The Norfolk post. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 1865-1866, 1865-07-12
THE RADICAL POLICY DEFINED.

sets, speaking the sentiments Of the
party they represent-and perhaps of
all the dominant parties Of the New
England States-~have issued their pro-
clamation of principles, and declared
the basis upon which they will accept
a reconstruction of the Union. They
address themselves ito the people of the
United States" under date of the 21st of
June. We have perused the address
with great care and the deepest interest.
The tone of the paper is calm, mild and
considerable; but firm on the important
points of difference with what is known
as the conservative party. There is no.
thing-not one word-that can give of
fence to any man, be he ever SO South
ern or ever so conservative. 1t reviews
in liberal spirit the great differences of
opinion that have always existed and
which it holds must ever exist between
the slaveholding and non-slaveholding
communities, as to what constitutes the
highest civilization, and asserts that
as they who hold to the Northern
idea have now the power to enforce
their opinions, and accomplish the
objects for which they have been con-
tending since the question was first
raised, tits their duty to see that they do
not allow theopportunity to escape them.
Their object in thus proclaiming their
platform, they do not pretend to conceal,
is to operate upon the masses of the
people, in order that they may operate
upon their members in the incoming
Congress, to induce them to oppose the
admission of any Southern State to
fellowship in the Union until it pre-
sents itself with a Constitution which
shall admit that slavery is wrong, that
denial of political rights to the negro is
wrong, that the doctrine of secession
and States rights is wrong; and ac-
knowledge the entire supremacy of the
Central Government, in all things.
They also demand, rs security for the flu
ture, that the negro shall be admitted to
the full rights of citizenship, according
to his intelligence. That If he be able
to write his own ballot, he must
be permitted to vote it, and that
he should be allowed to swear
to an affidavit that he can read. In a
word, their policy is this: they will OPP
pose and bring all the power they can
WELD to bear in opposition to the adj
mission of the representatives of any
State which does not allow universal
suffrage, or rather equal suffrage. The
negro must be permittedto vote, say they,
or we will keep you in the position OF
territories, under quasi military control.
as you are now, until you come into our
terms.
These questions of the supremacy of
the government and the political rights
of the colored race they consider para
mount, and hold that for the future secu-
rity Of the nation, they must be settled
before the States are again admitted; for
once admitted to an equality on the
floor of Congress, they admit that then
the State is beyond the reach of the gov
eminent to control its internal policy.
They acknowledge that this ordeal passed
the State can be molested no further.
But under the present state of affairs,
holding the Southern States as con-
quered territory, they contend they have
the right to exact security from them,
for their future good behavior and i'm
pose conditions upon them in considera-
ton of forgiveness for the past. $685.
The people throughout the country
are counselled to work faithfully for tn
of these ends. 1t il
thought that howeverinconvenient and
expensive it may be to hold these States
in abeyance-perhaps for years, till they !
shall be finally forced by necessity, or
change of opinion, to accede to the de-
mands of the Fanuel Hall committee
still the delay and expense will be fully
justified by the immense benefit that
will he derived from having made the
negro thinking and voting being,
and raised him thus far in the scaleof
1t matters not, though the
neopIe of their own race be disfranchis-
cd and their rights taken from them, if
,nlv an alien and different race can be
clothed with very doubtful privilege.
IN regard to social equality, the address
uses the following language: Appeals
NAV be made to taste or pride on the
subject of the social equality OF the
people of color. We must not permit
bur opinions to be warped by such con-
The present question y
strictly one of political justice and safe
ty, and not of social equality. When
the free man of color, educated In the
common schools, deposits vote whichhe
can write himself gives deposition
which he can read and sign, and pays
a tax on the homestead he has bought.
the law forces no comparison between
bis intellectual, moral, physical or social |
and that of the white citizen,
IF whatever race or nation, who lives,
votes or testifies by his side." But the
substance of what they intend to do,
the President and Congress
second their views, lie contained in the
following four propositions:
y q Il -