The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1865-06-23

The New Issue.
The issue between President JOHNSON
and the radicals has become sharply de-
fined, and the people of the whole country
will soon stand ON one side or the other.
The adoption of the same policy in regard
to Mississippi that was initiated in North
Carolina, shows there is to be no backing
down by Mr.. JOHNSON from what he thinks
is the right course, no matter how bitterly
he may be assailed. The leading Republi-
can journals are about equally divided.
Some of them realize the Importance OF
making decided stand against fanaticism
upon the issue now presented, and will
sustain the policy of the President as the
best means to that end. Of this class is
the Chicago Republican, edited by CHARLES
DANA. In its issue of Thursday, speak
ing Of the Mississippi proclamation, and
the men chosen for the work of reconstruc-
ton, it says:
Mr.. johnson has now Louisiana and Virginia
already reconstructed on constitutions abOl-
ishing slavery. He has taken the preliminary
steps for like reconstruction in North Carroll
ma and Mississippi, and Alabama and Georgia
will soon follow. The President has now as
serted his policy on the suffrage question. He
insists that no man shall vote at the prelimin-
airy election who would not be a voter under
the State laws as they existed prior to the re.
lo1ls onI vphN TO- al a. <Lo&
unquestioned proof of his loyalty. Men thus
qualified, he insists, are competent to decide
in the first instance the question of suffrage
for their own State if they give the negro
the right to vote, he will accept it as de-
cision by which he will be bound. If they
decide adversely to the negro, he will abide
by that decision also. This may nov be re-
garaea as the policy of the administrator,
american people acU sustain 1t, or achether then
aoiHprolong indefinitely the cork Of reconstruc-
ton, by rejecting that policy and insisting upon
the assumption of powers by the executive
which he distinctly owns he does not legally
possess. The war is over; Mr.. johnson is for
establishing loyalty as the great prerequisite to
political freedom; that established, he is willing
to trust loyal people with, the regulation OF the
suffrage question for themselves; some ultra
persons demand that he leave the eleven
States disorganized forever, unless he assumes
the prerogative of declaring who shall and
who shall not be voters in these States. These
are the two policies which are now in hostility
and it is for the people to say whether the
Union shall be reconstructed now, or that re-
constructing be postponed into the indefinite
future.
The Chicago Tribune, on the other
hand, as might have been expected from
its antecedents, is bitter opponent of the
Presidents policy, and wants the South
governed for long term of years by
Northern abolitionists and their black
allies in the South, instead of encouraging
the Southern people to govern themselves,
in accordance with the constitution. After
quoting extracts showing their disposition
to accept any just terms the government
may dictate, the Tribune says:
But submissiveness and penitence however
sincere are short-lived emotions. Six months
hence no journal or ex-rebel at the South will
use such language. Now they stand waiting
upon the President, cap in hand, for recon-
struction. When they have got it, the Presi.
dent will be of no more use to them than jeff
erson Davis. His influence over them will
have ceased.
President johnson has already given to two
States policy ofreconstruction which differs
in important respects from that we have advo-
Gated. 1t has been received with concern by
most of those to whom Mr.. johnson owes his
present position, and with evident satisfaction
by all who opposed his election and the war.
From each of the reconstructed States two
delegations are said to have waited upon him,
one favOring some sort of extension of the suf-
fro0 fo ho
The latter have been successful. To deny that
we regret this decision would be to admit that
we have no profound reasons for urging the
opposite policy. x
'Unionists " OF the Holden and Sharkey class
will vote the copperhead ticket every time
With this reaching power strengthening the
copperhead party in other States, the conStitu-
tional amendment abolishing slavery will meet
with the most solid opposition they are cap.
able of giving it. Without the passage of that
constitutional amendment. and with our army
withdrawn, all our boosted abolition of slavery
amounts to nothing. We do not say that such
state of affairs as is above indicated will GER
tainly result. We only point it out as the in
evitable tendency of the course President John
son has inaugurated While we sim
cerely deprecate difference of opinion be-
tween President Johnson and the majority of
his party on this question, we cannot shut our
eyes to the fact that such a difference already
EXITS.
Those who want the Union restored,
and would hail with joy the return OF
every State to its natural relations with
the general government at the earliest
possible moment, will sustain the policy OF
President JOHNSON, while those who can
not exist in any other element than civil
strife and constant agitation will oppose il
to the bitter end. There can be no neu-
trails in this matter.