Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1866-10-18
The EIections-Their Lessons.

The elections in the four Northern States
lust held, have resulted as was anticipated
at the South. While our hopes may have
prompted us to expect more favorable re-
turns, our judgments told plainly what the
real result would be. The complexion OF
the next Congress is now conclusively set
tied by these elections, and the people OF
the North, we suppose, have given the pre-
sent Congress the nerve Mr.. Thaddeus
Stevens has declared it needed to leS1slate
with that boldness and radicallsm the con-
dition of the country required.
Constitutional amendments will hardly
satisfy these men; and even before the in
dorsement just given, they talked of the
impeachment of the President as the sim
plest and easiest way of accomplishing their
designs. President Johnson now stands a
mighty breakwater between the Constitu-
ton of the United States and the Radicals
who would overthrow it, and to his i'm
peachment and dismissal the attention OF
the leaders will now be turned.
Mr.. Boutwell,, one of the leading mem
bers of Congress from Massachusetts, e4-
presses his opinion freely that the impeach-
ment of the President is a subject that will
most certainly occupy the attention OF Con-
gress. We publish elsewhere the remarks
of Gen. Butler upon the subject. MI ]
Sherman, one of the Senators from Ohio,
openly threatens it in q recent speech, and
Mr.. Bingham Of Ohio, has already pledged
himself in public, to present articles OF I'M
parchment the very first day OF the next
session. We refer to these matters with
much concern as showing the dangerous
tendencies of the present political ezclte-
ment at the North, and the threats that
we're made pending the victory over the
President, which is now an assured fact
We look for further and holder declarations
as to the intentions of the dominant party,
now rendered reckless in their renewed VIC
tory and extended lien on power.
Our duty, under the circumstances, seems
plain. We should continue to devote our
selves with energy and zeal to those pract1-
cal duties upon which our resuscitatlon de-
pend The field of National politics is
forbidden one to us. We certainly have no
hope for political future, except in re-
turning sense of justice on the part of the
North Certainly We cannot hope to Sc
cure the good will and honorable respect OF
that people, which alone will bring about
the reconciliation absolutely necessary for
the future harmony and prosperity of a
common country, by continued and volun-
tary submission 10 unconstitutional and
humanity demands upon us. If honor IS
lost, then truly are We begGared. Now,
without the respect of the North, with the
sacrifice Of our honor, we will lose our self
respect and become the scorn of all honor
able people Great clamor will be raised by
the timid and the designing i'll order thatwe
should make yet greater sacrifices to ap-
pease the wrath of the Radicals, and that
our only safety now lies i'll cheerfully yield
ing to the terms of Congress for our admls-
sion.
To this argument we firmly and con-
scientiously enter our protest. Even could
we believe that with the adoption of the
constitutional amendment our representa-
tiyes would DO admitted, we know that this
fact would not warrant the sacrifice. But
we feel indisposed to argue a question
whose premises involve the disgrace of our
people. We do not feel at liberty to urge
a brave and honorable people to do any
thing, even if by the surrender great polltl-
cal and personal aims were to be accom-
plished, by the basest sacrifice OF our no.
blest and best citizens. We cannot debase
ourselves SO low as to purchase or own
amnesty and franchise at such a cost.
We agree with Mr.. Forsyth, the editor of
the Mobile AdrertiSer, in speaking of the
pending constitutional amendment, when
he says -
eft means that we of the South are to
sell Lee and Johnston, and our best and
truest citizens, to disfranchisement, as the
price of the recognition of our claims. We
can never be so base as that. My hand
shall wither before casting any vote IN that
direction If the worst comes to the worst
We can at least reject reunion at the cost
of honor, and decline to elect or send
Southern Representatives to Congress. If
the Radicals insist on disunion, let them
have it in this way"
No, let us not be cajoled into its adop-
ton by deceitful professions of politicians,
nor frightened into it by the threats of the
Radicals, either at the hustings or at the
ballot-box. But rather let us so quietly
about our daily pursuits, attending faith
fully to our duties as citizens, and yield
nothing not consistent with our honor, and
if illegal or disgraceful terms are forced
upon us, posterity will know that utter help
lessness, and not abject cowardce, brought
us to the low condition.
The American Law Review.