Year: 1866

sons OF sound policy. 1t is to be hoped, there
fore, that the radicals of Congress will at least
recognize the propriety and expedepcy Of the
Presidents suggestions on this subject and
modify this rigid test oath accordingly. It
was framed to meet the stern requirements Of
the war; but, the war being over. 1t ought to
be revised to suit the restoration Of peace


The Coalition Against the Constitution-


Cato and Andrew johnson.


That period in the history Of Rome which
Immediately preceded the destruction of the
republic and the establishment Of . military
tyranny was exactly analogous to the present
period In our own history. There was then in
Rome coalition Of ambitious leaders, soldiers
and demagogues together, who seduced the
people to their side with the cry Popular rights,
by promises to ameliorate the condition Of the
oppressed and to obliterate aristocratic privi-
leges. The people listened to this cry and ad-
hered to those who raised it, Notwithstanding
that any new privileges could only be obtained
in defiance Of the very constitution that guar
anteed those they already had; Notwithstanding
that to set aside that constitution would take
away the very foundation of popular rights and
leave the people exposed to the encroachment
ofpower from whatever quarter it came. The
short-sighted people listened to the flattering
pleas Of the demagogues, and by their counte-
nance and support gave strength to those cor
ruptions Of the law that undermined the
glorious fabric Of the republic and brought in
the punDira. fOr tho 0f vSOr,r1or ri0hto tho
support of the oppressed, was the pretext and
power the only object of those ambitious
leaders 1t is the same with us. We have the
same coalition, animated by The same purpose,
putting forth the same pretext. One Of the least
discreet of the radical leaders has declared
that power is the only object of his party. Mr..
Thaddeus Stevens has publicly given as the
reason Of their violent acts that the republican
party must be kept in control at any expense.
But the mass Of these men, more discreet and
more dangerous, ever insist before the people
on the cry of greater freedom, equal rights to
all, the hollow sham of philanthropy and
national justice. And with this pretext these
organizers of evil, these enemies of the con-
stitution, have hitherto been able to deceive
the people.


At the time when the coalition between the
demagogues and the people was forming in
Rome there was one man who saw through the
whole, and saw that the inevitable results of
success must be the ruin of the country He
stood mp alone, the incorruptible, un0inching
defender Of the constitution. Friendship, in
terest fear--none OF the influences that ordi.
narily move men could turn him aside from
that course. He had the most undaunted moral
courage that ever ennobled human cause
He had an honorable impatience of the at
tempts against bis country, and denounced
with fcrcely bitter invectivs the authors of
those attempts. He could brave odium easier
than surrender his convictions, and be regard
ed popularity with contempt when it became
necessary to weigh It against duty. He was the
one man OF that age whom Tho lover of freedom
can sincerely admire. He watched faithfully
over his chosen chargc-the constitution of his
country--and detected in the inception and
fearlessly exposed the dangers Of oil those laws
that, passed in defiance Of his protest, finally
made the republic such q political chaos that
despotism was a preferable change from such
freedom. This man was Cato. In the posses
sion also OF this very character the analogy
between the Roman period andour own holds
good. Andrew Johnson is another Cato. He
also Is the great defender of the constitution
of his country, alike from the open and insdi-
ous assaults of the men who fad that its clear,
unquestioned provisions stand in the way Of
their ambitious purposes. He defends it with
courage, a constancy, an unhinching 6rmness,
worthy Of his great prototype, and dcnounces
its enemies with invective not less bold and
biting. The men against whom Cato defended
his country forced him 10 the execution of a
law obnoxious TO his sense Of right That duty
removed him far from Rome, and left them free
10 pursue their purposes; and in the same way
the radicals, whatever obnoxious duty they
may force upon the President will not bo
free TO pursue their schemes against the consii-
tuition until they have removed him from the
sphere In which he can defend It.


In our country there is limit to the sue
cess of bad ambition never before found in
any other. That limit Is the earnest, deep
patriotism Of the people and their universal In
telligcnce Had there been sufficient intell-
gcncc and true love Of country in the Roman
people to understand the motives and the acts
OF Cato he would have been sustained against
all opponents, the events that crumbled away
the liberties Of Rome would not have taken
place, and the splendid qualities Of Caesar would
have done something better than make mag
nihcent the downfall Of Roman greatness. The
American people, unlike those Of Rome, see all,
hear oil, and understand enough They will in
due time rebuke and put down this political
rebellion as rcsolutely as they did the recent
military rebellion. For time the enemies Of
freedom may seem to triumph, but oil must 20
before the people, and they will sustain An
drew johnson, as the sentiment Of the whole