Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1865-1869, 1866-04-26
Worse and Worse


" me the finest nations of the world-the Eng
6 ish and the American-are going all away into
90 wind and tongue" In the same address he
saws" We have got into the age Of revolu-
tions. All kinds Of things are coming to be
" subjected to fire, as it were and hotter and
&" hotter the wind rises around everything
GO. It is evident that whatever is not
" made Of asbestos, will have to be burned in
90 this world. 1t will not stand the heat it is
"getting exposed to. And in saying that, it is
&" but saying in other words that we are IN an
epoch of anarchy-anarchy plus the con-
stable"
1t does literally seem, in America at least,
that the struggle between old and new ideas has
inaugurated an epoch Of anarchy" which is
destined to end in total subversiOn Of all old
ideas and venerated systems. A thorough,
radical, social and political change is now
rapidly going on, which not even the COnstitu-
ton, that bond of union between the States,
can escape. The fire kindled by radicaliSm
threatens to consume asbestos, even.
The debates in Congress show that 6" we are
going all away into wind and tongue" Day
after day the newspapers come filed with the
speeches delivered in Congress, and day after
day they pass away without showing anything
worthy of notice. There is no eloquence, no
massive logic, no craftsmanship revealed in
them. Nine times out Of ten they are not
worth the paper they are printed upon. Oc-
casionally there is some evidence Of power
but it is that power which originates mischie-
vous measures. All that the conservative
minority, among whom there are some able
and good men, such as DOoLTTTLE, GUTHRIE,
JOHNSON, and others we might name, can do, is
10 combat these mischievOus measures, task
so hopeless as 10 deprive them Of the stimulus
necessary to quicken and elicit their full abili-
ties and powers. As for any opportunity to
show their abilities and powers in the origina-
ton of public measures, none such exists.
They are in the centre of a circle Of influences
that depress and paralyze them.
The most noticeable thing that has occurred
in the House of Representatives for some days
past. and noticeable not by reason of its abili-
", but Of its mischievous spirit, is the speech
delivered by Mr.. SHELLABARGER, Of Ohio, on
Saturday last, on the general subject Of TIRE
construction "a word that, by the way, should
never be used, since it incorrectly implies
previous dissolution or destruction. Mr.. Shell
LABARGER IS regarded by his party associates as
a man Of learning and originality OF mind, and
is looked up to as a bright and shining radical
light. Hitherto the party to which he belongs
has been content to annex certain conditions
TO the enfranchisement Of the Southern
whites-the taking of the amnesty oath, the
extension of suffrage to the Southern negroes,
the repeal Of the act of secession, the repudia-
ton of the Confederate war debt, &c. and in
the case of Representatives duly elected to
Congress, submission to the test oath.
MIR. SHELLABARGER breaks fresh ground in
the speech alluded to. lie goes beyond the
whole anterior action Of his party, and seems
10 Ms to place himself close beside THADDEus
STEVENS, and to favor the entire, unconditional
and perpet,a! disfranchiSenent and exclusion
from citizenship of all who participated IN the
war on the Southern side, and to entranchise
only the negroes and the few whites that adj
hered to the Union, and thus completely radi-
calize and Africanize the Southern States.-
We subioin some extracts from Mr.. SHELLA-
pAReER's; speech, so that the reader may inter
pref them for himself:
,.NIr. Sheilabarger next ad dressed the House. He
reminded 10 that some weeks ago he had introduced
n resolution requesting the Judiciary committee 70
ennuire as 10 whether IL was competent under the
o. eTf,,Ff for forrdr
forfeiture OF citizenship, by act Of law, where that
citizenship had been voluntarily abandoned by acts
of dislOyalty. Since that resolution had oeen
adopted he was glad TO tnd that Que distinguished
gentleman who had occupied the chair Of the House
had been rejecting on this great question IN the
same direction TO which that resolution pointed
One Of the most distinguished lawyers OF the House
had also introduced a set of resolutions bearing on
the same idea and expressing with more dstinctness
a plan for putting in application that power Of the
Government. He was glad, therefore, % md these
and other evidences that the mind OF the country
was being now directed toward the important prac-
teal question. as one Of the means which
NAV be re-orted % for the purpose Of rehev-
inr the Government from those questions Of ter
rible enhancement by which 10 was surrounded
lie desired nov % direct bis remarks % mat great
question iu ne breach between the President anu
Congress touching the method % restoring the state,
in the recent revolt 81 controlling power ia he
Union and in the calsas i1r that breach most men
found the occasion for alarm. lf however. any
faith could be placed n the m1st solemn lf,sran-s
of Congress and Of the President then they q n ll.
