Year: 1868

Tem.-Bcn wade's Views Of the Prcsiaeucy


and the Responsibilities Of Once.


BY one Of the papers Of Ben wades State,
and from his own mouth in theguise of familiar
colloquy, we receive some rays Of light from
that ''rising sum-" some positive declarations
of principle, some bids for party fealty and
numberless promises to be good boy and be-
have himself towards Congress as President
ought. Since it is already determined that
Mr.. johnson is to be removed from his high


position-Mr Wade, having counted the votes,


knows that he must be-since this removal is


definite and known fact, there can, of course,
be no indelicacy in Mr.. Wade, who is to vote
on the removal, telling what political course he
will pursue when he succeeds to Mr.. Johnson's
place. And if there were little offence to


delicacy in this, what then? Shall such mere


trife as delicacy, consideration for the pro-
prieties and re6nements Of position, weigh
with broad spirited statesman from the West
against the imposing necessity of letting the
people know the thoughts of the man who Is to
succeed to the supreme Executive power? He
must be Chinese, bred on rice and ginger,
who would maintain such point.


The first hint Mr.. Wade gives us Of his tenn
per is altogether amiable, quite in favor Of his
heart, equally to the honor Of his head, pre-
senting the very picture Of great man bub
bling with sympathetic humanity and everyday
good nature. He wants ''time to make friends"
Not that he complains Of the shortness Of life,
not that he laments that the brief span Of four
score and ten is all too little for this noble
purpose. He could make friends enough in a
lifetime but in ten months! What can man
do in that way in ten months, and those ten
months in the Presidential chair? For Mr.
Wade wants time in office to make friends, and he
appreciates the difficulties Of his position in this
respect he knows that for man in Office it is
easier to make enemies than friends. In this
spirit he says of his promised ten months =
"In have plenty of time to make thousands of
enemies by my appointments and not time
enough to make many friends by my admins
tration." 1t is evident, therefore, that Mr..
Wade has his eyes fully open to the necessity
of making his term longer than ten months--of
doing what he may, while IN it, to extend his
tenure for another four years He is disin-
terested in this, of course 1t is merely his sensi
bility that speaks. He conceives how terrible
it would be to man of feeling to 60
out of office with thousands of enemies
he can conjecture how delightful it may be,
five years from now, to 60 out with millions of
friends. He would be less than human, you
see, If he did not prefer the latter case and
strive with all his might for this happier result;
for he wants to be President. He has the
natural ambition of a citizen that way. ''But
to be piece of q President Ay! there's the
rub. "To go in for fragment Of year"
That is the trouble; and, moreover, ''there is
no chance for much of career in ten
months.


For these reasons Mr. Wade wants to be
President, and President for five years. Then,
on the other hand, he does not want to be
President. He is not ambitious, but modest
He is difident Of his powers he goes forward
full Of fear, trembling at every step. ''As for
your Presidency, haven't tried it, and know
very well that its duties require a different
order of faculties"-that Is, different order
from those that have enabled the distinguished
man to succeed SO magnifcently in the Senate.
This modesty is becoming, and may be pleaded
in mitigation some day in case Old Ben should
prove more terrible failure than even Andy
Johnson Despite, however, this disnclnation
to the Office and the consciousness that he is not
fit for it, Wade has for some time contemplated
the possibility that its greatness may be thrust
upon him, and admits that he has ''done some
thinking as to what his course ought to be in
that event. His thoughts have led him to one
very positive point, the expression Of which
looks like promise to Congress- sort
of political post-obit or agreement to
come down in the most liberal style when he
inherits. He says :-"Whatcver else may be
done, shall try to bring the Executive Depart
ment Of the government into harmony with the
Legislature" Ii this inducement will not hurry
up Congress to finish Johnson forthwith,
what win? Here is exactly the President il
wants-a limp fellow who is actually willing to
make believe that he cannot stand alone If it
be necessary. No more dispute, no more Of
that naughty Andy johnson conduct. Con-
gress shall have its own way, SO it shall. the
dear little thing, and Ben will never say no,
nor make faces, nor do anything bad, forever
and ever. Moreover, he positively declares
that he won't have a policy" He roars it
out in the amplcst style he win not have such
thing at all; for it is dangerous and bad as
nitro -glycerine, and no one can tell what may
be the consequences. Look at johnson. He
had policy. Where is he now? Ben, there
fore. will be the very Uriah Heep Of Presidents
in his tumble" REIMBURSEMENT Of prerogative.
In this the people may get lively sense
OF his notion OF the character Of the Presi-
dental Office, of his peculiar political saga
city, and, better than all, Of his astonishing
sincerity