Year: 1867

When Mr. james Brooks says that if he
were President of the United States he
would not allow Congress to impose upon
him I law utterly subyersive of the Com
stituiOn Of the United States, what does
he mean? Docs he mean merely that if
Congress passed law over his veto he
weuld refuse to execute it, or that if he
were required to execute a law which he
considered unconstitutional, he would re-
sim? IL he means the latter, then Presi-
den. James Brooks would do precisely
What the country would gladly sec done
by President ANDREW Johnson. Every
body would b- satisfied. But if he means
the former. then he declares that he would
| if possible, try to subvert the Government.


In that case one of two things would hap
pen. Civil war or impeachment. The
! President woJld certainly be removed, or
he must be allie 10 remove Congress.


Mr. Brooks seems to know that the will
of the President is not the Government of
this country. When laws are passed by
Congress which he considers unconstitu-
tional. lie may object by his veto. When
those laws are passed again over his veto,
he must execute them or resign. And
why not? Why are not wothirds of Con-
gress as likely 10 be right npon a question
OF cOnsiiuiiOnaliiy as the President? Mr.
Brooks declaimed against the Reconstruc-
tion bill as outrageous and infamous. But
however bad il may be, could it possibly
contain any proposition SO monstrous as
that the Presidents pleasure is law?


The speech CT Mr.. Brooks and OF Mr.


Wood in opposition to the House bill re-
vcaled once more the melancholy inability
of the opposition in Congress, and the utter
folly of the party which conducted it
They declare that the late rebel States are
as much States as ever, and that the whole
system of reconstruction is an unparalleled
military despotism which strikes at the
very foundation ofihe Magma Charta which
the barons wrung from King John. Now
this position is exactly the one upon which
the President planted himself in his ia
nous policy, which is as much thing of
the past as the 'eun-boat projects of Mr.
Jefferson. The Democrats do not seem to
see that they are engaged in a hopeless
struggle upon this point, for they are fight
inc with the cOmmon-sensc of the nation.


We are occasionally informed by san
guine Democrats that the Republican par
ty is at an end, and That nothing is now
between tho Democracy and triumph
Nothing but the people The Democratic
leaders are constantly saying to the people
of this country, You have fought terribly:
YOU have won great victory; you are ex-
hausted and want peace; give up all you
have been fighting for and you shall have
it, They wish us 10 regard the war as a
mere trial of strength, in which We have
succeeded, and everything else remains
just as it was. Now, if anything is clear,
il is that the commoE-5ense of the people
does net agree that every thing is'as it was.
They have resolved that the late rebel
States shall he rcorganized upon the terms
which they may prescribe, and not upon
such as those States themselves may choose.
And this is precisely the point Of diver
gence between the Democratic party and
the people.


Until this question is settled there is and
can be no other issue. But the policy of
Congress being heartily approved by the
country, every patriotic man will do what
he can to promote it, with view to the
speedicst restoration and the peace and
prosperity Of the Union.-Hdfpcr' s
WeekiJ.