The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1866-12-14
Threatenings and Slaugh ter.

Ii need not astonish us that in the first
days Of this Congress, after so clear Ra-
dical triumphin the elections, every speech,
every motion breathes subjngation. That
being apparently the direction Of popular
feeling at the North, every Radical mem
Der is resolved to show himself well for
ward In the movement, and afraid that
any other should appear more Jealous to
crush and stamp ont the South than he.
The universal, and indeed inevitable, re-
fusal ofsouthern States to ratify the "con-
stitutional amendment is another stimu-
lus to this Radical rage. Accordingly, Con-
gress is full of "threatenings and slaugh-
ter" One man proposes to reduce these
States into territories; another to legalize
every illegal outrage done under Execu-
tive proclamations and one Mr.. LAW
KxNCE, of Ohio, being resolved that no.
body shall go beyond him in atrocity at
any rate, brings in bill to repeal all limi-
tation in prosecutions for "treason," be-
cause, says he, if the limitation is to sub
sist, it will soon be impossible to hang JET
PERSON DAVIS; in which case all is lost.
Now, we are not altogether so desperately
frightened by these terrible preparations
as it is probably expected that we should
be. The real practical labors Of Congress
will not commence until after the holi-
days, and members will undoubtedly
consider little during that festive
period how far those measures Of
political vengeance may be found-we
do not say constitutional or just,
for that will not matter much-but safe,
polite, and practicable. Already there
are symptoms of such wholesome reflection.
The New York Times itself says: "Even
"if the plan of creating territorial govern
"mentS for the southern Stxtes be carried
"out by Congress, it would be advantage GUS
"that their material interests be en-
"couraged for territorial governments will
"prove excessively expensive affairs TO the
"nation, and a burden upon the people of
"the North, which they will soon feel
"heavily-eSpecially if southern proStra-
elton reduces still lower than now southern
"revenues. 1t is therefore exceedingly
short sighted in Congress to turn its back
"upon all projects for developing the re-
"sources of the southern States, merely
"because the political sentiments of the
"people are unsatisfactory. 1t is marvel
lousy like biting off ones nose to spite
"one'S face" Very true; and how are
the resources of the southern States to be
developed if the people of those States
who are now laboring to repair the ravages
of war are to be still further depressed,
worried, and thrown into uncertainty
about their whole future-political, social,
and industrial3 The New York World also,
which seems to regard the plan for terri
torializing these States as being seriously
entertained, has most elaborate article
pointing out the practical difficulties OF
such plan; as that it would abolish the
courts of the United States in all the
South, and create a judicial chaos that
the United States would have to assume
all the southern State debts; that the
people of the South "would refuse all
voluntary participation in the territorial
governments -; that there would there
fore be no territorial Legislatures, nor any
local officers of any kind but such as were
appointed from Washington; that "the
& would ha tho ,anpla
"of the United States would not only be
"burthened with the southern State
"debts, in addition to their own, but with
the whole expense of maintaining order
in the South; and "that the difficulty
and friction resulting from the refusal Of
"the people to cooperate in the territorial
governments would quadruple the ex-
"pepse, as well as transfer it," Conside-
rations worth bordering, and which no
doubt will be well weighed before any such
monstrous action is seriously attempted.
The truth is, all these tremendous me-
naces are intended to brighten the South
into adopting the constitutional amend
ment that is to say, affirming that their
best citizens are perjurers and traitors.
This notable amendment" has been
- already much discussed; the southern
mind is made up about it; but as all posi-
bic agencies-interest, fear, and hope--are
now likely to be brought to bear upon US
to procure its adoption-as Mr.. SPAUL-
DING's measure may even pass, promising
congressional representation to such States
as may ratify the amendment, it may be as
well TO recall once more that the third arti-
Gle of that document proscribes all those
citizens who, as State or Federal officers,
"having previously taken an oath to sup
"port the Constitution of the United States,
"shall have engaged in insurrection or rebel
"lion against the same" In other words, we
are asked to pronounce the leaders of our
cause perJurrS. 1t is true the northern
people and their representatives may, and
do, affirm this as much as they please, and
il is a great comfort to them but that is
not enough they want us to do II solemnly,
humbly, with our hands upon our mouths,
and our mouths in the dust; in such sort
that neither we nor our children after us
can ever deny hereafter that in defending
our invaded States we foully forswore our
selves in the face of Heaven. If they had