Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1866-02-14
Congressional News.

+ Worry stale news Always thesnne thingE II
ray of sunshine or promise for the South breaks
forth now and then, tits almost Immediately OBJ.
scured by the lurid cloud of accursod radicaiism.
The various amendments to the Constitution, and
the consequent discussion, are calculated to con-
found and confuse the clearest head. Of all these
amendments, negro suffrage ia tho most important,
and the hardest to manage. a great many things
said by the President Ain cow ersaions with, dis
tnguishcd gentlemen, clearly. indicate that be is
contemplating veto of tho Negro suffrage Bill
in.ths District Of Columbia The people the Dis
.trict haxe unanimously and contemptpOusly voted
down negro suffrage, and President:Jonssosdees
not think it very republican or democratic to
have it. forced upon ihsm.. veto. Of tbia in-
ouitous measure would be hailed with more: :ap.
plause than anything that has tranapircd in that
way since tho veto Of the United States Bank by
AaDaEw Jackson. :. =. -. Il, -:
The only Senator Tor Ropro'entative} from the
South who has ,igniaed his readiness to takethe
test oath is Mr. MAnvIs of: Florida but his ere.
deniials wero laid on the. table along nilh those
Of better men-or, all, At, real Southern men.
The Bill for enlarging, tho already gigantic
powers OF the Freedmens Bureau ha, beer under
discussion for many weeks. Its provisions are
intended TO embrace.sySry State ana:Territotyi in
the Union. An amsndd,snt intended to confno
its authority to those states only nwhich tho Ha-
bea; Corpus is sillsuspended (thasOuthern states)
was lost Tho Amendment for the purpose Of con-
frming for three years the titles given to'negroe',
of the lands in theirpossession under SnEnlAs's
orders ut Savannah last winter, passed the House
some weeks ago.. It is still under Discussion in
the Senate. Govorner ORR Of South Carolina
hal. protested against tho consummation of this
lawless and conscienceleas measure. Tho opinion,
however, in Washington seems to be vel! settled
that tits to become law. In the meantime tie
owners of these lands arc homeless wanderers,
many of thsm literally on the verge Of starvation.
And the wrctched negroes now holding said lands
have relapsed into almost African barbarism and
ure behaving in the most lawlcss, defiant and .fe-
roeious manner as will be scon by lato accounts
in tho Charleston papers. The fact Of those sav-
ago and be,ostcd negroes being still allowed to hold
the Sea Islands is almost as pleasant and COMO
ling for Southern people TO contemplate as the
fact that bere are atill $50 political prisoners at
the Dry Tortugas Island! ....
The Test Oath has been repealed as far ias it
affect, tho practice of Attorneys in the United
States Courts. @"ft -, .
And, to mako q long story short, thore ,eoms
not the slightest probability that tho South will
be admitted to representation during the existence
of the present Congress. So long as tho abolition
party is dominant in Congress, and dominant in
the North, just SO lcng will tho Southern State,
be kept as conquered provinces; no doubt of that
fact. The Radical majority in both Houses aeems
to be sweeping away with irresistible hand what
ever impedos its policy in any respect. Its ashe:
ronts have neither conscience nor faith nor do
ronoy. Speeches md arguments and appeals
have no moro effect upon them than the footing
of q horn would have. Indeed, should President
JOHNSON sound a:horn, calling Gen. GnAsr and
FIVE thousand soldiers to his aid, and march to
the Capitol, and break up this iniqutous Congress
a.the point Of the bsyonot, as OLIVER CROMWELL
did the.iaiquitous hong Parliament, he would be
doing tho very bostt thing he could do.
The only hope for the South j, a decided break
in the ranks Of the Radicals before the meeting
Of the next Congress,-befors the next elections.
President johnson anticipates such break. So
do omany conservative Northern mon. There are,
in fact, already some faint signs Of it. We have
learned to wait and cpn wait patiently. We viii
most certainly have our fill Of waiting. Buff
wo wait to no purpose, and the. negro should in
the end be allowed to vote in elections then were
it better for us that ne had mover been born.