Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1868-03-21
9enau0rs In Caucus ON Wade's
Cabinet.

1t is announced, by telegraph. that the
Republican United States Senators have
had severel caucuses on the subject of
BENJAMIN F. WADE's Cabinet. Probably
his is true, though we do not vouch for its
correctness. If true, it displays less de-
cency on the part of the conspirators
against President JOHNSON and the White
race in the South, than was to have been
expected. All intelligent men know that
his trial will be most contemplate farce
They know, as WENDELL PHILLIPS ex-
pressed it on Thursday night, that Presi-
dent JOHNSON b not put on trial for Inn
peachment because he violated Congress
sional enactment. That is the pretense-
that is the alleged eliminating act of his
transgressions. The people know that it
was at President JoHNsoN's instance that
the Southern States renounced Secession,
repudiated the Confederate debt, and de-
creed the perpetual abolition of Slavery.
President JOHNSON, believing that this was
all that the people of the North would ex-
act gave the Southern people assurance
that If they would do it voluntarily
there would be no marked opposition
interposed to their resuming all their rights
and privileges in the Union as States. Had
Congress ratified this agreement when 1t
met In December, 1866, we should to-day
have an altogether different state of affairs
from that which now prevails. There is
distress throughout the country. This DIS
tress is not confined to any one section. 1t
| is universal. Dull times and hard times
work misery everywhere. sWretchedness
and poverty are not confined alone to tne
South. They exist there in an aggravated
form, and our people suffer in consequence
and they must continue to suffer as long as
distress and poverty prevail in the South
| 1t was not to be expected that i'm
mediately upon the termination OF
the War there would be an
instantaneous resumption of prosper
ity in the South. The waste and desoia-
tion had been too sweeping for that; but
neither did the fush war times we had
come to an instantaneous end. The ratif-
cation by Congress, Immediately upon its
assembling in December, 1866, of the agree
ment that President JOHNSON had entered
into with the Southern people, would have
inaugurated the revival Of business among
that people, so that when the flush times
made at the North by the War were about
subsiding the South would have helped to
prevent utter stagnation and depression
With such policy Radicalism was not
satisfied. 1t did not recognize the politica
supre macy OF the Negroes. Congress
therefore, refused the ratification OF the
Presidents policy. 1t is true that he
has been an impediment in the way of max
ing ten Negro States in the South. Had hi
from the, outset maintained that the Ne
eroes in the South should be made voter,
and a large number of the Whites be dis
franchised, he would to-day stand high In
the affections of the members of the Re
publican. party but inasmuch as he has moi
done this, it is proposed to drive him from
the Pre- sidential chair, through the mock
cry of trial for Impeachment. All the
talk about his intemperance, in Language
or otherwise this talk about his viola
tion of the Tenure of Office bill-is the
worst of shams. There is nothing in it
His guilt-his crime-consists in his re-
fusal TO become consenting party to the
giving the South over to the rule of half
civilized Negroes. That's all. s