Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1865-12-19

the following extracts from an article OF the
New York Times edited by Mr.. Raymond, Re-
publican member Of Congress, will be read with
interest. 1t foreshadows the fact that the views
and purposes Of the extreme members OF the ke-
publican party yclept Radicals, will not be sus'
tanned by the popular sentiment Of tbs masses OF
the people in the North. We hope that'a bright
er day is dawning for it is as dark Erebus ut
this time.
(From the New York Times.)
The Two REMAINING OBSTACLES TO RECON-
srRUcTIoN-The Sou thern Conventions and Leg
iglatures have conformed, in the main, to the de-
oared policy and wishes of the Government
Their short comings have been on minor points,
and, without doubt, will be promptly enough
made good, if the Governm ent asks. So far as re-
lates to the Presidents action in the premises,
there is no serious obstacle left to speedy re-
construction. There are two things only that
can be converted into serious hindrances, and
both of these depend upon the action of Congress,
not upon that of the Executive. We mean the es-
Establishment of negro franchise as condition pre-
cedent to restoration, and the insisting upon the
test oath Of 1862 sine qua non of admission
into any seat of the Senate or the House of Rep
resentatves.
In regard to negro suffrage, the President has
stated in his message that sit is not competent for
franchise in the several States His objection to
any such requirement from the South rests on
Constitutional grounds. There is class of
tremists who contend that the President can OBJ
tain suffrage for the freedmen through the war
power 1t is an absurd pretension. war power
has no existence but in the necessity of prosecu-
ting the effectually and securing its ends.-
The war has now closed. All war powers have
ceased, save those indispensable to the transition
from the military government of the war to the
normal civil condition of the late theatre of the
rebellion.
The only power which Congress has upon this
matter Of securing freedmen suffrage is the power
Of proposing amendment to the constitution to
that end. We doubt whether there is a member
in either branch, visionary enough to imagine it
TO be possible to obtain the ratification of any
such amendment by three -fourths OF the States.
Not Of the late slave States would ratify it Of
their own accord, nor would one-quarter of the
other States, for the simple reason that more
than thrse-feurths of them exclude colored men
from their own ballot-boxes, and it would be mon
strously unjust for such States to compel the
States to electoral system they themselves are
unwilling to adopt
In reference to the test oath the Times says that
it is net fit that the Southern Representatives and
Senators elect should be excluded from the halls
Of national legislation merely as punishme nt.--
fit is best to punish them, it should be done
with the regular pains and penalties of the law,
visited upon their property and persons. There
is no such independent punishment known to the
statute book as exclusion from places of public
trust. That exclusion is only incidental TO some
high penal conviction. This test oath was origi-
nally intended to be simply protective, not at all
punitory. 1t is no longer necessary for protec-
tive purposes, because there is no longer treason,
either actual or potential. Yet we respect that
feeling which shrinks from giving the exalted seats
of the national capitol to men so lately covered
from crown to sole with treason, even though they
now show nothing but loyalty. But ought that
feeling to be INDUCED at the expense of the best
interests of the country, which imperiously call
FOR an early recons truction Is there any dig
nifty involved in the case which would justify the
continuance of this suspension of the representa-
sive principle, which is the very vital essence Of
our civil system ? We trust that Congress will
iudge this matter as dspa ssionatsly and lib
orally as possible. The President, In doing his
part toward reconstruction, has deemed it wise to