The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1868-02-07
Honor To Congress.


stons gathers no mos'."
Honor To Congress.
We feel that the country owes Congress
the highest honor. It Is not often that
legislative body. composed of men who
represent 20 many vnried interests and con.
stituencies, not always above Presidential
Establishments, nor free from the infuen.
ces Of power, can show such noble and
unyielding devotion to principle. Congress
has shown this. Il has pnssed the order
Of fiery furnace, and we feel it should be
honored. We have had no Congress since
that which framed the Declaration Of In.
dependence SO deserving Of the Republics
gratitude.
Twelve months ago. there seemed fair
prospect That our political troubles were
near an end. Four years of war had de-
molished the theory Of secession and State
sovereignty two years moro Of dispute and
turmoil had LEFT the lately rebelliols States
prepared to accept almost any tolsrnble
terms Of restoration and. when tho just
and liberal plan proposed by Congress was
laid before them. there seemed no reason
why they should not adopt II unanimously.
IL they had done no, there would have been
no further occasion for striie. The vacant
seats In the Senate and House would have
been filled. Military Governors would have
been among the things Of the past. Courts
martial and arbitrary interference with the
regular processes Of law would have been
nlnong the troubled memories Of the war.
Industry would have revived. The lal,orer
would quietly have earnedIhis hire, the plant.
er devoted himse!ft to his crops,and the mcr.
chant to his trntle. With tho restoration Of
social order and public prosperity. starva.
tion aud pestilence would have passed away
like some horrible nightmare, and the rich
fields aud pleasant cities OF the South would
once more have smiled. We nj tho North
did our part 10 bring about all this, and Our
brothers at the South would have done
their part, too, hut their evil genus drove
then, into other courses. On the thrpsi,ald
of peace, they were stopped by tho high
priest Of ,liscorI. In the very hour Of re
construction, the great prophet Of hatred
held up his policy Of anarchy. and tempt
ei them TO renewed disorder. Andrew
Johnson has succeeded to the bal eminence
once occupied by Jefferson Davis. Davis
urged the Southern States to 20 out Of the
Union; johnson prevents them from com.
ing in. One was the apostle Of secession
The other il the chief adversary Of recon.
sruction. One was the advocate Of war.
The other is the promoter Of an anarchy
which is worse than war, tho fomenter Of
hostility mora bitter and moro dangerous
than that which animatcs soldiers in tile
open field.
The policy If President Johnson has
l,een throughout to rouse the dormant pas.
sions of the Southern Rebels, to kindle
nfrrsh the srnotl,ered antipaihy Of race, and
out OF these unholy materials to build up
for himself Tnry which should control
the whole country. Don't submit. hc cried,
to the rcpcntant South don't come hack
until you can come as conguerors. Dom
yield to the viciors the fruit of their victory.
You are the masters you are The predes-
tined rulers Of tho Union yours urc the
promises The North IL strong ofnrm. hut
tender Of heart. aud weak Of hend. Raise
the cry Of social anarchy, and you can
frigllten II into whatever you want. Sher.
idan inierferrrd TO prevent the execution of
this wicked plan, and the President hurled
him from place. Stanton refused to lend
himself to The scheme. and he too was
driven from office. Pope aud Sickles
made stand for pence and justice, and
they were removed. Full warning was
given TO the Rebels that they might swindle
and abuse the negroes as much rs they
pleased, and the President would hack
them: they might override the laws, and
The Chief Execvtive would make no effort
to stop them. The massacrcs Of New Or.
leans, the long reign Of terror In Texas,
the murders and outrages nll through The
reconstructed States. nre the natural
fruits Of Andrew Johnsor's policy. Thanks
TO him. tlier ara States properly belong
ing TO the Union which arc still without
civil government. Thanks tn him. The bay
onet overr,iles the bench, the privilege Of
the liabeas corpus is suspended. and jus.
lice is administered at the drum head. |
Thanks to him, the fields nre uncultivaied,
the blow stands idle, the millwlieel is still,
and gnunt starvation stalks through the
|a,,d. Commercs is stopped. property 10
insecure, life il precnrio,ls. The social Ca
bric il shaken to its bn'r, and dcsolation
hangs like pail over the faircst portions of
America. This is the rs,It Of the Presi.
dents policy. This is the anarchy out Of
which he sceks u raise new dynasty.
The ruin Of the South, the conquest and
degradation Of the Noril, these are the
wo planks of his platfarm. We arc thank.
I'LL TO perceive that Congress is rcsolutc in
ts determination that this platform shall he
,vcrhrown. Il Is fixed in its policy Of Re.
and every impediment which
stands In tho way must be removed. The
South Is not to be given up to anarchy. The
President il not to override the laws. Our
iuty now II plain. We must stand ny our
They are fighting our bat.
lie, and we must share In their victory or
heir defeat, and their victory has been the
noblest in our history.
Therefore we say aHonor to the Amer.
can Cougress." Aid VIC have a conf.
ience that tho people will cry "AInen."
" Y. Tribune.
Bennehoff. the "poor old man" who was
recently robbed at OH Creek Of quarter