New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1868-12-10
THE PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.

seems fathOmess. His unchanging purposes
stand ont like rocks surrounded by quicksands;
the surface everywhere is treacherous, and
trembles under us. His very boldness deceyes
MS; it is like the candor of the devil, who
admits to his victim that he is damned IL lie
signs the bond but assures him that daInna-
ton is not at all unpleasant, but III every
respect delightful. Truth and falsehood are SO
mingled that we really long Tor
one good honest, unqualified lie that may be
Knocked in the head without hurting anything
else. If Mr.. Johnson would give us such lies
we would be obliged to him; but even such
miserable favOrs are refused. In their stead
we have the horrible half-truth. like the sea
monster that one moment seems beautiful
woman and the next a Tavenous fish.
This message is his worst, and fortunately
his last, insult to the American people AS he
goes out of the White House be stops to shake
his fist at the Capitol. There sit the men who
baflled him. There are the Representatives
who impeached him; the Senators who con-
ycted him; the makers of the Jaws that letter
him. the servants of the people who prevented
him from restoring Rebels to power and max
ing the war a useless sacrifice Utterly power
less "a he is to arrest the bright chariot OF
Destiny, he cannot forbear to throw mud nj u
as it passes While he is Presidant he VIII play
the part in the heroic style. 1t makes no dli-
ference TO him that not only has Congress tram
pied upon his policy, but that the people have
torn it to pieces at the polls; he cares nothing
that he and his principles have been tried be-
fore higher Court than the Senate, and are
1 no a
dance to the end, though it long since ceased
to be either terrible or amusing. and merely
wearies the public, who are tired of the pollt-
zeal antics of a man without a party to follow
him, and who has scarcely friend who is not
a Whisky Inspector or Postmaster. But tired
of it as we are, we must be spectators of the
performance; the Constitution gives Mr.. john
son the right to spread out his views officially
before Congress, and therefore he spreads
them out. He has the right TO send any mes
sage he pleases and he sends one as ins0lent
rs he can invent.
lie again impeaches Congress. Immediately
after the close of the war, ], Andrew johnson,
restored the Union. lou, dcSpOtic and unjust
legislators tore it down again. You refused TO let
the men who lad plunged the country into war
gress, and, clothed in Confederate uniform
sit as Representatives and Senators. Thu. ION
arrested the progress of rec ..ation, and
frustrated all that had 'ecn 20 successfully
accomplished" Hlusli ior your deficient wis
dom! Yog nave Wickedly allowed persons of
color ia the South to vote, and have thus de-
Dyed the kindly relations that had previously
e ted during the years of pastoral Slavery.
y Il have not allowed Virginia, Mississippi,
I'd Texas to vote for President but have
compelled them 10 submit to the sa;ao terms
which the other Rebel States have accepted.
You have established mild military author
ity over u territory which for four years denied
the authority of the United States, And only
yielded at last to overwhelming force. Shock
ing tyranny All these measures are utter
failures, and show the baneful consequences of
party passion and sectional prejudice. The
contrast of the warmth of national feeling and
love which prevailed during the Re-
belion, with the mutual distrust and animosity
Of the present, distrcsses me, Andrew John
son, and | desire that Congress, which has
:" already been made familiar with my
views" should Mt once carry them out
This is tho substance of Mr.. Johnson's
message concerning the Reconstruction laws.
and, Notwithstanding the fact that they
have just had tho positive approval of the
nation in the election of Grant, he has
the gigantic eflrontery to say: at is believed
g that the repeal of all such laws rOuid be
- accepted Jy the american people as mt least
partial return to tho fundamental principles
"Of the Government, and an indication that
. hereafter the Constitution il TO be made the
" nations safe and merring guidcn BY whom
is this belicved7 Not by Andrew johnson.
For three years lac has been talking of 1.-THE
- people" as if he owned them, and yet, with
all the patronage Of the Government ms
bride, he could not buy n nomination from
Iammany Hall. What is he to the people
nowY Three months Of suspcnse-something
to he patient wtll-a burden like that which
Christian carried, and which fell from tho
shoulders of the weary pilgrim when he be-
held the Cross Of Peace.
Such an insult as the proposal to repeal the
laws which established freedom and protect
The Union, iittlngly prefaces Andrew Johnson's
plan of financial Reputation. This is intro
duced by some remarkable comparisons, which
illustrate what We have said of the habitua
Of the President He COM
pares the increase of the population of the
United States with the greater increase of the
expenses of the Government, to prove the evils |
Of extravaganza and tho necessity of retrcnch-
ment This is good advice, and Congress has
already acted upon it, and will do well TO in
'ist on further economy, but Mr.. johnson con-
triyes to make it appear that Congress has been
always extravagant in appropriations. while /
The truth is that il has reduced tho
estimates of his own officers. lie attempts