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GEORGIA WEEKLY OPINION
CHE WEEKLY OPINION.
TUESDAY WORKING* APBIIs 88*
Tub Pbospkct.—Tho election rcturiii
come In tardily. Up to this writing wo
have nothing very dellnltc. That the Con-
stltutien has been ratllled, there seem* very
little doubt, The Oubornatorlal raeo lias
been much closer than was first anticipa
ted ; and yet there Is scarcely a doubt but
that Gordon has a majority of tho votes.
We presume the majority of tho legisla
ture will bo Democratic, and that very few
of the members elect can take the test oath.
Should this oath !w required, as wo have
no doubt It will, new elections will have to
be ordered in most of the counties. The
snino will be true of several member* elect
toCongress. lender these circumstances,
wo should prepare'our minds for delay. In
nny event, let no man hope that Georgia
will be admitted to Immediate ropresenta
tlon In Congress. The Presidential elec
tion will be our stumbling block for the
next six months. This Issue settled, wi
may then entertain hopes of restoration
The ratification of tho new Constitution
will, however, throw the onus upon Con
gress. Let our people manifest no undue
anxiety on this matter. They have fulfilled
tlielr portion of the agreement. Should
Congress now fall to comply with Its own
terms, as laid down In the Sherman bill, we
have nothing to gain by further conces
sions to the dominant party. We can man
age somehow to live under Military Gov
ernment until alter the Presidential elec
tion.
tJTWe observe that several leading
Journals at the North, in the Interests of
each oi the political parties, take the same
view of Gen. Me Aim's order. No. (11, that
this Journal did, and sustain the same upon
the ground that It Is In strict accordance
with the letter and the spirit of the Recon
struction Act of Congress.
This construction of the law may seem a
hard one, but it would be difficult to ar
rive at any other, when tho Law Itself Is
the very embodiment of harshness and
of blind passion. Congress, and not Gen.
Meade, is to blame for this unnecessary
exactlon and harshness; and we presume
no fair minded ami well informed man
Is disposed to censure the General Com
manding for simply discharging an un
pleasant duty under the directions of his
superior officers. The morbid egotism of
one or two nsplrants to small otfices In the
new State Government, may have. In one
or two instances, called down upon Gen.
Meade and those who correctly Interpret
his action, the peevish bat harmless abuse
of the Ignorant; but such demonstrations
arc by no means unnatural, nor do they
usually exclto any feeling beyond that of
commiseration.
caf~lmponchment drags Its slow length
along. And yet we regard the President'
conviction none the less certain on account
of the delay. The People seem superlative
ly ludtirerent. Mr. Wade will undoubtedly
be President In a few weeks, to hold his
position until the 4th of March next. Then
there will be another change—thus making
three revolutions In the head of the Gov
ernment within the brief space of four
years. Meantime, trade Is stagnant; con
fidence Is wanting; capital seeks retire
ment; and a general feeling of apprehen
sion seems to prevail all circles. How long
this state of things can be protracted w 1th-
out seriously impairing confidence In the
success of Representative Government, or
revolutionizing our whole political sys
tem nnd plunging the whole country Into
hopeless Anarchy, Is a question which is
seriously addressing Itself to the Ameri
can mind.
IBS CAMPAIGN OVIK.
The campaign In this State Is virtually
closed. Tho facts and arguments of both
sideshavo been submitted; the cose has
been fully nude up; and tho bsllottlng of
to-day has In all probability decided the
Issue. Throe days of grace, extended for
the benefit of delinquents and stragglers,
aud the polls will havo been closed; and
by Saturday noon we hope to be able to
announce the final result.
