The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1868-12-11

The last words of President Johnson are
likely to have but little weight with Con-
gress or the people at large; not so much on
account of the intrinsic weakness Of the ar
guments as because Mr.. Johnson's lease of
limited power and brief authority is fast
drawing to close. An American Presi-
dent in these happy days is nothing when
his successor is elected. 1t may happen
that virtuous, calm and peaceful admins
tration will cause the retiring President to
be respected, regretted and loved; but even
then the pail of public Indifference awaits
him when he resigns the Presidential
chair. lie Roi est mort! Tive le Roi! is now
the popular cry, and it is doubtful whether
four years of high Office and gratifed ambi-
ton compensate for the life time of obscu-
rity which assuredly follows.
Mr.. Johnson has had an eventful and
chequered career. An example himself of
the much-vaunted fact that in this country
the highest positions may be reached by
men of hubble birth who have thu faculties
and energy to command and secure sue
cess, he has risen, step by step, to be sena-
tor, Vice President and President. With
him the conservative influences Of assured
authority have had their wonte3 effect,
and he may fully boast that when he be-
came the master of the White House he
threw far from him the arts and wiles of
the demagogue, and became the firm and
constant champion of the law and the con-
stitution. Of the Southern States Presi-
dent johnson has been the steady and un-
failing friend. We have at times believed
his policy unwise. We have felt that our
earnest advocate has done US serious harm;
but we honor the motives of the man, and
do not forget that the same majority which
stripped him of his constitutional rights,
destroyed the liberties Of the South, and
made of ten sovereign States ten military
despotisms. Had Mr.. Johnson been con-
tent to swim With the tide, he might now
have been our President elect. But he
chose the difficult path of duty and princi-
pie, and has been prosecuted and maligned
even to the bitter end. Whatever the diff
ference of opinion as to Mr.. Johnson's per-
sonal merits, there can be none in regard to
the childish conduct of Congress in refus-
ing to allow his last message to be read,
and in refusing to extend him a common
official courtesy. This act was unbecoming
the dignity of legislative body. 1t was
foolish exhibition of partisan spleen, which
will not be forgotten.
The recommendations of Mr.. johnson in
relation to the Reconstruction acts, the
finances, the Indian troubles, and the posi-
ton of the United States towards foreign
nations, need not be discussed, for they will
not weigh one title in controlling the policy
of Congress. And if it were necessary to
examine them here, little credit would be
given to statesman who at this moment
INDUCES in bombastical eulogy of repub-
lican institutions, or a fnancier who be-
lieves that an annuity of six dollars in gold
for sixteen years, for each one hundred dollar
United States bond would satisfy the owner
who now receives six dollars per cent. per
annum in gold, and is entitled, in addition
to the payment in gold, to one hundred dol
lars of principal. These are but two points
There are others no less open to unfavora-
BILE criticism.
We regard the presentation by Mr.. john
son of his message as the last public act of
his official life, and he doubtless intended
that this elaborate statement of his policy
should be his vindication Of posteriiy. If
this was his purpose he has missed his aim;
for posterity, which may remember the cpl
gram of life, has no time to give to vol
ume of forid rhetoric and personal explana-
ton.