Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1866-10-11

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are the most liberal and fair that will ever
be. In presenting such insidious appeals,
the party leaders expect the people Of
North Carolina, like themselves, to surren-
der principle for policy at the terrible ex-
pense, too, of their honor and manhood.
| Degrading as the proposition is, has it
even the merit of being honest? Has Con-
gresa any plan of restoration? Is not this
proposed amendment cheat and a lie ? If
we should adopt it, would we not be
as far from the goal of our hopes as we now
are, but stripped alas of what little power
of self-protection we now have. All the
leading Radicals, in and out of Congress,
have openly asserted that they will not admit
the Southern States merely upon the adop-
ton of the amendment, and all their news
papers, even of the more conservative class,
expressly declare the same thing. Says the
New York Independent, "No leading Repub-
lican in Congress means to admit the ten
waiting States simply upon the adoption of
| the constitutional amendment These States
are to be admitted OH no other condition
short of the equal political rights of the
loyal citizens without distinction of races
and reconstruction and reunion will never
take place until the rebel States come back
on this basis, or they shall not come back
at all. The Tribune, the ablest, most hon
est and most influential of the Republican
journals, has recently declared for 60 univer-
sal amnesty with universal suffrage The
Boston Advertiser, an able and Conservative
organ, but bitterly opposed to the Presi-
dent, declares that " the result is that to-
day no man or organ of opinion can say
anything more than it is probable that the
Southern delegates will be admitted in case
the proposition of Congress is finally ac-
copied" And the New York Times, whose
editor, Fl. J. Raymond, is performing no
unimportant part in the political drama Of
the day, distinguished for the versatility of
his talents, says
In point of fact, the adoption rejection of the
amendment has nothing whatever to do, as the
law now stands, with the admission or rejection
of members from the Southern States. bill pro-
vidng for their admission on condition of its adop
ton was rejected by the House, and if every
Southern State should ratify the amendment to-
morrow Congress has not pledged tselfin any way
thsreupon to admit their representatives III Con-
gress. The two questions are entirely separate
and distinct, and each must be determined upon
its own merits.
We are told that we ought to adopt this
amendment without delay, but that Con-
gress ought not to make, and, indeed, has
not made, its adoption a condition pre-
cedent to the admission of representatives
from the Southern States.
1t is hardly necessary for us to add that
the South does not want the amendment
not even it's advocates advise it's acceptance
voluntarily, but to prevent ''other ills we
know not Of" We want the Constitution
as it is, and not a Government changed to
suit the views of our malignant enemies;
but what we supremacy want at the present
moment, is restoration. We are thus COM
mended to the things we do not want, and
that what we most covet is held as only a
probable result of such action OH our part
It is useless. nay, it is senseless, to deny
that the masses of the Radical party are
with their leaders and journals, and that
the great question now at issue, is the set
tlement of the national complications upon
the platform of the President or that of
Thu d. Stevens
The speeches of all their candidates now
canvassing the Northern States their very
lutionary and bloody declarations of their
orators the personal and official insults to
the Chief Executive of the nation, all speak
the purposes of their heart. correspon-
dent of al exchange paper, giving an insight
into Pennsylvania politics, very significant
ly says: 1.-The people are fairly crazy with
enthusiasm when some extremist like But
Ter arrives in their midst and talks of hang
ing jeff. Davis and General Lee, confsca-
ting the property of the rebels or granting
suffrage to the negroes. Any one of these
three propositions touches the true cord in
the Radical heart and is certain to meet
with favor. There is no Disgusting the fact,
that the more radical or impractical
BILE the speaker is, the more atten-
ton he will draw, and the larger and more
enthusiastic will be his audience"
We have thus given our readers the in
terpretations placed upon the Constitution
al amendment by those who passed it,
drawn from every possible source, from the
leading men and presses, and the masses
themselves of the party in whose interests
and at whose dictation it was proposed
They must conclude that the editor of the |
New York Independent, if he is not SO dis
Greet as some, is more honest than many, |
in declaring that to say upon the adoption
of the Constitutional amendment, 1" the
door stands invitingly open for the ten
other States, is to make promise 10 the ear
to break tito the hope."
For the Journal. |
Our Legislative Ticket. |
MEsSRs EDITORS The able ticket nomi- |
mated at last September Court, to represent
New Hanover county in the next Legisla- |
ture oughtto be triumphantly elected. These |
patriotic gentlemen we're in the army in our
late struggle, and sustained themselves and |