This canvass has been short, spirited and
eventful. It was entered into by the mas
ses with an carnostness seldom witnessed
In this or any other Stato. In the heat of
the contest, bitter and unseasonable words
have been uttered, and, In many Instances,
tike newspaper press of the State have de
scended from Its proud eminence, to in
dulge in those undignified flings and dis
gusting personalities which so illy becomes
the profession, and which is anything but
creditable to tho good taste and morals of
an enlightened Christian community.—
This Impropriety has been confined exclu
sively to neither side, and we are well
aware that this Journal has not been an
exception to the rule; but that we, too, arc
obnoxious to the charge to which other*
are vulnerable. We, however, feel U due
ourselves to say that, whilst we inay have
betrayed warmth and earnestness, and
In some Instances Indulged In re
partee more caustle and pointed
than dignified or charitable, It lias, never
theless*, been our constant aim to eschew
mere personalities, and combat alone for
Principles. If, In doing this we have been
forced to step aside occasionally from those
courtesies of debate which should ever ob
tain In an enlightened community, we have
yielded to what seemed an Inexorable ne
cessity, and not voluntarily as a matter of
taste, or In obedlenoe to mere privilege.
We, therefore, come out of this canvass
with malice and personal 111-fcellng toward
noonc. Differing honestly In opinion with
many whose personal friendship we esteem,
we concede to them the same honesty of
purpose which we claim for ourselves; nnd field ami store will lie our rcwaid’.
are willing, now that the Issues which have And more than this, so soon us our pro-
divided us politically have been fairly sub- ducts are carried Into the market* or the
mlttcdtothe People, to abide the result, country In any considerable qua.itics, wo
and join In upholding and enforcing that w ill be respected for the wealth
decision, whatever it may be. The whole giving to mankind, and the speediest sub-
theory of self-government Is predicated [substantial reconstruction will follow. In
upon the assumption that the masses of stead, then, of asking money with which
electors are sufficiently Intelligent and vlr- to hire laborers, let each mitt, go to work
tuous to abide the decision of the lawful himself, and but few years will havcelapscd
majority; and when this decision shall until the capitalists of the country will Ire
have been proclaimed, every good citizen begging the products or the labor in cx-
or whatever political creed or party, who j change form mey;and with the Increasing
honestly desires the perpetuity of free gov-• wealth and respectability of labor, will
ernment, will cheerfully acquiesce In and come a tide of immigration that w ill "give
LABOB AND CAPITAL.
When C.iiSAii was asked by tho Roman
Senate, '‘which 1m would rather have, men
or money, to successfully carry'tSn n war,*'
he said: “Give mo men and I will get
money—but I much prefer you w ould give
money, aud I can easier get inch.” The
question with the people of Hie South now'
Is, which, In the abscnco of tho-other, Is
most essential to public prosperity, men,
working men, or capital. The answer to
the question Is fbtind In asking another,
wliloh Is first obtained ? To this question
there Is but one answer, aikm. What we
need Is working men, those who wllldlg the
wealth out of the ground with the plow
nnd the hoc. This kind of wealth when
once In the markets of tho country, brings
money, nnd places It In the hands of those
who produce the real wealth out of the
ground. •
But man*say, “the planters are too poor
to employ labor, they Imre not tho means
to hire nnd pay men." such an answer Is
In itself contemptible, Lot every man
rich or poor, go to work, cultivate the soil,
even If only ten acres cue!,; so that all the
land Is cultivated, nnd they will find that
they are not poor. To be rich we must be a
working ireoplo. Our groat landholders
must lease or sell tliclrjvast estates, so that
the working men can get an interest In
what is produced, and so that every foot of
the land may lie tilled, kdwr must be
respected, nnd a few year* will find us
rich people.
The great mass of our non-prndueers
must go to work; must produce something
If they expect this country to be rich, The
time has now passed when we can expect
the negro to do all of the agricultural la
bor. The white man must put Ids hand to
the axe and plow; brains must eo-opernte
with muscle; every baud must be busy. If
we arc to become substantially rich. Let
the people strive not only to restore tho
past prus;rerity of our agriculture, but to
far exceed the past, and “hanl times'' will
be driven from our homes, nnd plenty in
Ui'Old parties nrc dead and buried.
