The Norfolk post. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 1865-1866, 1866-01-31
A "RAlICAL,Ru VIEWS.

NIL DuIuWiu, tIc cuItUT OI Tile w or
cester, Massachusetts, Spy, one of til,
Oldest papers in that state, is membe
of Congress, and is counted among the
radicals; but he is disposed to be yer,
gentle In his policy towards the South
and if the course which he foreshadows
which we find in his paper of the 9th
be the true policy of his party-we mus
admit that the ruling majority is dis
posed toact very fairly by the minority.
1t gives them at least one chance. MIR.
Baldwin, after referring to the import
ance of the work already done and what
remains to be accomplished by Con-
gress in the restoration of the southern
states to all their rights in the Union,
says: 01 .5 =.
Yet after all that has been gained,
it Is not uncommon to hear the
pacific policy of those who are aiming
to wind up the affairs of this wonderful
revolution in the surest possible manner
denounced as fanatical and revOlutiona-
ry, and the actors therein held up for
public execration. Those who make the
charge are either very ignoront of what
the so. called radicals desire to accom-.
lish, or the truth is not in them. There
may be some who are impatient for
another seige of military courts, conyic-
tons, and executions; but their number
is not large. 1t Is the prevailing belief
that with wise and prudent legislation,
the Government can very well afford to
spare the lives of the half dozen more or
less rebels who are still held in custody.
Without such legislation it will find that
to hang them would be a very poor in
vestment. The intelligent radi-
calism of this country is neither blood.
thirsty nor lawless. 1t doesn't care
straw for the lives of the rebel leaders,
If the future can be secure without
bringing them to Justice. 1t has no in
tention of Quixotizing through the
southern country in search of landed
estates for the freedmen before the laws
are sufficiently reformed and mature to
protect them in the rights they already
enjoy. 1t is cDntented with the demand
that the general government, while it.
self imposing no disabilities upon any
class of its citizens, shall also see that
they are alike protected against en-
croachments from other sources upon |
their personal rights. Intelligent radi- |
callsm is so far from being the violent /
and destructive monster it is mistaken |
for, that it aims no farther than to con-
serve the organic principle of Justice. |
from which all law derives its authority
and all government derives its power.
Therefore it insists that in the reOrgani-
cation of this government, the old as
symptoms of caste, statute offences
against justice, compulsory violations of
personal right, shall have no place in
our laws; and, therefore, it insists upon
Tie right OF every man to choose his
own way of life consistently with the
rights OF his neighbors; the right to be
heard in the courts before which he is
to answer for his conduct: the
right to a voice in making and admins
tering the laws which lie is taxed to
support, and which he consents TO
obey Who is wrOnged therebv >
Whose rights are abridged? Whose life
Is imperrilled Whose liberty is assaiI-
edF Whose happiness is disturbed? ,
Inc law Is fortress and defence for
radicalism asks no more
II there are any who cannot submit to ,
hat, why then the continent is large.
his government imposes no constraint .
Ipon them, the world is all before them ]
where to choose. For them, the revoIu-
ion is entirely accomplished. We tried
to reconcile republican gov >
rnment with the existence of privileged i
lasses and an aristocratic polity. But :
he experiment failed, and will not be i
RED again. If the new policy Is not :
greeable all round, then those who OBJ !
ct to the arrangement must Withdraw. 1
This is very plain and frank state Z
lent of the case. Those who don't like
ne country and the laws that may be .
nacted for its government, may. seek I