Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1868-09-24

danger OF their permitting too muc
change in the laws which they hav
themselves enacted. They may pre-
vent wise and salutary legislation
tending to relieve the country iron
some of the evils which they hav,
brought upon it, This we eanno
avoid, but we can take from them tn,
legislative power which they hav,
abused. II, then, on examination, W,
find little to approve and much {,
condemn in the action of the tw,
houses of Congress for the past tw,
years, during which time they hav,
+, held control Of the Government, it-wil
be safe and wise to suspend their pow
er and arrest for the next two year
their onward, and, think, downward
progress.
If we look to the action of Congress
for the past two years we cannot fai
to perceive u striking change in thu
code of political morality by which
they are governed, and that generally
acts are done and means are now re
sorted to to effect political objects
which a few years ago would have
been condemned and rejected as lille
gitimate and dishonorable. This lew
code of political morality is not mere
ly acted upon, but was recently avow.
ed and characterized as new, by Sen
ator Morton, one Of the ablest, and
heretofore esteemed one of the most
conscientious of the Republican lead
ers of Congress. He spoke of il as
something which was Just taught him
by the war, and he likGns those who
have not learned the lesson, but adhere
to the old opinions of faith and morals
TO smile posts on a deserted road
Under this new teaching it is learned
TO teach, as absolete errors, certain
inconvenient rules of political action,
which were heretofore received and
reverenced as the restraints of truth
and honor. Indeed, much of this new
teaching has extended to the walks OF
private life. Men learn, and teach
each other to despise, those moral re-
straints, once held sacred, which stand
in the way of the largest freedom Of
action. But there is this difference
between the generalization of legis.
laiors and of men-the one acts on
individuals in limited circles merely,
the other disturbs the peace and har.
mony of nations often ruins and en-.
slaves them.
l need cite but few examples, nor
go back beyond the current year to
show the practical effect of the code
of political morals, newly taught and
adopted in our two houses of Congress
And first, as the most prominent in
public estimation, | will consider their
action in the late effort TO impeaoh
and remove from Office the President
of the United States and / will en-
deavor TO show how far, generally,
and in its more important details, they
have conformed to or departed from
that conscientious regard to personal
truth and political justice which were
heretofore looked for not in vain, in
our legislative bodies.
When the rebellion was fully and
effectually put down, and there was
no longer any organized resistance
to the authority of the Union-John-
son, who was suddenly called to the
Presideney-now in the Office and
having about him the experienced
Cabinet Of Mr. Lincoln, did, as might
well have been expected, adopted has
and their already initiated policy Of
restoring, as promptly as might be,
the States lately in rebellion TO their
former position in the Union. He is
sued a proclamation of pardon com
pretending most of those who had
borne arms in the rebellion-good in
itself, but damaged by exceptions Of
numerous classes, which seemed to
me illjudged, and, as then thought
dictated by an unpatriotic spirit, and
arising from the remembrance of per-
sonal wrongs. SO thought the public
at large, but many, perhaps, most ap-
proved and at the same time | heard
pious men express the opinion that
the assassination of President Lincoln
was a special dispensation of Provi.
dence that the government Of the ma
tion might fall into the hands of one
who would be less merciful and more
stern as an avenger. But they were
mistaken. President johnson soon
forgot his private wrongs in the high
er consideration Of his public duties.
He invited, and aided in, the reorgan
ization Of the State governments on
their ancient basis, modified TO accord
with the changed condition of things
and he acknowledged them all States
of the Union with all their ancient
rights.
Congress, when II met, angrily re
iected these coEciliatory measures
refused to admit the Senators and
Representatives from the ten States
framed in their absence, and while
these States were wholly unrepresen-
ted, a now constitutional provision
especially to control and bind them
and endeavored TO compel them To
adopt il by threats Of severer penal
ties, and prescription moro sweeping
and intolerable than it involved. The
President did not esteem this the prop,
er mode of framing or amending con
stitutions; indeed, he had many sup
porters in his objections who had wit
messed, and denounced as atrocious
the attempt TO force constitution on
Kansas against the will of the people
and he opposed its adoption so far
and so far only, as his expressed opin
ion could oppose II. This made the
breach between him and Congress;
complete. He was attacked with vi
oleBce, accused Of drunkenness, Of vi
olation of pledges, and Of political
apostacy, and he was unwise enough
to engage himself, alone, in war Of
words with two or three hundred Sen
ators and Representatives, controlling
three or four thousand presses. The
situation of q spirited horse tied in Q
yellow, jackets nest, or nervous man
whipped and scourged with rods, net
tied and stung with pismires," were