The animosities nnd hatreds w hich they
engendered sleep In acommon grave. We
have awakened to behold new scenes, to dis
cuss new Issues; aud are called upon to
take part In a contest wholly different from
any ever heretofore contemplated In this
country. In such a contest ns that now
presented, there should be no differences
among the bona Jblc citizens of Georgia.
They should rtscabovc past differences nnd
old prejudices, and act In concert in a com
mon cause.
“Stop Mv r*p*B."—There is a certain
class ol newspaper readers who imagine,
or who affect to believe, that their Indi
vidual subscriptions aud good opinions are
essential to the existence of a public Jour
nal. Consequently they demand, os a con
dition precedent to their “patronage,” that
Its editor accept as valid their individual
opinions, and make his columns a mere re
flex of their political sentiments. If the
editor falls to do this, and manifests any
disposition to think and act Independently
of their views, they bring up the old penal
ty of “Stop my paper.”
Now a public Journal, If successfully
conducted, can have but one editor; and
that editor Is an ass whenever he attempts
to conform the tone of bis Journal to the
mental chrotekets of any one or more of
bis subscribers. lie Is a fool If he Imag
ines that the flattery of Jones or Jhc good
opinion of Smith will make his journal
self-sustaining. And whenever he allows
himself to be In the least degree influenced
by the * Stop my paper ’’ class of subscri
bers, tho sooner he seeks other fields of em
ployment, the more fortunate will it be for
himself, and profitable to the community
of which he is a member. That public
Journal which is the mere echo of a clique,
the organ ofa faction,or the pliant tool of a
partisan organization, D not only without
influence with the masses, but is a positive
nuisance in any community.
uphold that decision, however averse It
inny be to the settled convictions of the
defeated party.
That Nash will Buiko them Dowx.
The statement of the Radical papers that
If their man is elected, Congress will re
move his disabilities at once, reminds us ol
a story that we once beard, of a young
bands to cultivate all of our soil, and
build up new cities anil internal Improve
ments until we w ill revel in the supera
bundance of riches which our og'n hands
have produced. “Industry is the mother
of wealth.”
BoxxKit and rue Grants.—Mr. Bonner,
of the New York Ledger, sup rstiously
boastful fellow who had removed from | says: “General Grant had nothing what-
Nortli Carolina to North Georgia, when [ ever to do with the writing or the publl-
he boasted that he bad out run, w hipped,: cation of the sketch of Ids early life wrlt-
and thrown down all tho best men In the | ten for the Ledger by ids father. The
former State, lie was repeating his boast ] sketch was begun nnd finished before Gen.
one day In the hearing of an old soldier of Grant knew anything about it. nnd it ap
peared in the Ledger In fulkjust ns itramc
the war of 12, and who was highly in
censed at the Impudence of the young
fellow.
Said the old soldier: “You may have done
all that yon brag of, but you never fit for
ycr country,
“Well, if I didn’t, I had my namo put
down to light the Injuns In Canada.” said
the young fellow.
“Yea, I knowed you never fit,” retorted
the old man.
T would have fit, but daddy took me
down to Wilmington, an* the Doctor said
I wasn't able to go."
“1 knowed you never fit,” shouted the
old soldier, glad that he had cornered
him so easily.
Welt,” said the youngster, “If I didn't
fight, they took thp paper along that had
mv name writ on It, and every time they
called mv name at roll-call, twelve InJIns
fell dead In their tracks.'
All the Radicals have to do is to call out
Uullock'a name in the Capitol at Washing
ton, and Congress will fall down dead In
Its tracks. ^ ^
Mu. Lincoln's Opinion or Gen. Lee.—
Mr. Beecher hat been heavily aasalled
because at a public meeting In this city
some time since be spoke well of the per
sonal character ef Gen. Lee. What will
these assailants say, (aayi the New Y'ork
Times) about the opinion of Mr. Lincoln
upon Lee, nnd especially when they get
that opinion from a source they must cred
it bo nnqueitlonably, via, a colored woman.
Mrs. Krckley. the colored iervant of Mr.
