, 1866-03-16
THE SITUATION.


Congress is utterly untenable, and cOnse-
quently that it is the duty of every good
citizen to sustain the Administration. A
few months since the radical press of the
country went so far as to question the lOyals
ty of every man who differed with the then
Administration. We never subscribed to
this doctrine, and yet we are free to say that
those who oppose the distinctive measures
of Andrew johnson are traitors at heart.
Under the wise policy instituted by the Press
ident, the work of restoring: the Union was
progressing with marvellous rapidity, and
had it not been for radical opposition, the
work of restoration would to-day have been
completed, and we should have presented to
the world = united front. Instead Of this,
the sad spectacle is presented Of eleven
States excluded from all participation in
framing the laws that are to govern them
And why is this exclusionl Simply and
soIeIy because Sumner and Stevens, and few
of their mad followers, have determined that
there shall be no restoration that does not
carry with it negro suffrage, and the surren-
der of all political power in tho States lately
in rebellion to the emancipated negroes. In
the progress of the war it never was hinted
that condition of this character would be
exactcd. In every proclamation it was dis
tinctly set forth that if the people would lay
down their arms they would be welcomed
back into the Union, and permitted to share
in all the privileges enjoyed by the loyal
States It'Was under this declaration that
our armies went forth to fight the battles of
their country, and it was under this sign
they conquered. This question of negro
sufragei is a new issue that never was heard
of during the progress of the war, and its
introduction at this time is only calculated
to distract, when there should be the most
perfect harmony. On these points, we cam
not do better than quote from the New York
Times, paper that in the darkest hours has
stood by the country. Discussing the ques-
tion Of negro suffrage, the Times says:
"Therc would be mnch less difficulty in provid.
ing for the real interest of the freedmen if the ia.
natics in politics and philanthropy would be salts
fed with that. The whole people will unite in ask
ing that the cOored man shall enjoy the protection
which the laws secure to ourselves-tLat in all such
respects he should be placed upon equality with
the white man. But there is q class among us who
demand political equality for tho African Aud
here is the rock upon which we shall split, that is,
if Messrs Chase, Stevens, Sumner etc, persist in
their scheme of running this machine If we are
to have conflict for universal negro suffrage there
are some preliminary steps to be taken. If the just
emancipated slave is qualified 10 vote, surely the
colored man born and educated in freedom should
be invested with suffrage. Wo cannot with decen-
cy, force negro suffrage upon other States while we
refuse to bestow it upon our oEu free blacks With
US, however, the social more than suffrage, cues
ton is embarrassing the former being cOrolary of
the latter. The social equality demanded is repug-
nant to all laws, human and divine. 1t is this from
which we shrink. And this leads to a suggestion
which may even now not come too late. Why not
provide country for freedmen-a country which he
may inhAbit and governi This would be in accord.
ance with his Divine wisdom, for the Creator gave
Africa to the African. There was ProVidential
wall of separation between the white and black
races. There is in Central America and San Do
mingo congenial ample and attanable territory for
as many as aspire to independence and seigovern-
ment."
In the same spirit, the New York Post, a
leading republican journal, thoroughly de>
voted to the Union, says:
Unless wiser, juster and more liberal counses
prevail at Washington there will be republi
can party to hold TO. If the Union, for which we
have spent so much money, aud poured out so much
BLOOD be not fully restored before the close of the
present Congress, the peope-whose instincts con.
cern only grand general results-wl sweep the par
ty that has the power out of sight. The Union, in
all its length and breadth, they will have and Poit-
ical differences they will adjust aiterward and such
impracticable schemes as Summers and Steveuss
and Others will only succeed in separating the domi
nant party from the popular sympathy, both South
and North"
1t is much to be regretted that in Congress
there is so great a number of mad zealots,
who are possessed of but one idea, and that
is niger on the brain" With this class,
the interests of twenty million people are
nothing, whilst the nigger is everything.
Fortunately the mass of the people share in
no such delusion, but guided by patriotic in>
stincts are steadfastly moving forward to the
of President johnson, and thus susN
tanned the President can defy the assaults of
the crazy radicals who for the moment abuse
their trusts.
~o~|-0|.-$Ss-~oD>o-o~~~
PoLITICAL.-The Union State Conven.
tion meets at Corvallis, on the goth of
March, A Governor, member of Congress,
and full State ticket are to be elected this
year, and hence an unusual interest attaches
itself to the doings of the Convention. El.
ements of discord are at work in the Union
party which probably may lead to split in
the Convention. The more conservative
members, under the lead of the Oregon
Statesman, will insist on endorsing the Pres.
ident, and more particularly his recOnstruc-
ton policy. The radicals, with the Oregor
nidn as their organ, will demand an endorses
ment of Congress, and so with the issues
thus made up the chances are decidedly la>
vorable to grand explosion that will rend
the Union party Of Oregon in twain.
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The SUFFRAGE QUESTION. Astoria