The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-04-28

cluded from the protection Of the Constitution
and to be dealt with as conquered subjects at
the sovereign will and pleasure OF the con
querors. This was the OBJECT of Mr. Shella.
harRer's studied legal argument in support of
the doctrine OF State suicide, and of his more
recent effort 10 prove that, even Ii the Rebel
states are in the Union, they may rghtIullg be
held 10 have forfeited all the riah's oil citizen
ship under the Constitution. The leebler but
still more jealous efforts of Hart, Ward,
Holmes, and other radical members from ths
State, have all aimed at the same thing
namely, TO lay foundation ter demanding at
the hands otthe South, universal negro suffrage
as the condition OF restoration.
The plan does not work quite to their liking.
Some OF the more timld among them begin to
doubt whether 1t Is quite safe. Its strength with
the people doe, not quite equal their anticipa-
tions. The President is more obstinate in his
fidelity to the principles and platform Of the
Union party than tbey expected, The country
is not conN lnced that The Southern States are out
OF the Union, that their people are conquered
subjects. or that Congress has the right 10 force
universal negro suffrage upon them. And if re-
cent reports from our Washington correspond
ents may be trusted, these radical gentlemen
from New York and other powerful States of the
North and West, are holding oaucuses and pre-.
pairing Tor change OF ba e, by way OF prepara-
tion for the coming political campaign.
We fear they viii find this operation not quite
so easy as it may seem. They have put them
selves into the hands OF leaders who are 100
much IN earnest TO fiji ch and too reckless them
followers. Mr.. Stevens announced very early in
the session that he and the friends of uni0eTSdl
negro suffrage were sIong enough by uniting
with the Democrats to defeat any other kind of
negro suffrage, and on the District of Columbia
question they dId It. We doubt not they will, in
case OF emergency, do precisely tie same thing
again. The radicals on the Reconstruction
Committee will follow the policy marked out
by Wendell Phillips, who is really the leader
OF the radical movement. The will report
IN favor OF UniUersdt negro suffrage as the
only basis on which the Union shall be
restored-as the only condition on which
the Southern States shall ever again be
represented in Congress-and they will re-
quire these hestating, halting gentlemen to
walk up to the mark and vote with them III i,s
support. The probability IS that they will carry
their point hereafter as they have carried every
point hitherto. They have excluded Tennessee
IN spite of che conviction OF three-fourths OF the
House that her members ought to be admitted
They have repeatedly passed resolutions INSULT
ing the President in spite OF a proiessed desire
lor harmony between the Executive and Legs
latve departments OF the Government. And
they have passed against the veto by over.
Whelming majolitles aud with loud applause, q
bill which majority of their own faction ad-
mlfted, by necessary implication. TO be utteIly
beyond the constitutional authority OF Con
gress. And all this has been done by party
drill and by party menace. And what has thus
been done so often will doubtless thus BE done
again.
Wendell Phillips evidently distrusts the firm
ness and principle of his followers. He fears
their stay in Washington will subject them to
Administrative influences" and that they will
not be proof against them, He has been pretty
successful, IT must be confessed, in placing them
beyond the reach OF all such influences, and IN
an attitude of open and insulting hostility to the
Administration itself. But OF even this LIE is
clearly dlstrustful. He thinks they had better
issue their utiTndto7a and 20 home 10 their con
stituents, and for once we concur most heartily
with HIM in opinion.