Lincoln'! family, say* that on the very
morning of the assassination. President
Lincoln took up a portrait of Gen. Lee.
scanned the Ihce thoughtfully, and said:
“It Is a good lace; It la the face ofa noble,
noble, brave man. I am glad that the war
la over at last.” Looking up at his son
Robert, be continued: “Well, my non, you
have returned aafely from the front. The
war te now cloeed, and wa will soon live
In peace with the breve men that have
been lighting against us. I trust thst the
era of good feeling hat returned with the
cloae of the war, and that henceforth we
shall live In peace'.” Were Prceldcnt Lin
coln not deed, he would, for euch sayings
snd thoughts as these, be denounced at a
first-class, double-dyed traitor by those
who now have the hypocrisy to pretend
reverence for hie memory.
Vieoinia.—Information bee been re
ceived at Artny'Hendqnarten, eaye the
Weahlngton Star, of the 18th, Inducing the
belief that the Constitution will be adopted
WTho New Jersey Legislature ad- T
Joumed “<* on the 17tb, after passing' In Virginia, which baa hitherto been con
•Ight hundred and thirteen bills. ' Idered one of the most doubtful States
from the General’s father, without the cur
tailment of a single word." You bet 1
The Soutukrx Exckess Cowanv.—The
case of Meyers, stockholder, against the
Southern Kxprcs* Company, of which Con
federate General Johnston was President,
came up liefore Hie .Supreme Court ol New
York on the lstli. The plaintiff seeks to
enjoin the Company from Incurring debts
and collcitingassessments from stockhold
ers. The Court reserves its decision.
Reuisthar or DeKalb County ix a
Tight.—It is charged, niton good author
ity, that Hie Registrar for DeKalb county,
whilst discharging Hie duties of bis office,
used threatening language to the ne
groes to deter llictii from voting for Got-
don.
Hk .Smells Better.—Wc make the' fol
lowing Interesting extract from Hie Eu-
faula News of the lstli. Our friend over
there Is evidently fixing up in Ids latter
days:
To Ur! Rich, of the firm of Asli & Rich,
we must return our thanks for a bottle of
perfume and a jar of hair oil. Thus armed
we think we can stand another -order”
from headquarters without falling.
IST Tbe Memphis Bulletin says: “ It ap
pears probable that most people In tills
State who arc In want of a situation will
run for Congressman for the State at
large."
Dublix. April 18.—Tbe Prince of Wale*
was installed Knight of St. Patrick, to-day.
Cable Dispatch.
Wouldn't It have been more appropriate
to have Installed him as a Knight of Kill-
Patrlbk, taking In view the recent Fenian
executions.
WMrs. Mary A. Russell blew down her
negro cabins and barns, killing one negro,
who was In a cabin and seven head of cat-
tUulint were In the barns.—Dqfuuhj Asiw,
Mrs. R. must be one of those Interesting
females who are said to frequently “get up
a breeze.”
c schooner Lewis, advertised from
Philadelphia to Savannah, was sunk In the
river below the latter city—by running
opon the sunken gunboat Georgia. The
cargo will probably bo saved, No llvoe
**Chief Justice Chase stated to Theo
dore Tilton, a day or two tlnee, that he
had never read the article attributed to
him In tho Washington Intelligencer, end
knew nothing of it-untll hts attention
was called to It.
TBE CLOSE OF THE ELECTION,
An issue which has been long discussed,
and which lias alternately awakened th,
hopes nnd fears of tho people of Georgia
during tho past twelve months, lias been
decided to-day; the election is over, and
there van be but little doubt that the lies'
Constitution lias been ratified. The quo*-
lion now Is, Are wo Reconstructed? arc
we an active, living portion of tho United
States ? The people of Georgia havo done
their part, havo fulfilled their role In tho
work proposed by Congress—will that
body now fulfil it* part of the agreement P
will the State lie admitted to tlio rights and
privileges uf the Union, In aecordance
with Hie letter and spirit of the Recon
struction Act and Its Supplements ?
