The Montana post., 1869-03-05

To-day my policy" expires: To>day
is inaugurated President who has
avowed "he will have no policy opposed
to the will of the people" To-day. we
trust. ends the conflict between the Leg
islative and Executive heads OF the gov
ernment. 1t is well, for it was well
nigh ruinous. A house divided against
itself cannot stand, aud this nation, with
all it's cohesive powers. has felt with
dangerous distinctness the premonitions
of overt rupture. which nothing averted
but the exhaustion of those whom
johnson stimulated TO resistance. II is
with Il keen sense of relief from the con-
tinuous suspense and anxiety of the last
1 four years, that the country witnesses
the expiration of his power, and, while
it would not be ungenerous, the candid
will find even the mantle of charity too
scant to cover the grievous and mani
fold evils of his administration. He has
won an unenviable page In history, but
one that is full of instruction TO his sue
cessors-answering q good purpose
though destroyed himself. as a shat
tered wreck on a dangerous reef may
warn others from destruction. The evils
of his administration were doubtless
owing in a greater measure to errors of
Judgment, personal vanity, Unsuitable
ambition TO rule, his complication with
fawning evil disposed hatterers, ard an
inherent arbitrary obstinacy, than to
any native disloyalty or desire To ruin
the government. Yet he nearly accom-
plished the latter. The policy of abso>
lutte monarchs towards the people may
be arbitrary, because the power eman-
ates from the crown, but the policy of
our President must be flexible, adapting
itself 10 the will of the people in whom
the power is inherent. Mr.. Johnson
probably misunderstood his relations
with the people of the country and their
Representatives. II SO, he is paying the
penalty of his lack of intelligence. The
country will recover from the disaster;
he never.
With the administration of Grant
opens a new and better era in American
politics. The armies settled the abstract |
question OF secession, and the Executive |
abolished the privilege of one human !
being to hold another in slavery. but |
each of these left a resultant chaos |
from which evolved issues the legisla> |
tive department must necessarily de-
eide. Such was the work of reconstruc- |
ton, herculean in itself, but rendered |
doubly difficult by the perverse hostili~ |
ty of Mr.. johnson. The legislative part |
was accomplished bnt the laws execution |
delayed, marred or defeated by the Ex>
ecutive. Between Grant aud Congress
there is perfect accord. There is identi-
ty of interest and purpose in restoring |
amicable relations between all the
al government; and to labor for a strong,
united, and prosperous nation. To do
this the laws must be enforced that
they may be respected; economy
be observed, taxation equitably distrib
uted, and honesty secured in it's collec-
tion, that the people may be encours
aged, business invigore.ed. and the
government thereby strengthened. To
this there will be a vast
looping off of official heads. Whether
6 rant inclines to rotation and removal,
as a question of itself or for political
reasons. he will be impelled to it to ac-
sa1, al 20 xvh hinh he 1
has declared his administration would
be devoted. There are some forty
three thousand persons in the civil
service of the government, so that If
only small percentage are removed
il will appear like gigantic sweep Of
the Executive broom. Grants object
will certainly be to secure ability, effi-
cheney and honesty in his subordinates.
Whether political considerations alone
will induce uohesitating removal is
question that would now be difficult to
conjecture, and which short time will
demonstrates. The many
here and in Washington,
who are on the anxious seat are objects
of profound sympathy at present, and
and will have u nervous time for the I
next few weeks. In the mail blockade
this is an cpportune occurrence, and
the absurd idea of only appointing one
person 10 each Office is TO be regretted.
by newspapers as well rs aspirants.
We trust that whatever appointments
are made for Montana will be residents
Of the territory, and that they will be
worthy Republicans. With
This we bid adieu 10 the weaknesses,
humbugs, apostacies and perverse wick
sdness OF the johnson administration.
md welcome that of Grant with its
more liberal ideas. its sterling Repub>