The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1865-12-14
COIfax's Bid for the Speak
ership.

The small maneuyers of trucking
politician would not deserve public COM
ment if they did not indicate the senti-
ments and temper of the House on
which they are designed to act. Mr..
Colfax is not "a pillar of state" but
"a vane on the top of the edifce" show
ing the direction of the wind. Mr.
Ex-Clerk Mcpherson had preceded
him in a bid for reelection by announc-
ing in advance his determination to
exclude the names of Southern men,
bers from his roll. Both Mr. Colfax
and Mr.. Mcpherson are competent
judges of the political views of the new
House. Their mode of recommending
themselves is a conclusive demonstra-
ton that the Radicals are in the des-
cendant, and that the President will
be compelled either to modify his poll
cy or postpone the expectation of its
success. This is what we charged in
the late political canvass, and we lost
the election only in consequence of the
Republican DISCUSSES and denials.
True, Mr.. Colfax bestows on Presi-
dent johnson lip-service of praise,
while opposing his policy in substance !;
but this is a regular part of the Radical
programme. It is for their interest to
avoid an open rupture and split in
their party; which would lead to
coalition of the reconstructionist Re
publicans and the Democrats, and bring
the radicals in minority. But it is
observable and markworthy that Mr..
Colfax commends the President only
for what he has done to obstsuct the
return of the States to their federal re-
lations, passing over in expressive
silence all the things he has done to
facilitate and forward it. He is blind
to all that part of the Presidents re-
construction policy which does not con-
sist of negatives. He makes the whole
merit of the Presidents measures con-
sist in obstructing and preventing the
resumption of civil government in the
South till Congress could meet and act.
According to Mr.. Colfax, the common
dable parts of the Presidents plan con-
sist in his saying to the South, you
shall not come back till you have done
certain things; which things, he takes
pains to add, though very well in them
selves, are quite insufficient to obstruct
the too early return of the South
To the Presidents three requirements,
namely, declaring the secession ordi-
nances void, adopting the constitutional
amendment, and repudiating their war
debt, to these three Mr.. Colfax. adds
four more which he regards as indispen-
sable.
Mr.. Colfax goes on enumera-
ting and explaining the things on
which he says the President ought to
insist but has not. They are merely
set of drags and brakes to retard re-
construction, and keep the South, for
an indefinite period, under military
rule. Mr.. Colfax winds up this part
of his speech by an indirect rebuke of
the President "The danger now is
too much precipitation. Let us rather
make haste slowly" The Republican
House to whom Mr.. Colfax thus pays
court by echoing what he knows to be
their sentiments, will not deem it pru-
dent to make an open issue with the
President on negro suffrage; but they
will be fertile in expedients for keep
ing the South out, on other grounds,
until negro suffrage is conceded.
In this speech, Mr.. Colfax virtually
censures the President for precipitancy
in the work of reconstruction for ex-
acting of the South but small part of
the conditions on which Congress will
insist; for approving the action of the
Southern State Conventions. which is
all to go for naught-N r World