Acting upon Hie hypothesis that Con
gress would keep its faith in this all Im
portant point, this journal and the largo
and respectable class of Georgians whom
It represent*, lias persistently advocated
aud given their Influence to the new Con
stitution. Our portion of the work Is
done, ami we anxiously await tbe result.
Whilst wc hope for the best, wc must con
fess, frankly, that wc have some misgivings
for the future. Had we the positive as
suraiice that tlic Constitution, dictated by
the dominant sectional party, and framed
by their plastic tools for the people of
Georgia, was not a pretext for delaying
our restoration, we might feel that Its rat
ification la one step forward to that posi
tion wherein centers the future hopes of
Hie true friends of free government in
this country. We do not doubt the suc
cess of the candidate we have advocated.
Wc feel confident llmt lie lias re-
reoelved a majority of the votes cast. Wc
believe, further, that, under the Recon
struction Act of Congress, he Is clearly el-
igibletotbe office of Governor, and that
he will scrupulously and honestly support
tho new Constitution, aud faithfully exe
cute all laws made lit accordance there
with. But wc do fear that those who have
sought and still seek to subvert two of the
three co-ordinate brunches of the Govern
ment, will not unloose tho shaekle* which
bind ns, merely because our people have,
in this election, acted us became tlic de-
scendcnts of American freemen, and elect
ed to the highest office of State the man of
tlielr choice.
Still we should not despond. Tills revo
lution must have an ending. Madness and
corruption will sooner or later expend It
self. Reason will return ultimately, and
with It good government, and a reverence
for those fundamental principle* of Constl- j the next Presidential election. A Demo-
tiitlonal Liberty bequeathed us by a noble jeratlc victory in any one of these States,
ancestry. Above all things would wc ex* i W *R R® equivalent to a majority against
liort tbe people of our unfortunate Com- i Reconstruction, so far as its participation
mon w ealth to patience anil fortitude. Nov-tl* 1 the ooxt Presidential election Is con-
er give up the hope of one day returnhig ®®rncd. ®centhough they ratify the Cun-
to the folds of that Union which was rent: Stitutlons pre-i-nD-d tn them by their Con-
In madness, and in which alone centres the ventions. 1 ii«-ref-,re, the people of these
hope* of every intelligent American, of t'tntoa should stand lion-committed n j win
whatever section. ! the Presidential question until after their
„ ... j Representatives shall have been admitted
PEOPLE WITHOUT A OOVSKNMEBT., to Congress, and their States restored to
Yes. a people without* government, ami * !! ,e * r ^ relations w iih the General
they ore the American People. Conceal i ”‘ ,nilmi, L
the fact as we may. deny It as w« wi.l,de- Reconstruction is a work in which nil
ccive ourselves as wc can, we have no gov- j l “ rtl ” , ln \ he * uu,, ‘ ' ,m " M bu ln-
ernment. We are In a state of anarchy, a ! " ,ht ' rc nro •«? '*''»•''»* *“ '»«
something worse than a despotism, without
THE SOUTH AHD IMPEACHMENT.
Glancing backward over the' pages of
history, wc find no parallel for tho quiet
intllfl’ercncc exhibited by our people lu tho
Impeachment trial and Us results, even
though It should culminate in the removal
of Mr. Jounrok. The [icoplo of the exclu
ded States havo ceased to look upon tho
National Government ns nny portion of
tbelr concern, because that Government
has long slnco practically discarded them—
lienee tbelr Imllfi'eronce ns to who occupies
the chair of tho Chief Executive. To
them It Is a matter of tiro least conse
quence who occupies tho office of Chief
Magistrate, for they have learned that the
Legislative Department lias assumed tbe
power nnd control of tho entire affairs of
tlm Nation, Including both, the Executive
aud Judiciary; and with tlm Reconstruc
tion precedent, it cannot now he doubted
but that body feels that every power of the
Government Is vested In it, and no matter
who is elected President, until the strong
political power of Congress Is broken by
another election, tbe President must how
to their mandates, or bo removed from
office, or have every ]tower legislated away
from him. Therefore, no matter bow par
tial lie might he to the old Constitution nnd
Republican Liberty, be would lxi power
less to nid the people of tbe South, or those
ol nny other portion of the country.
