The Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1863-1886, 1866-11-15
1F THE AmENpmENT FAtLs. .


the close of February, thus relieving
the nation from struggle which seri-
ously disturbs it, allay i'll feeling, pre-
iudice, and enable the nation to work
with will in healing the disasters by |
war. Fruits OF such an event would |
be happy for the whole country, and
serious responsibility rests upon
those who for partisan ends are fan.
ming the flames Of discord and endeav-
oring to prevent it, OF these there
are three classes; The men who drove
the Southern pto rebellion; the
Democratic 10 the North, and
The SO. called .cdis, represented by
Stevens, Sumner and others. The
adoption of the Amendment and the
consequent admission of all the States
to representation, thus completing the
work of restoration, would fatally
check the plans of each and all of
these. The Post continues:
What, then, will be the result if the
Amendment fails? 1t is plain in the
fast place, that We shall be condemn.
ed still longer to the condition in
which the country, to its very great
injury, has been now for eighteen
months-a condition which we have
called anarchical, and which would
be as bad as that OF Mexico, were it
not that our people have more pa
tience, and have not yet fallen into
the habit Of shooting each other for
political differences
But this is not all; we could not
stand still where we are. Political
parties will inevitably divide upon an
issue Of extremes We think il may
be said that this issue will be between
O party on tho one hand who will de.
mand the admission to Congress, and
TO all political power, Of all the leaders
T in the late rebellion, and party on
tho other hand who will demand the
utmost severity Of punishment for
those leaders, and universal or impair
tial suffrage in all the States, as the
only security for the nation.
THAT this is the tendency Uf par.
ties no one can doubt who bears in
mind that the copperhead leaders look
to an alliance with the leaders in the
late rebellion, as their only hope of Q
political future they must, in the ma
ture Of things, demand for those allies
of theirs all political rights and priv
ileges while the 30 called radica
, wing of tho Republican party will no
/ fail TO take advantage of the Southern
States in refusing the Amendment
and of the obnoxious schemes of theil
oppone.ts, to impress upon the peo
, pie the necessity OF still more effective
! precautions against tho dangerous am
!. bition of the Southern leaders anC
. their Northern allies
"Thus, with rejection OF tn,
:. amendment, We shall enter upon an
q other political struggle, moro intens
4 than that through which We are nov
a. passing, more injurious to the country
n and especially to the Southern State
q IA contest of which the issue is no
4 doubtful; for tho twenty millions o
!. the Northern States will begin TO SO
a the unreasonabIeness of the Southern
d leaders, and will lose patience will
these men who 80 stubbornly refus
the mildest terms ever offered u
beaten rebels. Hitherto the countr
q has wonderfully restrained itself; bu
VIC advise no one to push it out @
patience too far. 1t is not ut all i'm
J. possible, it is not even improbable.
+ the amendment should fail throug
Z the obstinacy of the Southern leaders
that the laws which are still on th
!. statute book may be enforced agains
:. the politicians who led their States in
s TO treason and rebellion.
l. "Hitherto wo have given only mere,
: but justice is still alive. 1t seems
i monstrous thing to Southern polli
J. clans that some of them should be on
" eluded from Office; but, suppose the
n were TO be hanged for their treason
Il rs the law demands, suppose their et
Il tates should be taken from them, O
" the law requires! If they will TAX
" our advice they will think of thes
u things. They are not masters OF til
u situation. They have no more e'powt
o now, nor strength with the country
j. than they had the day Lee surrendere
J. to Grant; then hey would have JOY
" fully accepted the amendment it
great folly Of them to reject it nov
J. Their attitude, their conduct, thei
., words, their pretentious claims, al
all irritating to the northern people VIII
'. fought through four years to put dow
" treason, and now SEQ the leading trai
Is ors aspiring to tho highest Offices, an
q demanding where il they were pr,
n dent they would supplicate, and
u they were only reasonable, they woul
~ accept in silence the large and frt
mercy which is offered them
If the Southern leaders were wiz
v. men they would say to thomsolve
= "Our best course is 70 adopt the amen,
"A ment, because thus the matter will /
~ settled we shall at least be secure
D. life, property, and residence in tt
ID country We failed, and we mu
3 wait for our offence to DO forgotten
"a They would zee that presently the
80 affair will blow over ii they act pr,
20 IDENTIFY; but that their present cour
rs is only calculated to excite resen
lie meht against them, Congress, whlC
at would have tho power, under II
,g amendment would, before many yea
'o Il L. l...I.I