The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1866-09-27
From the New York Herald, Sept. ID.
The Recent and the Coming Elections.
The Prospects.

It is historical axiom that Ievolu-
tions never go backwards. Its truth
has been affirmed in the great political
events of this country since the adjourn
ment of Congress, and especially in the
recent State elections l. was reason
able to suppose that the Jacobinical VIC
lence, recklessness and ferocity of such
political reformers as Ben Butler in the
East, Senator Chandler in the w est, and
Parson Brownlow in the South, would
have a damaging effect upon their party
when brought to judgment before the
peoples but it . st Iaas fn
that the popular mind is controlled by
larger questions, against which the say
ings or doings of this or that fanatical
politician go for nothing. That great
body of the American people to which
we are indebted for the suppression of
the most formidable rebellion in the his
tory Of mankind, are evidently deter
mined to have substantial securities for
the future before they pronounce the
Union complete-that, in short, Southern
reconstruction shall rest upon the solid
foundation of the federal constitution.
regardless of the disturbing forces of
radicals, copperheads, rebels, ruffians or
fanatics, North or South.
From the elections which have occur
red since the constitutional amendment
was adopted by Congress for the recon
struction of the Southern States, we are
satisfied that that amendment is to be-
come the basis of Southern restoration
that it will carry and be carried by all
the Northern State elections yet to come,
and that with New Jersey leading off it
will be ratified by them all and become
part and parcel of the supreme law of
the land. Nor have we any fear Of the
consequences. There is nothing, after
all. so very Objectionable in this amend.
ment-nothing which President johnson
himself has not, ut one time or another,
recommended to some Southern State or
to Congress. and nothing upon which
there should have been a disagreement
between the President and Congress.
Let US for moment look At this amend
ment again. 1t provides
Fsrst-That all persons born or natu-
rallied in the United States are citizens
thereof and of the States in which they
reside. and on footing of equality in
regard to their civil rights
Seeond-That the enumeration of the
people for representation in Congress
shall be abridged in proportion to the
abridgment of the right of suffrage
males above the age of twenty-one Years
in any State on account Of race or
color. . ~sS4zf'
THira-That large schedule of per
sons. civil and military. engaged in the
late rebellion, shall be ineligible to anv
federal office hereafter until absoived by
two thirds vote OF each House OF Cen
gress. At 1884 - =.
- FoxrfA-That the national war debt
shall be held sacred. and that all rebel
debts and obligations shall be utterly
repudiated and held illegal and void.
Fy7k-That Congress shall have power
to enforce the provisions Of this article.
g This amendment is the recorstruction
plan and platform of Congress, and there
is no good reason, we say, why it should
not have been adopted also by the Pfesi-
dent, inasmuch as he stands committed
in some shape to all its provisions 1t
is not the platform of Thaddeus Stevens.
Sumner, or any of the noisy radicals of
Il -