Tis a sad spectacle indeed, when a Re
publican Government so little rcapocts one
third of Its people that they are totally In
different who fills the office of Chief Hitlor,
from the fact that they know lie would be
powerless to extend tbe lull protection of
tile law to them, orto make tbelr condition
worse.
And for this very reason It will be not
only useless, but absolute folly, for the
people of the nnn-reconstructcd States to
take any position upon the Presidential Is
sue now pending. They must bear In
inlntl that the sending of delegates to at
tend the Xational Nominating Convention
will only make them the laughing stock of
the [lowers that control without consulting
tlmm. They have no voice In National af
fair*. nnd they would certainly lie not n lit
tle presumptuous in presenting themsclvei
without invitation to those council* that
have the work of selecting who shall draw
the pay of President aud lie the tool of the
party electing him.
Of this one thing the people of the un
reconstructed States inay rest assured, that
unless they elect the Radical ticket hi
oue, they will have no voice at the [Mills in
a chock against itself, without tbe capacity
to benefit Itself or Its people; ami tlm
people destitute of power, and void of de
sire to aid themselves—bankrupt In pride
as a Republic, embittered towards eseli
other from the great strife through which
we have passed, each striving to oppress
the other and secure some position of
power, regardless of the means employed
to accomplish thp object—all combined,
makes ours tliu weakest and most con
temptible pretense of a government that
ever disgraced Hie c.,rth,
Time was when the United flutes was
government of the people; a republic un
der a written Constitution which was re
garded and respected a* the supreme law
of the laud. That tiino trit*. but Is not
now. The document known a* tho Coniti-
tiiilnti of the United Stales, has lung since
become ubsolete and fallen Into disuse,
or rather, has been superceded by platforms
and manifestos of political parties, the thc-
luine ot knaves and the ex|iedienu of dema
gogues. What was considered arepub! lean
government a few years ago. is now laugh
ed nt as the silly theory of a convention of
“Old Fogles.” Old catablitltwj forms and
Ideas have been swallowed up In the whirl
pools ur Avarice. Envy and Ambition;
and in their places we have Corruption and
Dishonesty of every couecivableshadeand
character.
The old government has passed away,
nnd In It* plnco wc have Hie dictation ol
an unreasoning mob, the reign ofahungry
rabble, which runs first one way and then
another, all Intent upon haring down nnd
destroying, none wishing or caring to
build up. The handi of this mob hare
torn down Hie very pillars of the Republic
for their personal uggriindlzcDicnk and
they are how digging away at the founda
tion stone* wherewith to bnlld Ugh places
for themselves; while other* In tbelr turn
are stealing tlm unio for a like pur
pose. Tho would-he leader of yester
day is pulled down to-day to make plaee
for others who havo but one object before
them: Self—Self. Shame upon our fallen
estate! When will the reign of madness
cease?
Axotuir Colorep Politician Ar-
RESTip.—Ben Duncan, a colored politician
of Rome, wax arrested by tho Military au
thorities yesterday, for threatening y|o-
Icncc to a negro who voted the Gordon
ticket,
l# 'Thorn are said to be over One hun
dred men In Georgia who are In expecta
tion of Ikt appointments, to soon as Mr.
Wade la installed In the White House.
derived from a place in Ike CullIB. all should
strive to get in |*,»Uiuu to enjoy them. It
not. It Is more than folly for us to waste
our time in trying to make our voices
heard in the great emteiis wherein utir
wants will not beconsidered oreur coy,,11-
Hon improved. We had better hold our
selves ready to embrace that party, wlileh-
eviritmay he, that will aid us most after
It is in [lower.
