The New York herald., 1869-03-05
Rx-Prsslas.s J.hn.o.,s v.ledicssry.

Rx-Presldent Jehnsou,s vaIedictsry.
The valedictory Of Mr.. johnson Is, in some
respects, curious document, strange jum-
BILE Of truth, inconsistency and unappreciahon
of the great forces which have been moving
our people in the past four years. The vindi-
cation of ''my policy" appears to be its key
note. We all know that ''my policy meant
the restoration of political parties to the same
relative status they held at the outbreak Of the
war-an impossibility, from the fact that
political parties are the outgrowth of existing
conditions, and the conditions existing to-day
for political results are totally different from
those of 1861. ''My policy" meant, therefore,
Vulnerable changes back upon itself. The re-
sistance made by the United States Congress
naturally resulted in the complete swamping of
the Executive element that so stubbornly re-
fused to recognize that the war had settled
anything.
Mr. Johnson has no right to arrogate to him
self the honor of disbanding the army; the
people did it. Boosting of the position he held
at the close of the war, at the head of the civil
and military power, he says :-''With large
army and augmented authority, it would have
been no difficult task to direct at pleasure the
destinies Of the republic and to make secure
my continuance in the highest Office known to
our laws" This looks little dictatorial Per-
haps Congress saw Mr.. Johnson's inclinations
in this direction when they put the curb on
se,bk Tho e bso o,,rh chr
however, how empty is the braggadocio that
pervades the greater part of this valedictory.
The people will never believe that the war was
''stupendous and deplorable mistake" Nearly
eighty years Of tremendous strides under
two antagonistic systems Of progress made
war anecessity, and made it necessary that the
conquered system should forever abandon its
hopes. 1t was the support Of these wrecked
hopes by Mr.. Johnson that has kept the coun-
try unsettled since active war closed.
Mr.. johnson says truly, however, when he
states that the trouble between him and Con-
gress has proven that the Executive power is
very weak in o contest with the legislative
branch of the government, and that the su-
premacy of party, right or wrong, is to be
feared. He says sit is not, therefore, difficult
to see how easily and how rapidly the people
may lose tn cir liberties by an unchecked and
uncomfortable majority in the lawmaking
power" 1t is also true that the legisla-
tive power Shave, in times of peace, increased
the national debt by a reckless expenditure of
the public moneys" ''they have built up and
encouraged monopolies and have thus added to
the burdens which already weigh upon the
people," These things have, however, little to
do with the political battle between Mr.. john
son and Congress. They have not caused
this or increased its bitterness. The last half
of this curious document is full of the invective
of disappointment against the power which
refused to recognize that there could be but one
method Of arranging our national troubles and
that method-''my policy" Mr.. Johnson, with
this angry and parting shot, steps from Office
clinging stubbornly to his opinions, embody-
ing in his valedictory the most curious mixture
ofpersonal vanity and self-abnegation, states
manship and narrow -mindedness, sound doc
trines and untenable ones, invective and earn
est appeal, denunciation and prayer, bragga-
docio and self defence, that has ever appeared
in any document issuing from the Executive
Department since the formation of the govern
ment. Is he sane?