Year: 1867

steady reduction of the public debt.


The system of taxation needs revision


by the ablest minds of the country,
Irrespective of party. Let Congress
call in the help of able, thinking
minds, of different class, and they will
get the best result of science on this
subject.


With the valuable and most instruc-
tive lessons of the autumn elections,
we expect to see the Republican party
better organized, more effective and
more successful in 1868 than it posi-
bly, could have been without them.
In public, or private affairs, sweet are
the uses of adversely to those who con-
slider and profit by the lessons of Prov
idence.


AS to national affairs especially at
WashingtOn-there is evidently some
alarm. We are asked, what will
johnson do? In our opinion nothing
that is important. 1t is true we can
not count upon the acts of a madman.
But on the other hand there is some
method in JOhnsOn's madness. He is
not an idiot, nor altogether a lunatic.
With all his Obstinacy, his rashness
and his passion, he wants moral cOur-
age. A great coup d' etHt requires a
man of great courage, self-poised, who
dare defy the contingencies of fortune,
and risk the chances of death for the
chances of a crown. Johnson is not
that sort of a man. There are men
about him who would dare the chances
of fortune; but while he listens to
these and applauds, he dare not follow
them to the issue. But what would
he do? Every Washington writer
says he will turn out the cabinet.
What of it? Except Stanton and
Grant, the Cabinet has been Obse-
quiOus enough, the world knows. He
has a right to turn them out, but why?
The new Cabinet cannot stay more
than forty days; for as sure as Con-
gress meets in November, they will
put bits in Mr.. JOhnsOn's mouth. If
a new Cabinet comes in for forty days,
what will be the object? Perhaps
such a man as Mr.. Black is represent
ed. may be for a prompt coup d. etat,
(and it must be prompt or not at all }
but in what form. An attempt to in
terfere fOrcibly with Congress would
be like firing on Fort Sumpter. Tens
of thousands of men, who do not ap-
prove of their dOings, will rush to
their defence; and if the handful of
Maryland militia were called in, they
would be met by half million of old
soldiers, and the petty e1neltte be put
down with the shooting of the princi-
pal traitors. Perhaps such an affair
would be a very salutary supplement
to the war. Hundreds of traitors
would get justice then, who, by a
wonderful moral imbecility of the
Government, have escaped heretofore.


NOW for the South; what of that ?
The South is in the best possible cOndi-
ton, if the blOckheads will consent to
let it alone. The negroes are doing
much better than was anticipated.
The crops are better than they have
been for many years. The ravages of
war are being rapidly repaired, and
the political constitution is becoming
sound and healthy. Louisiana and
Alabama have voted for Conventions,
and the Republicans have large major
tiles in both. In all probability they
will both make good Constitutions,
elect Members of Congress, and be
restored to the Union before next
May. The same will probably be
true of three or four other States.


If Congress is prudent and brave in
its measures, the work of restoration
will be completed substantially by
next June, and the late Confederate
States take part in the Presidential cleo
ton. The country will rejoice in the
return of a perfect Union, the finances
be placed upon a stable foundation,
the commercial tide will again turn in
our favor, and all the legitimate and
just results of the war be obtained.
This is the cOnsummatiOn to which we
should look forward, and which is GER
tain to happen if there be only COM
mon prudence and moderate share of
moral courage.


1t was natural, morally certain, that
the victory over the rebels and the
of the Republican party
should inspire ultra and very jealous
men with an idea that they could car
ry other measures not necessarily con-
nected with national policy, but which
they deemed necessary to what they
call reform. But, however, nature, like
a pendulum, always swings back from
extreme measures, and ultimately set
ties upon a moral average. Peter the
Great could cut his mems heads off,
but he couldn't cut their boards off.
Hence nature will not permit Govern
ment to intefere with its customs, its
and its opinions. Let a |
national party steer clear of these, and !
it will ever find the people supporting
it III all measures of justice, of freedom |
and Of sound policy. E. D. NJ.


October IA, 1867.