Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1866-10-19

ssNos 50 Easily Complied Wnh."
The Cleveland Leader misapprehends'
The SrArEsMAN Is not seeking enlightenA
ment for itself In regard to the Constitu-
lionaI Amendments now pending. Il has
pnt upon thar Amepdmentlts construction;
but THE STATESMAN holds place In the
party that is In minority here at the
North, and hence it Is not to be supposed
that It can say with an air of authority
what the authors of the Amendment COM,
template by it. For the enlightenment Of me
South we desire that the organs ofthe dom
inant party shall authoritatiEely and clear
ly define what Is contemplated by the
Amendment. If 1t can be made appear 70
the South that Che 'conditions Of the Con-
stitutional Amendment are moderate
and generous and that the, Republican
party ''stand as a body practically pledged
TO making the adoption ofthat Amendments
the condition, and tho sole condition, Of re-
construction" it will undoubtedly have the
effect of causing the South to adopt it. A
few days ago the Leader was bold TO assert
that the '@conditionsof the Constitutional
Amendment" are moderate and gener@
ous," and when we asked it to give an ati%
thoritatiye and clear definition sto "what
is contemplated by the Amendmeht,"it re-
Joined that 1t is not $50 easily compiled
with" although it asserts 1t to be Nyery
explicit in language and clear In meaning"
Being so I" very explicit in language and
clear in meaning" and, withal, SO "mod-
crate aud. generous" we are at a loss to
imagine why our request to "clearly define
what is contemplated by the Amendment
can not be @easily complied with" 1t may
be. very moderate and generous;" but
who is to become sensible of this, when
those who hawk it about noisily as such
confess TO an inability to show wherein
these commendable qualities are to be
found Let it be made to appear to the
South cohclusively that there is no trick In
1t, and we then shall be warranted In en-.
! tertaining a reasonable expectation that u
will receive favorable consideration at hel
hands. II the Radicals would fasten upon
the minds of the people the belief that they
Z want speedy reconstruction" let then
quickly address themselves to giving con
vinciug proof that It's conditions arr
) "moderate and generous" f... .ii.,..
q Yesterdays mail brought us Radica
o daily exchange wherein its readers are tolt
that the South submit because they car
not help themselves" !" that they will ratity
! the Amendment, ,ohich If they persist il
excluding the Negroes from participation
in political matters, teiH so reduce thetSrepre
sertdtion as to ledue them in hopeless minority
notwithstanding the aid they will receive
from the North y and, ''if to keep up thei
numbers in Congress they admit the Ne
groes to the ballot-box, we may depenC
upon their carrying enough districts Il
maintain solid Union majority in th'
House, so in either case The teeth Of the n'onste'
are drd,0n and &c is pOiOerlessJo for evI." -... d.
According to the Interpretation of thii
Radical journalist, ''the moderate and gen
erous conditions Of the constitutions
Amendment" contemplate The putting Of ht
South, in any eveNt, into "a hopeless minority
notwithstanding the aid they will receive
from the North" That is to say, the South
must accept virtual disfranchisement, ant
will do SO by accepting the Constitutions
Amendment, with It's ''moderateand gener.
Gus conditions" With this Radical jour
nalist we agree in our reading of the Consti-
tutional Amendment. Do we read it arighti
Mr.. Leader That's the question. ? '.'. 20