New-York tribune., 1869-03-05
ANDREW JOHNSON.
A SKETCH OF HIS ADMINISTRATION


neople did in the effort to avenge him. In an ohclal
proclamation he charged that Jefferson Davis had
;ncted concerted and procured the assassination ol
Mr. Lincoln and offered reward of 100000 for ms
arrest. This was the who accused Mr. Davis ol
crime which the world believes him innocent yet
short time afterward refused TO try him for crime
Of which the whole world knew him guilty For
months after he had entered the White House MI
johnson was believed to be the sernest enemy ol the
South. and Northern men, whose anger was tempered
with magnanimity were certainly afraid that his
zeal for the Union might hurry him into cruelty TO
the Rebels Idle fear! After he became President
there is no recorded instance of too great severity to
the authors of our troubles. His fury expended it.
self in proclamations and speeches He said much
he did nothing His greatest severity was TO keep
Jefferson Davis in prison for years untred and tins
he did because he was not bold enough to set him
free and unwilling to offend the South by risking
his conviction
The revelation of the new Presidents character
and views came with 1866. In 1865 all the Union
State Conventions had resolved, Pennsylvania lead
ing that the people lately in Rebellion cannot he
safely intrusted with the political rights they for
feted by their treason until they have ored their
acceptance of the results of the war; by incoporat
ing into their constitutions provisions securing to
all men within their borders the inaenable right to
liberty and the pursuit of happiness" They called
upon Congress to exclude the Southern States till
1.-THE most perfect guarantees had been given
Others States Massachusetts cOnspicuOuSly, demanded
impartial suffrage rs a permanent basis of Recon-
structon. California praised Andrew Johnson as
"the worthy successor of Abraham Lincoln" and
triumphanty quoted his own words that the resto-
ration of peace and order cannot be intrusted to
Rebels and traitors, who destroyed the peace, ana
trampled down the order that had existed for half
u f1aca ,irnpI eNu
the opinion of the Republican party. it cannot be
said for Andrew Johnson that he was not informed
of its principles or that IL changed while he remained
the same.
Ifanybody supposes that in the Spring of 1865.
Cuogress was any better prepared than Andrew
johnson to adopt the plan of reconstruction which
has since been carried out on the basis of general
pardon and manhood suffrage, be forgets the con-
dition of opinion in Congress at that time. Had
Congress then met and had the Reconstruction
laws which were afterward devised been then pro-
posed by the President Congress would have rejected
them by a fournfths vote. They would have passed
Reconstruction law committing the political power OF the
South the hands Of the white only and differing in
no substantial degree from that inaUgurated by proca-
nation by Andrew Johnson. Had they passed such a
law there would been honorable escape from ad
uniting the Southern States under its provisions II Is
fortunate therefore that President Johnson did not con
his own responsibility the policy to which if convened
Congress would have given the unfortunate sanction OF
slave and Grant suppressed the Rebellion will have the
SSy WSs al as ''nyO" # 6e ' had sGd said Il viii vii ran
upon this sunken rock in order that Congress coming
CONSTRUCTION almost without exciting ripple OF hostility
extension oi the suffrage late slaves and the few
Who desired did not expect t-at least not he-or per
haps for years Thus Congress given years time
In which 10 watch the effects Of experiment which,
being tried by the President without Their authority they
could watch critically bn ftned by themselves would
have been Law and a hnaity.
Presently sontIern politicians saw the apparent & ad
I'm the white Rebel only and the principle OF
through the south the Union they hocked around the
White House; They gained the ear Of the President
ernmen as he admin3tered IT, They pledged Iaeir per
Vision of AMBITION a dream Of power dawued upon the
mind Of the plebeIan He hadbeen but SIX months IN
office and already ten States were at his feet and ihe
powerful Democratic party Of the North were full Of his
praise He had blundered into an TINS popularity by an
accident The p0camation OF Reconstruction winch he
had issnCd for North Carolina was substantially That
allowance for the fact that plan for erect
ing a state Government which would result IN one
entirely loyal when Rebels refused 10 have
anything 10 do with it, might become entirely dis.
and fll its Offices. He had been conscious merely OF
adopting LnCOlns plan rerbdttm Il Ssr1dtn. But the
collapse OF the Conedcracy President Lincoln had
drafted the plan. changed It's whole workings Under
Lincoln none but stanch UnionIsts would take part IN
SON the most inveteate Rebels would do both Hence
though when the same parchment was offered by In In
coin they spurued II; Whcn offered by Johnson they
kissed his ieet-becaused il excluded the negro from
Having thus stumbled into the affections Of the Demo
cratic party Of both sections Andrew johnson met his
leon entertained the evening of the coup detf the
members Of the National Assembly whom he proposed 10
arrest before morning. He was at that happy point in
the Of swinder in which he feels that each Of
parties trusting him, IN the expectation Of Op
pOse results. The Republicans were asking that loyal
should rule the SOUTH and this he promised. They
yet demanding universal suffrage. III they
should he could point them to his letter to Gov sharkey
recommending that Mississippi should give the ballot TO
~" he would say, "haye no Constitutional power to
"But" some would insist. "tlese State Govern
nhents clcctiuC dlsOyal men 70 Congress"
Then" replied johnson. let Congress reject them,
and accept only the loyal. That is Their affair"
Meanwhile the leaders Of the South and of the De
mOcacy were trumpet tOncued IA praise d Andrew john
However they might feel toward the North the
army, Congress they hOwered into ful loyalty 10 the
President fWhCn reflect how deep and wide
the yawuing gulf Of passionate hatred and I'M
reasoning malice with which the lately Rebel
Of the South regarded the National Government,
may, perhaps, persuade ourselves that JOhnsOnsm,
compared with the revOus malignity Of these rccalc
citraUt Rebels. was the Glmmerlng dawn OF loyalty.
however obscure. gloomy and gray II seemed The oath
LOYALTY 10 the UniOT bitter pill 10 those who for
four years bad themselves citizens and founders
OF COufedeacy But, through hope of welding the
political power OF the South, which John.Ons
policy held them, they began 10 think Of the State
aud National Governments affair in which they had
after all interest. THIS selfish lust for returning
power made them the outward gaIb Of loyalty,
which wis better than not 10 have worn 10 at all.
To appreciate the ignoniny o ms treason, IS neces-
sary recall the emphasis with which he asserted
principles he afterward denied Andrew Johnson after
the Rebellion over appointed Provisional Governors
he 10 " no required that convention should be held
in each state composed of oyal men and DO Others to
make Constitution. lie laid down as law that
rcvOltcd must reDudate the ordinance Of
Secesslon must rltify the amendment prohibiting slav
cry must repudiae every dollar 81 the Confederate
debt he ordered that every Rebel Legislature should
all who asked whether Representatives from the Rebel
States would be admitted 70 seats In either House he
suggested to Gov shaikey Ct Mississippi the following
could fatAY Yhf.f1 FY4Frn