The Sun.
London, England, 1867-01-31 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONLON, THURSDAY EVENING, JANUARY 31, 1867.

Colorado to repretentation in Congress as a State
of the Union. The news of January 30 supple-
ments this intelligence With the information that
the PRESIDENT has vetoed the bill proposing the
admission of Nebraska as a State. So that this
latest movement of the Radicals has, as usual, re-
ceived a check from the firmness of the PRE-
SIDENT, and his determination to uphold
the Constitution. The object of the Radical
party in endeavouring to admit these States
is, of course, transparent. They wish to increase
the strength of their party in Congress by the ad-
mission of four new members; and they will very
likely find several more new States waiting for ad-
mission. Already Montana is talked about, and if
Messrs. SumsEit and STEVENS are to have their
way, the geographical limits of the United States
are likely to be as elastic as their political constitu-
tion. The Radicals scarcely trouble themselves to
conceal their, objects ; indeed, their manoeuvres are
so self-evident that the attempt to do so would be
futile. Colorado and Nebraska have, no doubt,
like the other thinly-peopled States of the New
World, a great future before them. Their
natural resources are great, their powers of
production as yet untried, the capacities of
their soil undeveloped, but to admit them to an
immediate equality with the older states, with their
millions of inhabitants, is an act of political extra-
vagance only possible under existing circumstances.
Neither Colorado nor Nebraska have as yet inhabi-
tants enough to entitle them to send two members
according to constitutional provisions ; but such
considerations, as we have seen, have no weight
with the Radical leaders. They have made it con-
ditional on the admission of the territory of Nebraska
as a State that it shall adopt a constitution removing
all political inequalities on account of colour. This is
quite an illegal and unconstitutional provision,
which Congress, under existing circumstances, has
neither right nor power to make, but it sufficiently
shows the sort of measures which are expected from
the new States. These two significant movements,
however, have been, as might have been antici-
pated, opposed by the PRESIDENT. Indeed, no one
could reasonably sanction the admission of these
newly constituted territories, while he permitted the
exclusion of the old states of the South. The
Radicals pull down with one hand, while they
build up with the other. They do not
attempt to conceal the rancour and vehemence
of their feelings towards the South. The
whole of the Republicans are not of
course animated by the same bitter and intolerant
spirit, but they are dragged along by their leaders,
who are in some instances inspired, it is said,
by sentiments of personal vindictiveness.
The state of American parties is such that
moderate men are afraid to leave the ranks of
either side for fear of being forced into the other,
denounced as traitors, and rejected by their consti-
tuents. There is no middle ground between parties
such as we have in England, and a thorough inde-
pendent politician, untrammelled by the fetters of
party, is unknown. The consequence is that the
country loses the good effect which might be produced
by such men, and the whole system of legislation is
committed to violent extremes. A specimen
of this was given the other day, when
a moderate Republican, Mr. HALE, inter-
rupted a disgraceful attack made by Mr. LOAN, a
Missouri Radical, upon President JOHNSON. Mr.
LOAN plainly declared that Mr. JOHNSON was in
the plot for the assassination of his predecessor.
" The assassin's bullet, wielded and directed by
rebel hands, and paid for by rebel gold, made
ANDREW JOHNSON President of the United States,
The price which he was to pay for the promotion
was treachery to the republic, and fidelity to the
party of treason and rebellion." This language
was interrupted by Mr. HALE, who demanded
proof of such assertions. The speaker, however,
interfered, saying that, pending a charge of impeach-
ment, members might, upon their own responsibility,
make charges of any sort. A somewhat novel in-
terpretation of constitutional law !
The PRESIDENT, however, is not to be moved by
threats or menaces of any kind. He keeps firm to the
original doctrines of the constitution, and his Cabinet
support him. By his resolution, although he cannot
override the extravagant action of the Radicals, ho
puts a powerful check upon their proceedings, and
they are chafing under the irritation. The execu-
tive, though theoretically powerless, can practically
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