin revolutionists
Unhappy Antoinette, unfortunate Austrian,
''what chance was there, what loophole"
for your escape? So alike are these revolu-
tionary scenes, so similar the language, that
we can hardly realize the fact that we are not
reading the history of the French Revolution
or that such things are occurring in our own
beloved country. Yes, history repeats itself;
for we are passing through similar revolution
to that of the French, to that of the English
when Charles the First was beheaded, and to
those of other nations when all the old land
marks were destroyed and constitutions were
laughed at. Thad Stevens is fit leader in
organizing reign Of terror here. He has the
boldness of Danton, the bitterness and hatred of
Marat and the unscrupulousness of Robes
pierre. Ben Wade is suitable ally of Stevens
In the revolutionary work, though a subordi-
nate actor. He has the coarse and vindictve
character of Marat, too, with all the agrarian |
and levelling theories of the most advanced |
revoluti0nist. s.Sumner, another ft ally, is q |
and sentimental theorist conceited |
as Robespierre, as weak as Camille Desmoulins |
and as implacable as Marat The lesser lights
of the Jacobin revolutionary party-the Chand-
lers, Wilson's, Boutwells, Buffers, Binghams
and others-while equally as vindictive and
are but the followers of the leaders
They are all of the same stamp, however, and
are all bent on usurpation of power and the |
destruction of the old government handed |
down to us by the fathers.
All, but some incredulous and over-hopeful |
people may say, all will come right; Andrew
johnson is not going to be hanged; the bloody
scenes of the French Revolution will not be re-
peated; we shall come back to law and order
L. T.
ourselves. History shows US that those gen.
orally who inaugurate revolutions do not an
ticipate the ultimate consequences When
they start they calculate upon stopping short
on attaining certain objects; but revolutions
do not stop; they grow with party necessities
and as partisan feeling becomes intensified
Such things as many would shudder at in the
beginning Of q revolution are accomplished
with the greatest complacency afterwards
The very apathy and over-hopefulness Of the
people encourage revolutionsts to more out
rageous measures. Do the American people
realize the revolution they are passing through
Is it small thing to impeach the President Of
the United States and TO depose him on such
fmsy and ridiculous charges as the radicals
have trumped up against Mr.. Johnson? His
worst enemies do not assail his honesty or in
tegrity. He has endeavored to perform his
duty according to his understanding of it
and the constitution which he has
sworn to preserve. His sole offence is
that he has not gone with the domi-
nant party in Congress in their efforts
to Africanize the country and to revolutionize
the government. Is II a small thing to remove
a President for party purposes alone2 Such
thing was never dreamed of before in the
United States. 1t is an important and very
long stride in the way of revolution. And who
a short time ago would have thought that
large section Of the country, ten States of the