The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1868-01-22
.,, with Wiz. Johnson-Ife Din
~ a,urses npon the situation OF Affairs
%, ,nc Designs of tte Radicals.


a,urses npon the situation OF Affairs
and the Designs OF the Asaoie"is'
~" snecisl dispatch to he World.
WASHINGTON, January l9.-The follow
..;S synopsis of a desultory converse
ing ra6 by the writer with Presidcn,
Iobnson last evening:
'' Thcran by remarking the anxiety Of the
10 70 comprehend the present crisis
NV nosition of Congress was never suf.
i ino 70 be in doubt. Every night there
r s.s srnt by telegraph from Washington to
W scct;ons Of the country where news
81 is printed report Of the days de
is.es in both Houses, in which the pur-
n D"s Of tie Radical majority were dis,
E!;,,,ly expressed. But the position Of the
pi-csident in respect to the pending mea-
t,ros which threatened to deprive him o!
.narlv all authority in tho Government
could only be Inferred.
at would Scem," said Mr.. Johnson,
gerry deliberately, "as if there could be
NJ doubt as to that position"
he paused moment and went on:
LET us first briefly consider what has
hscn and is the situation. Men, before
now, have suffered much who were in
,rpsicd with or who took upon themselves
,lc duty Of defending principle. Such a
drty became very painful when, as in this
Instance, President Of the United States,
who was compelled by his oath to admin
;ster the Government in strict accordance
with the Constitution, found himself sim
rnIarly opposed in so doing by another
branch of the Government claiming to re-
present majority Of citizens. For long
time it required iirmness to act up to the
conviction that the demands of the Con-
s,itution were far more imperative than
the partisan will Of Congress and the tran
sent desire Of the deceived people of the
North. 1t was like breaking thick ice to
break through the crust of prejudice that
interviewed betwixt the perceptions of the
multitude and the Presidents real motive.
But even in the worst period faith was had
in the ultimate good sense of citizens
everywhere and as it happened that, as
the resistance of the Executive to the un-
constitutional members of Congress be-
came firmer, the tests applied to it by Con-
eress became more aggressive, the people
did at last begin to be alarmed by the rapid
rate at which cherished institutions were
being subyerted. a modification-perhaps
l might say q decided change-of pubic
sentiment in the North has been the con-
sequence. One who held fast to princi-
pie when a majority was arrayed against
him is not likely to loosen his hold upon 1t
when so much of the pressure has been
removed"
Yet" I observed, "the Radicals in
Congress appear to take precious little
warning from the northern rejection. One
would think, from what they are now do
ing, that their pressure was increasing"
The President smiled grimly. "The
Radicals in Congress are desperate. They
have made of that body political mon
srosity. While they still seek to hide
their deformities with the cloak of patriot
ism, or strive to distract public attention
from them by specious mau9uvres, they
are becoming more and more convinced
that the people see through it all. Having
gone farther than they intended-so far
that they have oyerleaped all bounds save
those of party and personal ambition-re-
treat would be equivalent to hari hdri.
They keep on now, hoping to obtain by
CONQUEST in the South this year power
more than equivalent to their loss Of pres
tire in the North. Perhaps they trust by
such conquest to awe and subdue ma
iori,v in the North whom they are failing
to lead. This extreme party, which is
represented by men like MIR. Bingham,
Mr.. Boutwell,, and Senator Sumner,
is in worse dilemma than ever
party was before in the Republic. Its
yacillating legislation in respect to many
vital matters, and the character of its late
struggle for Impeachment, prove gross
lack Of principle. What kind Of DISPOSE
ton and estimate Of human nature was
shown BY the person Ashley and those who
assisted him in getting up the assassination
charge? They had simply to seek in their
own natures Tor ample support OF their
theory that human nature is corrupt.
They recollected the suspicious which at
tachcd to the Vice Presidents under Harrl-
son and Taylor, and derived from those, and
from their partisan enmity to an Executive
who had consistently thwarted their IN
holy designs, vague excuse for accusing
ne. How did they proceed to obtain their
so-called evidence? By ransacking broth
els and slums, and accepting statements
from the lips of felon. After employing
such means to compass the removal of q
President, it is not surprising that, baulk-
cd as they are, they are capable Of employ
ng anu means, constitutional or unconStitu-
tional, 10 get rid Of him or shear a'oay has
porerS."
"WelI, sir" 1 suggested, "now to con-
Cil h,+ &c 10Inr
"Why," responded the President,
" these measures are OF course revolutionary.
The arguments used to defend them are
clearly fallacious as the assertion that
black is white would be. A proposition
TO deprive, by mere act of Congress, the
President Of the United States of any por-
ton Of the authority vested in him as
Commander-in-C Chief Of the Army and
Navy is proposal to do direct violence
10 the Constitution. There are three sepa-
rate but coordinate branches of the United
States GoyerDment-the legislative, the
judicial, and the executive brances. Each
Of these branches or departments has it's
special functions, which the Constitution
'rigidly defines, and the provisions OF
that instrument are so framed as that
no one or two of the departments
obtain any power to substract from
the functions of the other. Yet,
for special and despotic purpose,
The bill submitted by Mr.. Bingham is being
forced through the House to place in the
hands Of military subordinate of the
President, independent of the latter, an
executive privilege which can only be law
fully removed from the Presidents hands
by the people themselves voting the re-
qliSIte amendment to the Constitution.
his bill assumes a right Of Congress to do
Qruv NTH The President oltOoether. If 1t