Dbatii op Bishop Hawks.—The Right
Reverend C. S. Ilawks I). I>. Mob.,died
In St. I-ouls on Sunday evening. Hie lath,
aged fifty-six years.
For more than twenty year* he had filled
the office of Bishop of tlm Rpisconnl
Church for tbu diocese of Missouri. Dur
ing n largo portion of that |»-rlod he was
the active Pastor ot Christ Church. St.
fouls, lie was counted among the most
eloquent divines In a church which has
been served by many accomplished pulpH
orators.
The Bishop was born it: NewNiro. North
Carolina, on the 20,t), of May, ISM; he was
the youngest of nine ehlldred, all of whom
are now dead with the exception of the
eldest Sister. Urs.Phebe Anilcron, widow
of lion. Walker Anderson, fora lung period
Judge of the Supremo In Florida.
Four of the fetidly have died wllhlu the
P'*t two years, the last previous to the
Bishop being llev. Frauds L. Hawks, D. V,
In the fall of 18U0, in New York.
C*"lt will turn out that every member
ol the Legislature will hHve to tako the
Test Oath, unless It should ho satlstai to-
rily demonstrat -d that the Radicals havo
* majority. In that eront, the Test Oath
may ho dispensed with, os was tlm ease
with the members of tlm Constitutional
Convention. In cither event Joseph E.
Brown way bo United Stale* Senator.
Bully Asrestep,—Tho Macon Tele
graph of yesterday say*: “A Radical no-
gro was heard to threaten another yestera
day who hail voted the Democratic tloket.
beln * »®M. took possession of
the bully* corpus, and at Inst account* he
was enjoying the sweets of solitude In tho
guard house."
Dieo Out.—The Murfreesboro Watch
man, a Radical paper, ha. TUspendoil pub
lication.
The Baltimore Post, t Radical paper, ha*
hoeu suspended for want of patronage.
Governor Brownlowr will be one ol
the harmonious elements of the Chicago
Convention.
HTTbc National Division of tho Sons of
■ Temperance convenes In Nnslivlllc, May 0. choose the Radical party.
WHAT ABE THE ISSUES BETWEEN THE
TWO POLITICAL PARTIES?
Just at this time there nrc many who nrc
making the Inquiry at the head or this ar-
tlole, but wo havo not us yet heard any
definite answer except in oue Instance
when it was said “that the Issue is, wheth
er or not the doctrines or principles ndvo-
ted by tbe Confederacy should be estab
lished or not.” The author of the expres
sion Is cither a fool or n knave, nnd we are
Inclined to think that lie is nfillcted with a
largo share of both. The issues for which
the Confederacy fought, died with the sur
render of tho Confederate armies. When
tlic rebellion ended, every one of Its sup
porters abandoned 1:1s adherence to tho
doctrines of slavery anil secession, nnd sat
down to await tho action of the Federal
Government, to which ho had given Ids
parol of honor not to take up arms against
Its authority. All recognized tlio fact that
slavery was forever a thing of tho past In
this country, and that henceforth they
most, If they remained within Its jurisdic
tion. give their whole, unqualified allegi
ance to the government of the United
State*. They did not even claim the priv-
llorcsof citizenship.
But tho Government illil not sec fit to
allow them to remain In Hint [wsltlon. In
May, 1804 :1m Congress of tlm United
States enacted n law authorizing Hie Pres
ident of the United States, to grant special
pardon nnd general amnesty whenever lie
saw fit, to those engaged In tlio rebellion;
nnd In many Instances Mr. Lincoln did
tills, and by so doing lind restored the par
ties to all the rights and privileges of full
citizenship; and so well did Hie Congress
understand this to be tile case that they au
thorized Hie organizing of »lx regiments of
United States volunteers to be coin|ioscd of
persons who had received Hie benefits of
this law, and the regiments were recruited
and did good service on the frontier.
