Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1868-12-16
.atertown Republiean.
WEDNESDAY, DEC Is, 1868
TIE LAST AND TIE WORST.

President Johnson message, deliver
ed last Wednesday, was in many respects
the most remarkable document ever sub
mitted by an Executive of the nation 10
Congress. We might very naturally
have expected that he would not have
allowed the last few months Of his term
to pass without an effort to repair the
mischief he had done his reputation. and
to remove, n measure, at least the
odium with which the people very evil
IDENTIFY regard his official career. But all
hope of any such evidence of returning
sense IS vain, and he employs the oppor-
tunity of his last annual message to add
insult to insult and intensity his ofense
which was already frank and rose to hea-
ven" The very first sentence of the
message contains gross and indecent at
tack upon the policy pursued by Congress
toward the Southern States. All that
part which treats of the Reconstruction
Acts is deliberate and atrocious insult
not only to Congress, an equal and co.or-
dlnate branch of the Government, but
also to the whole American people who
have recently endorsed the policy pursn
ed by Congress, 1t would be a case of
very bad taste for a private person, in his
own house, to use Andy Johnson's Ian
guage in regard to measures which had
received the unequivoeal approval Of the
nation, but coming from the highest Off
cial of the people, sitting by their suffer
ance, at their capitol, it is super abomina-
bic
1t seems impossible for this man to
learn wisdom, but with a stubbornness
which has no parallel in the animal king
dom be insists that he is wiser than the
Courts, Congress and people combined
and in the most eontemptuous manner
and honor. He drives along in the same
old rut which he has been wearing down
fer the last three years, the same manIas at
the out set, only more sullen and morose
if possible. Embittered by disappoint-
ment, exasperated by defeat, and sur
charged with venom he belched out all
the vilenes5 Of his mean soul in this last
blast OF impotent rage.
But that part Of his message which
treats of Reconstruction is by no means
as Objectionable as the portin which re
commends the reputation of the nation
al debt. No one has doubted Andy
Johnson's Wickedness Of heart, but this
bare faced and infamous proposition sur
prises even his worst enemies. We do not
believe that Andy makes his proposition
in good faith, Their as believing it to be
advisable as matter Of policy or as likely
to receive moments consideration from
any sober minded man but we consider
it to be a studied attempt to bring injury
| upon the nation which refuses to endorse
and tolerate him. But this malicious
/ effort will fall barren Of all results, and
Andy johnson may learn that his opin-
/ ions and have dicta no more effect up
on the national credit than do the vapor-
ings Of any member of the present Com
mon Council of the historic town Of Green
| vile, Tennessee.
The message is much too long for US
publish in the present crowded! condition
Of our paper, and even if it was shorter
we should hesitate to defle our columns
with its vicious passages. We have en-
deavored, however: to give in another
place summary of the different subjects
treated upon, but if this will not satisfy
our readers let them hunt up copy of
some former message by the same author,
md as they read it let them imagine
little more gall thrown in, and a little
stronger susp cion of profanity lurking
about the different sentences, and they
will have, to all intents and purposes, the
present message.
THE SPEAKERSHTp