The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1865-07-21
THE RADICAL POLICY.
Letter from wendell Phillips.
M the Anti-slavery standard, July 6.

From the Anti-Slavery Standard, July
To the Editor of the Standard.
Let me call your attention and that OF the
country to the danger pointed out in the FOL,
lowing extract from the letter OF an acute ana
President johnson is rapidly issuing proc,
Ianations for the reorganization OF the leGe s
States. The governors appointed are Ola poll
ticians who know all the ropes. Is II nos
their design, and will they not be able, before
next December to make all their new consul
tutions and elect new governors anu ian con-
Vent those States from presenting themselves,
fnlIv accredited on the floor OF the new Con-
DRESS. and participating in its organization.
THEW will claim, as President Johnson does.
that their States have never pcen out OF the
Union; that the governments declares (as 1t
willy the rebellion suppresseo ana military oc-
cupation withdrawn, and that they now resume
their relations with the federal government,
which have been only temporarily suspended.
In this claim they will be backed by the whole
power of the administration, and this Is the
trap to be sprung on rs. The clerk of the
House, you renember, presides until new
speaker is elected. If he had firmness enough
to refuse to. receive the credentials of these
rebel members, and to refuse to count their
votes, this danger might be averted. But can
we count on % much virtue In any politician
We may perhaps battle this plan in the Senate
That body being always organized, no MEM
beers can be admitted without the concurrence
Of the rest. But how long would even the
Senate stand up against the action of the House
of Representatives and enormous pressure of
every other kind? ~ -. -.r
g " believe this attempt will be made at the
next meeting of Congress. Possibly South
Carolina might be kept out, but even this Is
doubtful may exaggerate the importance Of
this matter, but that the attempt will be made
there can be no doubt. r,ea,z Il
The importance of these suggestions cannot
be over-estimated, and every means should be
taken to avert this peril. We have been count
ing on the possibility of rallying majority of
the legally elected members of Congress to
keep the members from the rebel States out of
Congfess at least till they consented to certain
and other matters. Some sanguine friends
believe they can be kept ont until they agreed
to give the negro the right to vote. But &C.
cording to this rebel plot the Southern mem
bers may enter Congress without agreeing to
the anti-slavery amendment, or to any other
conditions. Once inside the doors, they may
take part in all the discussions AMI votes af
fecting themselves and their claims, and may
checkmate the antislavery amendment itself.
In fact. our fate rests in the hands OF the Clerk
of the House of Representatives. I know no.
thing about him: and how few men In the ma
ton could be trusted to stand firm in such .
post! The whole North should be reused to
guard against this danger. If the rebel States,
In their present mood, can, In any way, getin-
side Congress, and WELD eighty -four votes
there, and more especially If they can get<here
unpledged to any conditions and WELD those
VOTES, then truly, the South will be az
strong % ever, and the negro almost as de.
fenceleA. Yours, =, .u,r nrr,,ps-,