On the Util of April, ISO.-,, Mr. Lincoln
w-as assassinated, null Mr. Joiiksox ascend
ed to tlm Presidency. Tlio Law of Con
gress was still In force. Congress did not
assemble until December, 1805. Between
the 14th of April and tlm first Monday in
December. 1805. Mr. Johnson, acting.,lider
the authority hy act or
Congress, bad Issued Ills proclamation of
General Amnesty, with ccrtnlii exception *.
which exceptions allowed those embraced
to receive the benefits of Special pardon.
By tlm first of December, 1805, there was
less Umn one thousand persons who Imd
not been restored to citizenship, by tlic <li
reet authority of the Radical Congr-es, of
the Inited State*. The people of tj,* South,
desired to enjoy the right* ami privileges,
of citizens, lienee they embrace,, tlm offer
made them by tlm Government to return
to tlielr allegiance.
seliizens lhe people ofthoSomh,iiii-
l ll f t,0n t>“.' Frank of the
l nl.ed States, proceeded to start lu mo-
tlon again the nmehliiery or their State,
governments which had been suspend., t
hj the rebellion, mid In starting then the, ■
incorporated In iimir tbustlr„tWn* 7»
-lause declaring slavery forever tOollsheir,
ml their allegiance to the Nullum; Gov
ernment perpetual. This settled by their
,11 a.-t the issues for wbk'h the war Imd
he. " fought, and -bowed their eomplct i
acquiescence to the verdict of tho high
Court of arms. h
But Hie Radical party was still in power.,
tuny were quarreling among themselv s ,
almutthe division of the “public plunder."'
anil their lenders saw that unless uttc illoi-i
could lie drawn to other and richer fields,
afapnll, they, us a party, must go dou u.
There was hut one course left, cither tl f
people of the South must again he Ur^atiut
to a violation or tin• laws of tho cuo*tr- or
they to violate tliu Oinstltu,)*,. tlmni-
Tliesoii."..,-,, peopU.
* s "l»remelnw, h,„ Radical:
is ju'.t, !rp^r" r 'r e iw
ant..Kami Of the coll-
skli'^r, ,he J' t'Uneteii what
* ”f .econstniotlun Law.”
tmc.I"',77 ^ ’ ,IVtllc <»»>■•' be-
I Political parties. Thel'rln-
i Iplcs of the Radical parry are, “Tlm uti-
eon*t i tnt | 01" | l assumption, hy themselves,
f 111 the co-ordinate powers of the Fcd-
‘ral Government; Ignoring entirely tlio
,,7' ra 1 l Owtltntlon hy setting aside at
the [mint of the bayonet, l„ lime «/ grace,
8t * ,e Roverniuents; by taking from
those States, J n violation of the ex pros.,
provisions o,- tlio fundamental law, the •
control of the elective franchise; and with-
out a shadow of authority. .
disfranchising Hum-nnds of citizens wile -
have never been even charged, before the.
courts ot tlm country, with the coiuniUi-
slou of any crime.”
Tlm Principle* of the Oppos',,,, Wrty
■e : “The restoration of these ten State* to
their r , g, | , ,ul lllun , n
Honor*ih*t !£?* ■' ,,r Co„*tltu-
aneaHun he - of the suffrage
tiif* i v» u. *1*° provided for by
fliii J- D 4 ' Uul ' n " 11,0 country; and tho
tallest liberty and protection hy law to nil
e«'r«j V, 18 l mnl »l"»ent of all criminals
i™»-1° i VU “""f* of the country, and the
impartial execution of all the constltu-
tlonal laws of tliu land."
These are the leading Issues between the
two parties, and between them the people
of the country have to choose. The appeal I
7®? to *• reMon ol tho people than •
to tlielr honesty. If they favor free gov
ernment under the old Constitution, the
honest administration of tlm laws, nnd
protection of rich and poor, high nnd low
itlikc, tln»y will choose iho Conservative
party. If they fHVor and desire oppres
sion ; are opposed to tree government un-
dar» ropablicnn form, tupporting a vast
hen! of thieves and knaves, they will
