The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1868-02-26
Letter from Peter Cooper TO Rresi-
dent Johnson.

[ NOOVCA ~
I dent Johnson.
The following letter from Peter
Cooper to President johnson, al
| though, written rather In the spirit of
| friendly counsel than hostile criticism,
| is, in effect, one of the most merciless
exposures of Executive faithlessness
and inconsistency that we have ever
read. 1t quotes Mr.. Johnson's own
utterances on various occasions to
show what Congress now thinks right
| is much more moderate than what he
once thought right, and points out to
| him the consequent propriety OF toler-
alton. III such extracts as he pre-
sents should be collected, with ex-
tracts from the Presidents later
speeches, such as that Of the I'D, of
February, two years ago, and those
made in swinging round the circle,
In the Fall of the same year, our pos
terity would regard the collection as
one of the most remarkable psyche
logical curiosities of any age. 1t
would seem incredible that the same
man could be the author of such OPP
posing sentiments, and the mental
process by which such a metamor-
phosis was wrought would be regard
ed az one of the unsOlEable mysteries
of human nature: r e an
Andrew johnson, President OF the United
States:
My DEAR Sir 1t has been with
heartfelt sorrow that | have witnessed
che conflict Of opinion that has unfor-
tunately prevailed between yourself
and the Congress of the United States,
In relation to matters believed to be
vital to the welfare of our common
country. -
Such differences of opinion, when
honestly entertained, (and sometimes
violently eontended for,) show the
reason why charity. is the greatest of
all virtues, because the exercise of
charity is so constantly required to
enable US to bear with the weakness
es and imperfections of each other.
There is, | believe, no better way
than to get a full understanding of
the causes out of which such misun-
derstandings originate.
To do this effectually, it is neces-
sary to begin by admitting the fact
that all effects, physical, moral and
political, are the result of. causes that
arelequal to their production.
A little reflection on the almost
almighty power that the circumstances
of birth, education, climate and coun-
try have exerted to form and fix erro-
neous opinions that often lead men.
like Paul of old, to believe that they
are doing God service when they are
hailing men, women and children to
prison and to death. Reflection on
these facts will show how very wise it
is for those who have never made a
mistake to send the first stone at those
who honestly entertain opinions diff
ferent from their own.
Ii has always been 20 me a source
of sorrow and regret to hear of men
in Congress, or in any other depart
ment OF the Government, who destroy
their influence for good by calling
each other hard names, which never
better the condition of themselves or
their country.
| am sure if Mr.. Sumner could have
been born of your parents, and sub
iected to all the circumstances and
conditions that have fallen to your lot
through life, he would then have been
the man that would have declared the
many patriotic truths that have been
proclaimed,by yourself.t
And if you could have been born
and subjected to all the conditions
that have made Mr., Sumner what he
Is. YOU would then have been exert
ing, as he has done, all the powers of
a mighty mind to abolish slavery in
all it's forms from the face of the
earth, as enc of the most corrupting
evils that ever brought death and
desolation, as the scourge of God, to
teach US to do to others as we
would that others should do unto US
you would then have been like Sum
ner, reading what Scion said two
thousand six hundred years ago:
That toh0teUer dag makes man a STAGE
takes hall has ,oorth al0ay.
If lt'were possible for US to see our
selves as Others see US, it would in
spire us with charity, and teach ns tn
overcome the evils of, which we com.
plain, with Kindness instead ~ re-
turning railing for railing and evil for
evil.
1 have Thought it strange and IN
Accountable that you should -
verely oensure the large maioritvffn
Congress for adopting SO mild i FORM
/ Of measures as a means for the gnar-
antee for a republican form ofl7rov-
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