The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-09-21
Address Of the Republican National
Committee.


From the World.
The Republican National Committee have
issued an address, designed, we suppose, as
counterblast to the address Of the Philadelphia
Committee, written by their deposed Chairman,
Mr.. Raymond. TLis manifesto, by its style, is
from the pen of Mr.. Greeley, who replaces Mr.
Raymond in the National Committee as its New
York member. Marcus L. Ward signs it as
Chairman, John d. Defrees as Secretary, and the
signatures of twenty-five other members-mak-
ing twenty-tour in all close all dispute about a
quorum. Mr. Wards name as Chairman, and
Mr.. Greeleys as the member from New York,
show that the Committee regard Mr.. Raymond
as having been pitched out, neck and heels.
That gentleman's devoted and dotmg regard for
the organization which has thus washed its
hands of him, and of all his belongings, is ami
ably set forth in an editorial in Wednesdays
Times, softly wooing the Republican party to
stand with him upon the old platform, and pre-
dieting the glories and trinmphs of so sweet
reunion. 1t may indeed be, for aught we know,
that the party cherishes the beautiful sentiments
ascribed TO it by the Times, but the editor must
be very devoted and contiding to think So
"Perhaps she did right in assembling her love-
But why did she kick me down stairs?"
With the exception of single short passage,
| which we will quote presently, the address has
| in it nothing noteworthy. 1t is written in good
temper, with sufficient dignity, and consists of
| compact statement of the staple arguments of
the radicals against the policy of the President
| The noteworthy passage to which we alluded is
| the tollowing:-
What, then, is the ground of complaint
| against Congress?
N"Is it charged that the action of the two
Houses was tardy and hesitating? Consider
how momentous were the questions involved,
| the issues depending. Consider how novel and
| extraordinary was the situation. Consider how
utterly silent and blank is the Federal Constitu-
tion touching the treatment of insurgent States,
| whether during their fragrant hostility to the
| Union or after their discontinue. Consider
| with how many embarrassments and difficulties
| the problem is beset, and you will not wonder
| that months were required to devise, perfect,
| and pass, by two-thirds vote in either House,
| just and safe plan of reconstruction"
The statement which we have made is remark
able, not on the score of its truth--for its truth
cannot be successfully controverted- re-
markable on account of the source from which
| it, at this late day, emanates IL is precisely
the doctrine, on that subject, of President
| Buchanan's last annual message; precisely the
point OF that part OF the message against which
| the whole Republican press OF that day raised
such a resounding chorus of obloquy. The
Constitution being utterly silent and blank" in
regard TO the treatment of insurgent States
| IN. B., 1t is not by any means silent and blank
| IN regard to the treatment of insurrection) but
as, by the formal, the official confession of the
Republican party, the Constitution grants no
power to deal with insurgent States, it follows
| that the assumption by Congress to deal with
| them is a sheer usurpaton.
The Constitution conters upon Congress GER
tain powers which are carefully enumerated,
that OF dealing with insurgent States being CON
fessedly not among them, and it then subioins
the following supplementary clause, which is
the sole grant of implied powers:-'To make
all laws which shall be necessary and proper
for carrying into execution the FOREGOING DO wers
and all other powers vested by this Constitution
in the Government OF the United States, or any
department or officer thereof" Now as the
Constitution is utterly silent and blapkn as tC
the mode of dealing with insureent States, il
} clearly follows that Congress has no authority
| to act on that subject at all. The nail thus
driven is clinched by the following, which is the
tenth amendment:-"The powers not delegated
, to the United States by this Constitution, MOI
, prohibited by II 10 the States, are reserved tC
] | the States respectively, or to the people.n
} Powers about which the Constitution il
! | "utterly silent and blankn are surely not dele
1 gated; and such powers cannot be exercised b.
: Congress without plain and bald usurnation
D The power to reconstruct State Government
after they have been broken down bv insurrec
t ton is reserved, then, to the people of thos
0 | States; and the moment such Governments
: being republican in torm are re.estabhshe l. th
r | Constitution itself defines their rights.
}. The characteristic difference between the Coy