Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1865-1869, 1866-03-19
mo More White States

The h'dePendeRt, the especial organ Of the
Radical interest, interprets the refusal Of Con-
gress to admit Colorado into the Union as a
. State, as evidence OF the fixed purpose Of Con-
greSs to admit "a no more white States'-tO adj
NIT no territories that do not profess and prac-
tice the creed that "all men are created
equal.n The Independent thus illustrates its
views:-'' If Connecticut were territory to-
" day, she ought not to be admitted till after
q" expunging from her legislation her lastyear's
insult to an unOfending portion of her people.
The bad example Of that single State has
"dOne as much to delay just reconstruction
" of the Union as the bad example of South
" Carolina did to accelerate the rebellion
" Every Northern State that denies justice TO
" the negro invites every Southern State to re-
" main in rebellion. Therefore, no more white
States"
The monstrous doctrines, the arbitrary and
unconstitutional exactions Of these radicals
have become so familiar to our minds by con-
slant iteration and reiteration, that they no
longer shock us as they formerly did. When
they fall upon our ears they awaken scarcely
any emotion. Our only feeling now is one of
apathetic, chronic disgust.
There are some, perhaps, who are simple
enough to think that the South would at once
disarm radical opposition by submitting
to radical exaetiOns; by doing cheerfully
and readily all that the Independent and
kindred sheets require. Some peace-lOving
persons would perhaps be disposed to yield
to these demands at a sacrifice Of feeling, in
order to procure the restoration Of the Southern
States and final and complete settlement of
the disturbing questions that are before the
country. If there are any such in the South,
we take the occasion to tell them they are un-
der a delusion. Radicalism cannot be quoted
by submission or appeased by concession. Its
appetite grows with the food it feeds upon. The
more it is humored, the more capricious it
grows the more it is yielded to, the more ex-
acting and imperious it becomes. There are
some perverted minds that derive more pleas
ure from taking by violence and without au-
thority than they receive from voluntary con-
eessiOns The desires Of such are Unsuitable.
1t is thus with radicalism. 1t would rather
despoil the South forcibly than see it yield up
its rights peacefnlly-fOr it takes a vindictive
pleasure in acts of violence. While there are
some fanatics who worship the negro, and sin
eerely desire to see him recognized as the equal
of the white man, there are for every such
fanatic thousand political radicals who care
nothing for the negro, who hate the South, and
only use the negro as an instrument by which
10 humble and mOrtify the Southern whites.
They would use any other available instrument
tally to the same end.
The South can gain nothing by yielding to
the demands of such men nor has it the power
to resist. 1t can be passive and let them Z" work
their spite" Let the criminality of evil-dOing
rest upon them, rather than the dishOnOr Of
compliance upon us. We believe that the true
policy Of the South is to act as if there was
no such thing confronting it as radicalsm, and
to consider only what the President wishes it
20 do, and do that fully and faithfully.
1t is not in the power OF the Southern people
to satisfy and pacify their prosecutors. Ifthey
were to consent to all their demands, those de-
mands would rise higher. II negro suffrage
and negro equality, which they prescribe as
the test Of Southern loyalty, were agreed to,
they would at once find another test, if posi-
BILE, more distasteful. Determined to be dis
pleased, they will not want pretext for a
quarrel. We could not, perhaps, give them a
more mortal OflenSe than by removing the ne
gro issues they have made. Were we to be-
come the advocates of negro equality and ne
gro suffrage, we would deprive them Of their
best card-their most plausible pretext. 1t
would cripple them SADLY. They would be
puzzled to find satisfactory substitute for it.
Iftheir persecution shall continue much longer,
and we shall find that the only way to beat
them will be to take up the negro and make
much of him, we may find it convenient to try
the efficacy ofthat unpalatable expedient-nOt,
however, to please the Radicals, but to spite
them.