Cleveland daily leader. [volume] ([Cleveland, Ohio]) 1865-1873, 1866-03-10
The Penu-syIva.ia Republicans on the


The PenIrsyIvasia Republicans on the
Issue.
All hail to the manly and f~reed0m-lov-
ing Republicans of Pennsylvania The
platform adopted at their state eonven-
tioz On Wednesday Is as radical as II
Thaddeus Stevens had dictated it. We
uriut It in another column, and II any
man desires 10 see a thorough-going, out
spoken, and Independent enunciation OF
tho principles Of the Republican party
he will find it hare. Pennsylvania has
always been considered a conservative
state. This convention has redeemed her
from the imputation. She stands glori-
ously up for the principles enuAciated
by the Republican leaders in Congress,
and, in the present issue between
the President and those whom seme
have called the radicals, she speaks
in no uncertain voise for the radicals.
The key to the entire series Of resolu-
tons is the fifth, which is 80 significant
that We copy it in full:
"ResolUed, That the soork Of restoring the
late insurrectionGry States to their proper re-
iatioHs to the Union necsSsa-ily 6eUolUes upon
the Iav-aGhag poorer, and that, until such
action be taken, no State lately ia iasurrcetiOR
shall Be entitled to Representation ~ either
kraHch Of Congress: that, as preliminary to
SIeA oetioa. Il Is the right Of Congress to an
E~estiyate for itseg the condition Of the Lecisla-
ton Of those StGtesy 10 inquire respecting
their loyalty, and TO prescribe tie terms Of
restoration J aad that to deny This necessary
constitutional PoDer IS to deny ard izsperii one
Of the dearest rights belonging 10 oar repre-
sentative form Of ~goUernment and that zoe
cordially approSs OF DE action q The Repre-
seAtati1es in Congress from Pennsylvania. on
tis sU9jest."
Nothing can express more completely
and decidedly than this the position as
sumed by the Republican majority in
Congress, and nothing ean be IN more utter
antagsnism 10 President Johnson's entire
policy.
But this is not the only expression of
radical devotion to the Interests Of free
dom which Eliminates this document. The
second resolution prescribes the duties of
the President, as the fifth does the rights
and duties OF Congress. 1t declares hat it
is the "most imperative duty" Of President
johnson TO gather the legitimate traits
Of the war; This is in effect a declara-
ton that these fruits have net yet been
gathered, and so takes issue with Mr..
johnson, who regards the restoration of
the Unien As complete. The third resolu-
ton declares that a failure 10 secure these
fruits of the war is only less criminal than
rebellion. In this declaration Andrew
johnson may road the verdict which tbs
Unionists of the nation will bring in
against him II be persists in bis present
sourse.
The sixth resolution makes another d.
rect issue with the President. Mr.. john
son has expressed himself in favor Of the
abolition of the test oath. This resolution
declares that the "test oath should not be
repealed, but enforced" and that no man
who has voluntarily engaged in the re-
beIlion or hsld ofdSe under the rebel Or
gEnization, should sVsr be admitted to
Congress.
The endorsement of Grant and Stanton,
the declaration in favor of repudiating
the rebel debt, the assertion Of the claims
Of the freedmen, and especially the cen
sure upon Edgar Cowsn, the recreant SEN
ator from Pennsylvania, and the request
that he resign, are of great significance.
The fourth resolution, in reference to
the BOUTS OF President johnson, is a piece
Of the deepest satire, and bears On its face
evidence that the skilful pen Of that dead
duck" Colonel Forney, was enlisted in its
construction. In approaching its consid-
Grafton we must remember that the other
resolutions d~enounse, condemn and op-
pose in detail every distinctive feature of
the Presidents policy" and request SEN
stor CsWan to resign simply because he
had implicitly followed Andrew johnson.
Remembering this, we have a clue to the
fine irony Of 8 resolution which eompli-
ments johnson on his Recommendations of
the crime Of treason" and "his firm de-
msnds Cor the punishment of the offend
ara" when these demands and denunsia-
have been accompanied by appoint
ing rebels to office and ~pardOning every
who applied for pardon. We
ihAn appreciate the biting sarcasm which
Iurh In the reference to Nj. Johnson'a
Impressions Of thorough sympathy
the friends of the Union"-
expressions which are explained and
illustrated by his allying himself with
oopperheadI like Florence, Cox, Rogers,
John Van Buren,, seeking sup
port from men like Va~llsndigham, taking
patronage from the Croniels and giving
. to the National IsteGtgeaeer, placing
in fundamental opposition to the
party, vetoing measures pass
ID by the solid vote Of that party, and de-
aounsing its representative men by name
IS traitors. We can perceive the subtle
ting in the reminder to Mr.. Jshnsen that
the votes Of the loyal masses formed the
to his promotion" when we
eeal his base desertion of those masses.
Ne can understand the grave censure i'm =,
lied in the e~ommendation of "an meas
res by which treason shall be stigmatized Z
oyalty recognized, and the freedom, sta ,
ility and unity of the nation preserved" :
Fhsn we read the other resolutions, and :
nd that, by q irresistible logic, they con-
emn the entire policy of Mr.. johnson as !.
ntagsnistic to the great aims here enun-
lated The resolution wears the mask of 7
raiss but We do not know how it could
ave been made q more sweeping and cut =
ing senEurs than it in reality is. c
Ecuador JOins the Alliance. =
The sctiOn Of the republic of Ecuador, e
j joining Peru and Chill il their defense a
gsinst Spain, is n of the NEST hopeful a
igns for the Independence and future .
rosperity Of the South American repub- !
c. which we have had occasion to chron- ]
le. Ecuador, though not the largest, is 5
ne Of the wsalthiest most stable and q
owsafal Of the nations of South America. 4
s action will undoubtedly influence that c