The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-07-17
THE POLITICAL FUTURE.
Pears and Purposes OF the Radical
Lenders - The Union Party and the
philadelphia COnvent ntLOn-Letter from
Hon, m. j. Raymond.


WAsHINGToN, Monday, July 16. - Political
panlcs are quite as mischievUus in their way
as panlce In an army. Parties are demoraliled,
and sometimes routed BY the apprehension OF
dangers that prove to have been wholly imagi.
nary. Sometimes, too, these fears create the
dangers they dread and thus fulfil Their own
projections. Tue Union party in Congress is
Just now experiencing panic OF more than
nsual severity, and its action under the circum-
stances does more credit TO its zeal than to its
discretion. t..- f..
You may have noticed the passage in the
House, q lew days since, OF resolution offered
by General Paine, o Wisconsin, calling on the
States to organize, discipline, and equip their
militia, and directing that two-thirds OF the arms
ordnance, and au mum ton no under custody
oil the General Government be distributed among
the etates-the distribution among the loVal
States TO take place immediately, and that among
the States lately in rebellion TO be postponed
until further orders. The resolution came no
from the Committee on Military Affairs, and
was pushed to vote, without debate or
delay, under the previous question. 1t
attracted as little attention 10 Congress
as it has in the country: and the public
will doubtless receive with Incredulity the
assurance that 1t was intended, by those who
secured lts passage, as the first step towards
preparation for another civil war. Although no
debate was had upon ii, members we're urged to
vote tor 1t by direct conversational appeals GA
the floor on the part of the few who we're privy
to its introduction. Some were told tnat 1t was
necessary TO enable the Southern loyasts to
protect themselves; others that it was simply
a matter OF detail in the War Department;
Others that the arms must be taken out OF the
hands OF the President; AMI others that IL was
proposed at the instance of the Secretary of
war. An appeal was made by Mr.. Kasson, OF
Iowa, to allow debate upon it, as it seemed to
be matter OF Importance but this was refused.
Most OF the leading and rejecting radicals in
Congress lake this view OF the political future.
1t the al elections result in the c1oice of North
ern Democrats enough to constitute, when
added to the members from the Southern States,
majority OF the House, they assume tnat this
majority, thus constituted, will claim to be the
Congress, and will act accordingly; and that
they will be recognized by the President as the
body to which he will send his message and
whose sessions he will, If the necessity should
arse, protect by military force. They assert, on
the other hand, that the Union members from
the loyal States-lf they constitute majority
from those States-wIll claim to be the only
legal ConeIess, and will, 1t necessary, invoke
an iusurrection of the people to maintain
them in that position. They do not in the
least conceal their purpose, in the event OF
such collision, to appeal TO force, and to
"drlye the rival Congress, with the President
and his Cabinet and supporters, into the Poto
mac" to use the language Of one OF the ablest
and most sincere of their number. If YOU will
recall the remarks of Mr.. Boutwell,, of Massa.
chusetts, in last weeks first caucus you will see
this movement clearly foreshado Wed-indeed
avowed. He declared his belief that an issue of
Iorce was rapidly approaching, and that we must
De prepared to meet it. He acts and all who
cooperate with him in these measures profess to
act, under the apprehension that the PresI-
dent intends to resort to force that he
means to oisperse the present Congress on
Its reassembling in December, ii 1t refuses
TO admit the Southern members and Mr..
Farnsworth ascrlbed to NJ. Seward the
declaration that this Congress should never
re.assembe unless the Southern members were
admitted, in support of this belief. l need
scarcely say that Mr.. Seward never made any
remark OF the kind, nor that the project ascribed
to the President is purely an invention, or at
best the crazy dream of political nightmare.
But in either case it serves the same purpose.
1t covers, and Is held TO justify, the determina-
tOn to arouse the North, and prepare for a
resort to force upon the assembling of the
Fortieth Congress in extra or regular session;
and this determination is avowed. And the
resolution to which / have referred, for an Or
ganization of the militia and a distribution of
arms in the Northern States, is the initial step
to its execution. .... .... >.
do not propose to comment upon the result
OF such movement. 1t Is obvious that if any
such contingency should arise, the war would
not be sectional, as was the last; it would be
war of pollucal parties and OF neighborhoods.
Not only have the great body OF the Union party
in CONGRESS- no sympathy with these vie VS. and
purposes, but they are in the main ignorant and
incredulous of their existence That the ex-
treme radicals entertain them, however. there
is not the slightest doubt, and we know, from
the eXpeIlerce OF secession in 1861, how few
men it sometimes requires to plunge a great
party or great nation into war.
The Philadelphia Convention Is another source
OF panic to the Union PARTY. By the radicals of
whom have spok en-, it is regarded as intended
10 pave the way for bringing Northern Demo
Gratis and Southern Rebels into close concert of
action under the protection Of the President, at
the openinglof the next Congress, for the purpose
referred to above. And by nearly the whole
Union party, as represented here, 1t is believed
that its object is to break up the Union organi
Zauon and iorm new party which shall en-
brace Northern Democrats, Southern Rebels and
such portions of the Union party as nav be de
tached from the old organization. 1t seems to be
overlooked that the Convention is called simply
Tor consultation; that it is not proposed to make
nominations for any office, to organize any new
party, or to interfere In any way With existing
pon1lcal parties. Any one or all of these things
may De done by the ConVention-but none of
them are embraced or prooosed in the call for
II. Those who may do them in Convention
or support them when done, Will of course be
responsible Tor heir action. If the Convention
should take stel hostile to the Union paTty no
one could longer adhere to both. Ii it should
make hostile Nominations, or adopt a hostile
platform, no OF could support both Bul until
something OF that sort is actually done il is NOT
easy to see why any man of aAy paf v NAV NOT
go into consl ltation with his fellow-citizens
from every pal ty and every section, without for.
letting his party relations. The idea that mem.
bers OF Cong ess have any right, in caucus or
elsewhere, TO issue DEGREES OF expulsion or ex.
clusion In such q ease, is simply absurd.
AT the same time il is evident that the Phla-
delphla Convention is regarded with great dis
faVor Dy all tctions of the Union party. That
party Is not disposed 70 forget that it was the
OILY political organization upon which the Gov
ernment relied during the war, and that it saved
the integrity of the nation against The armed
efforts OF the Rebels in the South and the politi.
cal host llty of Democrats in the North. It feels
therefore, that IT IS now entitled to control the
Government as against both these parties and
1T Is not disposed 10 cooperate with either of