The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-01-23


as well as others more directly involved, in his
action upon this bill. The question OF negro |
suffrage is one upon which the Union party, as
such, has never taken action. II has never come |
before any national convention, nor have any
considerable number Of State conventions taken
ground upon It.. Nor Is it quite easy 20 see what
eXigencies OF the public welfare force it, with
such peremptory authority, upon ihe instant
action OF Congress and the country. While it is
o matter of comparatively litIle CONSEQUENCE TO
most OF the Northern and Eastern States, IL
touches most closely the sentiments aud preit.
dices of the West, and is absolutely matter of
life and death to Unlontsm and loyalty among the
masses OF the people in the Southern States
The men, moreover who know most OF the
actual condition OF the colored race in the South,
do not hesitate to assert that no more latal step
for them could be taken than this-that it will
intensity, inevitably and lncalCul8bly, the hos
tility of races already strong enough 70 demand
the Wisest and most careful treatment-and the
chances are three 10 one that it Win bring on
collision, rnsurrection, and rebellion that may
eventually wrap the whole country in the flames
of war tenfold more terrible than that we have
just closed. These are considerations to which
no wise man should willingly close his eyes; and
they may well at least give pause to the efforts
of those most exclusively devoted to the welfare
Of the colored race,
1t is well enough to bear in mind, however,
that President johnson has never committed
himself in any way to Inc principle OF universal
negro suffrage, either for the District OF Colum-
bia or for any State; and that is the principle
which, II this bill passes the Senate, is to be pre-
sented for his approval. He has never gone fur
ther than to say that if acting within his own
State alone, he might favor the admission OF
qualified colored voters TO the exercise of the
right Of suffrage; and even this was given merely
as personal opinion, and in no sense as an in
dicatlon oi official action. 1t is known, also,
that he regards the people of the District OF
Columbia as having in no wise lost their rights
as citizens or their claim to respect and regard
Tor their wishes concerning their own affairs, by
their subsection to the exclusive jurisdiction of
Congress: and ii would be unwise to assume
that he will feel at liberty wholly to disregard
the vote lately taken in the District on the sub
ject OF negro suffrage.
IL is possible. therefore, to say the least, in our
Judgment, that President johnson may withhold
his signature from this bill We distTust the
expressions of confidence of his approval, in
which these gentlemen somewhat ostentatiously
indulge. They may have ground for these eX-
pressions in their knowledge of his purpose
or they may hopeto influence his action by them
or they mayb merely seek to force the party
into this position regardless OF the cooperation
OF the Executive and reckless of the fate OF the
partysitself. In these dal of difficulty and dan
ger-when the peace now dawning may be dis
persed by tempests still more terrible than that
whose frighGtul fury still sounds in our ears, we
cannot look upon Indifference to the fate of the
Union party as consistent with love for the
Union or devotion to the welfare of our common
country. This is not the time when new
issues can be forced upon the nation, without
has just decided.
The Telegraph System of the United States.
From the Wortd.
The telegraph system Of the United States is
rapidly becoming very complete. OF course, the
lines Of telegraph follow the lines of trade and
travel, and consequently do not, as yet, cover so
closely the Southeastern States as they do the rest
of the country.
The American Telegraph Company, and the
Western Union Telegraph Company, by means OF
contracts with Canadian, Nova Scotia, and New
foundland Companies on the one hand, and with
Southwestern and Pacific Companies o1 the
other, have together a complete system of com
municatlon over the entire territory of the
United States. They have, too, through the
Newfoundland companies, practically an eXclu-
siye connection with the Atlantic cable if it ever
be laid Their lines, and the lines with which
they are thus connected, begin at Cape Race,
Halifax, and Farther Point, on the northeast;
they go TO New Orleans, ON the southwest; they
reach San Francisco, on the Pacific, and, through
California, the British possessions to the north
of Oregon.
There are two wires through the length OF
Nova Scotia and New Brunswick; three others
between Bangor and Boston; thirteen through
wires from Boston to New York; fourteen
through-wires between New York and Washing
ton; two between New York and Pittsburg; ten
between Buffalo and Chicago.
South of Washington they connect with all
the important towns on the Atlantic coast, and
| Augustus and an inland line connects Lynch
| burg Chattanooga, Atlanta, Montgomery Mo
| bile, and New Orleans.
| In the Northern States there are stations in
| almost every town, and between all the largest
| cities there are several distinct routes.
West of the Mississippi river, they reach West
| ern Missouri, Nebraska, Kansas, Salt Lake. Two
| wires run from st. Louis west to Omaha, Ne
| bTaska Territory; one runs from the same place
| to Fort Smith, Arkansas, connecting with the
| line 10 Houston and Galveston, Texas.
| From Omaha west one wire runs to Denver
City and other points in Colorado, and another
| to Salt Lake and San Francisco; thence north
| ward to New Westminster in British Columbia
| second wire is to be constructed soon from St
| Louis via Omaha to San Francisco.
! Under the same control is to be the Overland
! Line to Europe, six hundred miles OF which has
| beer opened to the public, north of New West
| minister, within the last three months. .t
OF course, too as industry and traffic recover
in the South new lines of telegraphic cOmmuni
| cation will be opened there. The whole country
viii soon be mere cob@eb.
Progress of Constitutional Liberty in Italy
| from the Herald.
The most remarkable political phenomenon
| in Europe is that which we see in Italy. Tn
| present state OF affairs in that country, vieweC
in contrast with its condition a lew years ago
and through the long night OF despotism which
| hung over it, shows one of the most surprising
revolutions in this eventful age. Italy, the mos
interesting country of the Old World the gardeI
of Europe, the cradle of civilization, the reposi
tory of art, once the grandest of nations and the
ruler of the world around which are clustered
the most glorious and undying memorials o