The New York herald., 1868-04-02
Mr.. CLurchiIi's Presidential Bui.

Uanh HohOpohSts, aSahsi PtoNohthE the over
burdencd people beyond the limit of endurance
Mr.. CLurrbiIrs Presidential Bui.
On Monday last Mr.. Churchill, OF New York,
introduced in the federal House OF Represents
tives a bill 10 amend the act Of l792 In refer
ence 20 the filling OF vacancies In the Offices OF
President and Vice President. The act of l792
provides that in case Of the death, removal or
disability OF both the President and Vice PreSi
dent the President pro sc,a. OF the Senate shall
be the Presidcm, and IL there shall be no
President pro tenn. Of the Senate at the time
the Speaker of the House of Representatives
shall be President until the vacancy In the
Presidential Office shall be filed by n special
election, to he called in the absence of Con
gress by the Secretary OF State. Mr.. Church
i'll Is bill provides 10 add the Chief Justice of the
Supreme Court 10 the line Of succession In
these vacancies. The bill was referred
to the Committee on the Judiciary. and
we should, perhaps, have said nothing
further about II at present. but for the
reported discovery that this bill Involves q
deliberate plan for the promotion of General
Grant at once 10 the White House with
the removal OF Andrew Johnson. The addi-
ton of the Chief Justice 20 the line of success
tub to the angry whale. The real scheme Is
said TO be such amendment Of the bill, when
reported back to the House, as will practically
shelve 'Old Bon Wade and hiring General
Grant into the foreground, 80 that, with the
removal of tho present obstruction, the General
may at once take the helm. This supposed dis-
covery may be an illusion, but there may be
something in ii. The progress Of events Is 50
rapid in these days that we are prepared.
ought to be prepared, for anything. We shall,
indeed, be somewhat disappointed II the re-
moval Of Andrew johnson II not followed by
radical developments In the way Of rcconstruc-
ton not yet set down in the bills. Revolutions
never go backward very far until they have
run their course forward and the reconstruc-
ton revolution inaugurated by the present
Congress is now under full head of steam.
The New .ndic.menf Against Jefferson Davis.
The Grand Jury of the United States Cir
cult Court in the city of Richmond has found q
new indictment against Mr.. Davis, apparently
with view TO Gil up the gaps in the old in
dictment upon which he was no. tried, owing to
its defective construction, as alleged, but really
because it was not expedient TO try him Mt all.
What effect the new indictment may have in
bringing Davis to trial we know not, but there
is no doubt that the specifications are more
To-, Il. i,
| ever, we are disposed to regard the recent
| legal proceedings with as little favor as the
| former. They may Indicate a ruse to cover
a further postponement-a tub thrown to the
whale of public opinion, though we hardly
think that the monster looks for any such
bait or is disposed to regard the whole pro-
ceeding in any other light than as farce,
equal in its ludicrous features to the other
indictment and trial now going on In Washing
ton. The trials of Johpson and Davis, the
President Of the United States and the ex-
President Of the Southern confcderatcd States,
Gil up conspicuous chapter in the history OF
our times. Mr.. Johnsons dominion IN undi-
vided. He rules over twenty three States In
which civil law is omnipotent, and is supposed Ia
govern the other ten States by military law
through the agency of his military ccmman-
dcrs and the War Department. But, in fact. he
is not permitted by Congress to execute his
privileges either as Chief Executive of the
nation or as Commander-in-C Chief of the army.
His authority to select an official in the War
Department whose views accord with his own,
| as all his predecessors have dopc fro,u
the days of Washington to Andrew johnson
is made a subject Of indictment as 'higi
crime ard msdcmcanor' by Congress- with lis
radical majority and Jacobn managers oil
athirst for spoils and rabid with hatred for IN,
man Of their own choice, who had self-wil
enough to oppose thek schemes Of corruption
Jefferson Davis, who, according 10 the ndct
ment and the facts Of history, levied wal
against the United States, is arraigned by tn,
Grand Jury of Richmond for crimes which h.
in oil probability will never be called to accoun
for but the Chief Magistrate of the nation, VIII,
battled strenuously and suffered much to main
tain its integrity, will possibly be set aside b,
tribunal which has already prejudged, bu
yet cannot degrade him, even though the,
strip him OF ONCE.
Such are the two spectacles offered for th
criticism of the world by the radical faction
II anything weaker or meaner or more con
tcmptible is to be found in history we confes
that we cannot lay our fingers upon the pag
whereon it is recorded.