The Portland daily press., 1868-05-02
DAILY PRESS.
Saturday Morning, May 2, 1868.
The Relation OF Impeachment 10 Recon-
structEou. IL.
PORTLAND.


The immediate occasion of the President
impeachment has led to no forgetfulness o
the real cause-that TO which the offence
charged in the articles presented by tht
House are only secondary. The removal o
Stanton and the usurpation OF full control o
tne government patronage, though dangerou,
ana criminal acts, affording the technical ba
SIS ior prosecution, would perhaps have
passed without serious consequences to the
PRESIDENT, had they not been measures adopt
ca IN pursuance Of general purpose to de-
ieat the establishment of equal Justice in the
southern States. The President determined
10 restore the States and the lives and proper.
ty OF their loyal people to the control of the
formeri governing class, in defiance of the
law that establishes righteousness, and, want
ing tools to execute his plans, he violates the
law that deprives him of the power to ap-
point them.
If Mr.. johnson escapes from his present
peril, what will be the effect of hi, acquittal
upon ihe pacification ofthe Southern States ?
No patriot has any right to doubt the ult-
mate success OF truth and justice, but many
sad experiences win lead them to anticipate
long and wearying delays-delays every day
OF which will be reddened with tne blood of
the helpless and unfortunate and dark with
crime and anarchy.
Five States, not including Alabama, win in
few days be in situation to ask restora-
ton to their old position IN the Ucion under
the acts OF Congress. Before the fourth OF
July, four of the remaining five will probably
have attained an equally advanced stage o.
reconstruction. Having fulfilled all the con-
ditions imposed by the national legislature,
shall they te admitted? If not, It will be
bitter disappointment to patriots everywhere.
The declarations Of the laws Of Congress
under which they have reorganized are of
the nature of pledges, and have been hereto
fo1e practically recognized as such. Tennes-
see having accepted condition which YVES
the sole one prescribed by the law of 1866.
and which was rejected by all the other rebel
States, was promptly admitted. But the
quasi pledges of the reconstruction laws may,
under the requirements of necessity and Of
more binding and sacred pledge 10 guaranty
peace, safety and republican government to
the loyal people of the Southern States, be
ignored by Congress whose will in the
premises is supreme. If en Executive whose
grand purpose is to overthrow the legitimate
State governments, can be deposed, there
will be no occasion for the exercise of this
high prerogative OF Congress. But if the
result of the impeachment trial is favorable
to Andrew johnson, it is difficult to see how
Congress can safely deprive itself of power
to stand between the loyal and disleyal e!e-
ments of the Southern people. As scon
as a State is represented in Congress
military government ceases, and the newly
organized governments must stand or fall.
relying wholly upon their own strength.
In such States as Virginia, North Carolina
and Georgia, what would be their fate under
the continuing administration of Andrew
johnson? 1t is the avowed purpose of the
Rebels, now rhat they are forced to accent
restoration 20 the Union on terms that thew
regard as oppressive, to make the best of the
situation, and by force and cunning to regain
the ascendancy as soon as they can. There
will be little to prevent theil doing so, in
States where their mum oers preponderate, ex-
cept the chance interposition Of such State
Governor as Brownlow, and the indirect re-
straint of the fourteenth constitutions
amendment, which will diminish the number
of their Representatives in Congress in pro-
portion to the number oil citizens dsfran-
chised on account OF race or color. Not. ot
course, that there is an absolute right vested
anywhere to deprive a citizen Of the ballo,
except Tor CRIME, but the men who hope once
more to become masters in the South have
Ettle respect for mere abstract right That
we do not misrepresent the purpose of these
men is evident from the following guarded
but sufficiently inteligible declaration of theil
New England organ, the Boston Post: "The
prevalent idea at the South seems to be, even
where the proposed constitutions are shock
ingly unacceptable to the intelligent and in
fuential portion of the population, that 1T will
be the best thing to get back into close polit-
ical relations with the rest of the Union as
soon as possible; and when once that is ac
complished, and local authority is restored
to its rightfal proprietors, the hope and be,
lief is cherished that all wrongs ami imper
fections in their organic laws can be RENE
died. The first necessity, however, is tha
the military be withdrawn
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