The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1866-05-02
Progress Of the Radical War.

There are indications mat lie llicfedsi!iS
animosity between the President and the
Radicals in Congress will break out in
open rupture at no distant day. The i'm
mediate cqsus 5el}i will arise on the failure
to execute the provisions of the Civil
Rights Bill" The Presidents opinion OF
that bill is we'll known. So far from pre-
serving, it destroys, the civil rights OF the
people. The civil rights of the citizen, for
the protection of which the bill was pro-
fessedly passed, could have been enforced
in the State Courts as they had been from
the foundation of the governments. The
bill in question, passed for no reason that
can be imagined by us, takes the jurisdic-
ton of legal questions out Of the State
Courts, and places them under the direc-
ton of the Federal Courts, whose judges
are supposed to reflect the peculiar opin-
ions Of the Radical Senate to which they
are indebted for their confirmation. Thus
is every yestige of State-Rights swept
away by fanatical Radical majority, and
the rights of the people jeoparded by pla-
cling them at the mercy of their enemies.
These, we say, being the opinions of the
President, the injustice of the recent
bill by Congress would afford sufficient
grounds for him to withhold the appliances
necessary for its execution. But stron-
ger reason for failing to execute its provis-
sions may be found in the fact that the
President does not believe that the bill
has been constitutionally passed. In order
to pass bill over the veto Of the Presi-
dent two-thirds vote of, each House is
necessary. AS the Senate is entitled to
seventy-two members, of which forty-three
would constitute two-thirds, the Radicals
have passed the bill with fifteen votes less
than constitutional majority. They have
passed the bill, it is true, by two-thirtls of
the Radical and revolutionary faction
which now controls the government, but
they have not passed it by two-thirds of
the members who are legally entitled to
their seats. Until the Radicals can give
reason for excluding twenty-five Sena-
tors from their seats, the people will con
time to claim that the legislation under
which they live is unconstitutional, illegal
and unjust.
| With the President entertaining these
views of the Civil Rights Bill, it may
we'll raise doubt whether he will lend his
assistance to the execution Gifts provisions.
We need not be surprised, therefore, at
any time, to learn that Mr.. johnson had
interposed the Executive arm to save
the people of the South from the tyranny
and oppression to which the Radical Con-
gress would subject them. That such an
event would bring about an immediate col
Iision between the Executive and Legisla-
tive departments, there is no doubt, but we
have no fears that the President would
shrink from his duty because the Black
Republican party are hostile to him.
The failure of the President to carry out
the provisions of the odious Civil Rights
bill, would afford the Radicals the long.
desired opportunity to inaugurato the i'm
peachment, of which we have heard SC
much Of late. Although it may appear
absurd that the Black Republicans would
resort to such desperate means, yetw have
seen enough of the animus which prompts
them to believe that they would do any
thing to increase the troubles and disaster;
of the Southern people. If the President
is in their way, then they would get clea1
of the President. Nothing will stop then
in their career of wickedness and oppres
sion.
We can see no relief from impending
ruin except in the returning good sense o
! the masses at the North. There is every
indication that the people are waking W
to sense of the revolutionary measures o
the Radical party, and that they are pre-
pairing to hurl them from the position the.
have disgraeed. 1t is not very long before
the elections will take place in the larg'
Northern States, and we are hopeful tina
they will result disastrously to the party ii
power. A verdict at the polls at this TIM
against Radicalism, would put an end t.
Its power forever.