The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-03-06
Ex.President JObnson's valedictory,


From The ~ Y. Herald.
The valedictory of Mr.. Johnson is, in some
respects, curious document, a strange
tumble of truth, inconsistency, and unappre-
citation of the great forces which have been
moving our people in the past four years. The
vindication Of ''my policy" appears to be it's
keynote. We all know that my polcy'' meant
the restoration Of political parties to the same
relative status they held at the outbreak of the
was-an impossibilty, from the fact that po-
litical 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,
an attempt to turn the revolution and its in
Vulnerable changes back upon itself. The re-
sistance made by the United States Congress
naturally resulted in the complete swampng
of the executive element that so stubborny
refused to recognize that the war had settled
anything.
Mr.. johnson has no right to arrogate to
himself the honor of disbandng 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 a large
army and augmented authority, it would have
been no difficult task to direct at pleasure the
destines OF the republic and to make secure
my continuance in the highest Office known
to our laws This looks little dictatorial.
Perhaps Congress saw Mr.. Johnson's inclina-
tions in this direction when they put the curb
on him so tightly. The power of this curb
shows, however, how empty ID the braggado-
clio that pervades the greater part of his vale
dictory. The people will never believe that
| the war was ''studendous and deplorable
mistake" Nearly eighty years of tremen-
| dous strides under two antagonistic systems
| of progress made war a necessity, and made
| it necessary that the conquered system should
| forever abandon its hopes. 1t was the sup
| of has cd hu M
that has kept the country 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 contest with the legislative
branch Of the Government, and that the su-
premaoy 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 their liberties by an unchecked and
uncomfortable majority in the law making
power" 1t is also true that the legislative
power 'have, 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..
Johnson 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.. John
son, with this angry and parting shot, steps
from Office clingipg stubbornly to his opinions,
embodyipg in his valedictory the most curious
mixture of personal vanity and self-abnegs-
ton, craftsmanship and narrow -mindedness,
sound doctrines and untenable ones, invective
and aarnast ANIMAL deuunciatiOu and pravar
braggadocio and self-defense, that has ever
appeared in any document issuing from the
Executive Department since the formation Of
the Government. Is he sane?