diaer but did not precisely agree upon one al hast
of one of the most important and decisive p,rs
and means for the restoration OF thO- states IN pow
or He solemnly averred his belief that II The Pres
dent and Congress had the constitutional night %
employ the means to which he alluded for the re-
toraton Of the States, aud If they would IN gopd
faith mite % apply and put in force the principle
which both pr0essed % hold the work OF restoration
would b. not easy AZ least ultimately certain and
80 s..un. IA
State - -gys ysgp-s st9uld alone have power
Cover ..stt ettci ~ tle holding or BY the eXer
c-ss 20 t.s c.ecl,e 'ssa' se s.c that the consc!
01s stc e,puti Vt rotr's ~ tt Rebellion
,ts.. ", a'sot convicted ,,it vs.,c-l-. u the 10y
al ,--s ~ 1,,a, Sr.s.r u.t ~ evttft ~ ,arI Gov
erums.s a. soc q, ,v..gut r,! vu' ~ t-yss state
should 49, " rrviuuy .N-C.. :, stt ve ssts V 90
parent GgrsF.t-rta r-.1t "a .,ci..A " ~! s-..ys
like that wa. s.kp.s eett 81 oy'iltlei,- ~
ayOwals by The Pres 1vtl - Ds epae, iv' Ca v',t
sion Of Rebels ffgh p.vrss ~ gvtoi nt,vtr ri.'
for their condign D1HsltIr-t sac Vtvt o, ieessvi
20 recent and explicit. tAat .. -y.yf 1ltt Stevf
would be 70 attribute % tie Pres -r iseae 4e! q,
hi- professions and inhdelty ~ Sil'-s ~ A,t.-
and manhood. II would b. y aLlfl sals V. lll g.'
poses and conduct which would b. 1'sgfssrf-l q.
the most vulgar political harlequin. b1t sLltA. "a
the ruler Of a great and generous people ~ Lss
~ h0nored and trusted him, would b. utterly dis
gusting and Infamous. Congress had ALREADY is1
cated h belief 10 the same thing IL was obvious
,beref,,. chat the President and Congress .gre.f
we're ordeals from Government until they bring
frtb fits meet for repentance. He then proc eeded
10 discuss the right Of Congress 70 exclude from
citizenship an who had voluntarily renounced ii
sustaining his position on the Constitution, on inter
national law. and on precedents established an,
practiced by foreign governments ana IoIoWed D.
the American Government In the case OF person
who had been engaged in Shay's rebellion IN Mass
chusetts.
'what he was considering was an exercise OF n'
tional sovereignty, not In punishment Of crime OF
simply in depriving men who By acts Of disOyaltl
had voluntarily renOunced their allegiance 20 the
own Government, Of the right 20 resume their polt
cal powers. He would not have what he said pushe
20 any other consequence than the consequence I
which he pushed his argument, namely that Oh
right Of citizenship being OF national donation.
national definition and Of national control was
matter the deprivation Of which a. a consequence
a voluntary surrender Of the obligations OF citizen
ship was not like an infection Of punishment 70
crime. but was simply declaration OF the sOvereig
that. as they had surrendered their political fran
ehises they should not continue to exercise them"
Interpreted as we can only interpret it, thi
new and startling doctrine goes bOw-shot be
yond any measure yet seriously proposed b.