The mountain Democrat., 1865-10-28
An ArtRal DSARsr.

Tune. IL H IKE ene WaH WnO vas IN n
vOr Of the Maine law but opposed to its
execution. It is trying to stand on its
head and heels at once. It is . ludicrous
experiment, but equal to the Unions i'm
mense capacity. It's aStraddls the fence
carrying water on both shoulders It
Is not like the ass between two bundles Of
hay, starving from hesitation as 70 which
be shall eat; for It continues to eat both.
It Iuxuriatss on Federal pap, and grows
saucy on radical patronage. Its interest
induces it to support the Presidents re.
construction policy--its feelings, the State
suicide policy Of Chase and Sumner
fOrgstanG de uemnclay fate Of'ths be-
witched terrier IN humble imitation of
that intelligent 'purp,' it is vainly trying
to make both ends meet It will be
equally as successful. Speaking Of the
views Of the President on reconstruction,
negro suffrage and basis Of represents.
tion,' the Union, with studied artfulness,
remarks:
1.-THE President has just made known, thrO'
. military friend, that his opinions Of what
ought to be secured in reconstruction are sub
stantially in harmony with those of the Union
party, and has thus blighted darling hope of
the opposition"
Let US examine this and see if it be
true or false. We grant that the Presi-
dents opinions Of what ought to be Sc.
cured in reconstruction are substantially
in harmony with those Of the conserva-
tive wing of the Republican party; but
not in harmony with those Of the radical
wing Of the party. The radical wing Of
the Union party'-the wing which claims
to have a majority in COngress-the
wing to which Chase, Sumner, Wade,
Ashley, Highly and the Union belong
the wing which recently carried Iowa,
to the great joy of the UniOn-the wing
which recently held q State Convention
and nominated ticket in Massachusetts,
and which is dominant in the New Eng
land States-the wing which, in State
Conventions, in Vermont, Iowa, Massa-
chusetts and Minnesota, refused to en-
dorse the Presidents policy-the wing
which read the Short Hairs out Of the
party in this State-the wing which has
adopted and inscribed on its banners the
words Of Wendell Phillips, no recon-
structiOn without negro suffrage '-enter.
tains decidedly different opinions from
those of the President. President John
son says the Southern States were never
out Of the Union the radicals insist that
they were. President johnson says that
the Legislatures Of the Southern States,
called together by the Provisional Gov
ernors, have the power to prescribe the
qualifications of electors and the eligibil-
ity Of persons to hold Office under the
Constitution and laws Of the State'-and
fortifies this position by saying that this
is power the people Of the several States
composing the Federal Union have right.
fully exercised from the origin of the
Government to the present time Now,
If the Southern States never were out of
the Union, as the President reiterates in
his remarks to General Stearns, which
the Union publishes, they are among the
States composing the Federal UnioN.'-
They can, therefore, 'rightfully exercise
the power Of designating who shall vote !;
it is power thcy have exercised from
the origin Of the Government to the pres.
cnt time and the President has no idea
Of interfering with that right He simply
put them in the way Of exercising it
through Legislature elected according to
law by the people. II, for instance, the
State of North Carolina can 'rightfully
exercise the power Of prescribing the
qualification Of electors no power on
earth can rightfully interfere. Do the
radicals, the men who have dictated and
boast that they will continue to dictate
the policy of the Union party agree
with the President in his State rights
doctrinel Have they not denounced it
Has not the Union itself scornfully repu,
dated State rightsS Have not all the
loyal papers of California followed its
examplei Have not the leaders Of the
Union party pronounced it 'accursed2-
Every intelligent man knows that they
have, and yet the Union, 10 the face Of
these we'll known and admitted facts, has
the hardihOod to say that the Presidents
opinions on reconstruction are substan.
TALLY in harmony with those of the Union
party'll
The radical and controlling wing Of the
Union party'-the wing led BY Chase,
Sumner and Ashley that tho
State governments may be organized by
the people Of the Southern States, their
constitutions will be subject to the revi,
sion Of Congress, and each State must
formally be admitted into the Union by
act Of Congress, before it can be entitled
to representation! 1t takes issue square
" with the President on q fundamental
principle. Mr.. johnson believes that the
States in question, some of which helped
make the Union, are still among the
States composing the Federal Union.'-
Opinions directly antagOnistic the Union
assures its innocent party friends are