The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-11-20
Shall We Compromise the Issue,

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that the balance is likely to be preserved.
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Shall We Compromise the Issue2
THE victory which the Republican party
has achieved at the polls during the past two
months, has been accomplished by firmly follow
ing the banner of the Constitutional amend
ment. The Democracy appealed to the passions
Of the masses, and talked to them of negro
equality, negro suffrage, and score of other
negro horrors, which the fertile Democratic
mind has ever been wont 10 conjure. The
Republicans addressed the reason of their
auditors. They said, "Come, let us reason
together" and the people listened, and were
convinced that the Congressional plan Of re-
construction, as set forth in the amendment
submitted, was necessary and just. Because
the issue was made on that question, the vic
tory has been ours. The only question to
be settled by the people was the one involved
in that amendment, and the promises and
pledges of the Republican party alike bind it
to a firm and unwavering adherence to that
ultimatum.
For the past week we have daily received
from Washington rumors of compromise to
be effected between the President and Con
gress, by which one is to give universal
amnesty and the other impartial suffrage.
The Constitutional amendment is to be cast
aside, and some new issue substituted in its
place. We are to have a settlement of the
question based on plan never contemplated
during the last election; and the people.
instead of having their declaration in favor of
the amendment needed, are to be sighted for
some new arrangement. The rumors that
have been sent from the capital are thrown
out as feelers to detect in which way the
popular tide is flowing, and see what the Re-
publican party think of the new basis of recon-
will hold no doubtful language. We are
utterly and entirely opposed to the
abandonment of the acknowledged issue,
and the substitution of new one, on
which the popular voice has not been
allowed to be heard. We asked and re-
ceived the suffrages of the Northern people
on the ground of our adherence to the just
and magnanimous plan Of reconstruction set
forth in the series of amendments proposed
by Congress at its last session. We gave
pledges to adhere to these amendments, and
we would be false to ourselves and our pro-
iession were we to be deluded into the
acceptance of any other settlement than that
adopted by the popular verdict. We are told
that we ought to compromise. What is the
need of yielding anything when we have all
in our powerP We hold the reins, we have
the whip; and why should we compromise,
like the old man and his son in the fable, by
descending and carrying the assP 1t is no
compromise where one party yields all, and
the other abandons only what it already had
no power to retain. We are told that we
will secure universal suffrage by the arrange
ment. Such contamination is desirable,
but it is not the chief end of all the struggles
in which we have been engaged.
| The Constitutional amendment, while it
cOntemplates universal suffrage, does not de-
mand It, Again and again did our orators
and writers assure the people that it was not
the question before them. And now, to have
1t thrust upon us, with the extremely obiec-
tionable appendage of general amnesty. and
without any guarantees for the payment OF
the national debt, is compromise which IN
us is anything but desirable. The question
of sufiiege is merely question of time. II
is founded upon the immutable basis of ius
tice, and must eventually be achieved. We
doubt the propriety of such an extension Il
an uneducated and servile race, witbou
any preparation, so that even If the "compro
mise" was to be made in good faith. we wouI,
rather hold fast to the plan as secured by tn,
amendment.
But this offer of compromise is a delusio,
and snare. 1t is made to seduce the Renuh
lican party from the landmarks which bav,
guided them through the past storm. II w,
declare our willingness, the conservatives
will refuse, and hold us up before the countr,
as abandoners of our pledges, as a grossl
inconsistent party. 1t is weak inven
tion of the enemy. The President viii
not compromise; he does not wan