Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1866-01-23
THE RADICAL FACTION.

Annols- He Opposes Their PJ&tclN
The Hon. W A. Richardson, of Illinois,
has written letter, ia which he strongly OPP
poses the policy of the Radicals 1t is dated
from Quincy, and is as follows:
My Bear Sir,-I know of no reason vhe /
should not plsce In your hands, for such use
as you please to make of them, my views and
opinions upon the situation" us you request
in yours of the 18th.
have no aspiration for piaceLno wish q
hope for Office. The public confidence, so of
ten reposed ia me by the people, entities them
to nay opinions. I have no motive to conceal
them. The surrender of the Southern armies
ended the rebellion, aad by the stipulatuons
of the surrender both officers aud men made
prisoners were protected from trial and pan
ishment for treason.
Nearly all the leaders were thus protected
from harm, and in my opinion it would have
been better had the President issued at once a
general amnesty proclamation, and restored
the hGbeaS corpus, recognised at once the f. ct
that the rebellion was over, the States still in
the Union, and left the civil authorities to do
the balance.
This would have been better aud speedier.
This was not done, and we have to take things
as they are.
had very satisfactory interview with the
President u day or two before the meeting of
Congress. His message contained all that
expected. Acts are more potent than words
and the President by Withdrawing his Pro-
visioral Governors. in North Carolina, Alaba-
ma, Georgia, Mississippi aud South Carolina,
and recognizing the Governors elected as the
proper officers to discharge the duties of the
place; has shown his desire to do all he can
do in the premises. l repeat, this is all he
can do in the premises. repeat, this is ali
he can do now, recognizing them as States
in the Union, with the rights of the Statrs-
The Republicans in Congress are opposed to
this. The President says the rebellion is over.
Congress says no, the rebellion is still going on.
Between the President and Radical Republi-
cans there is ga deep ditch and high wall"
The Radical Republicans in Congress don't
want the Union they mean to keep dscOrd
and anarchy triumphant rs long as they have
the power Their expulsion from place by
the people is certain.
There is not to-day in the land Except in
Congress) any opposition to the Union, the
Constitution which makes the Union, or the
laws passed in pursuance of the Constitution,
yet the Radical Republicans say the rebellion
still continues; that it will last and continue
until the negro is allowed to vote in all the
States lately in rebellion. Negro voting is
now the test of "loyalty." All the States and
people opposed to this are in rebellion. BY
this test Connecticut, at her last election,
placed herself in rebellion, so did Wisconsin
Minnesota and Colorado Rhode Island, Yer
mont and Maine do the same all the rest
OF the States, believe, deny the negro this
privilege.
Thirty States are certainly in rebellion ac-
cording 10 this test Four, say six, are loyal
L have heard the story OF juror who disa-
greed with t. rest, when asked by the court
if they could agree to verdict, said s'No,
Mr.. Judge. they arc eleven of the most con-
traFy omen l ever saw" Massachusetts, saws
there are thirty old States in rebellion. The
capital, Washington and Georgetown, by the
almost unanimous vote Of the people, are in
rebellion.
1 need not argue the question now TINT the
negro is an Inferior race to ours. The history
Of all time proves this. The popular vote Of
the people everywhere demonstrates the fact
that we will not follow the example Of other
republics Of this continent, who have been
plunged into and keep in anarchy by confer
ring the right of suffrage upon inferior races
l would not throw straw in the way of the
unfortunate African. The white race perhaps
have done the black and red races much
wrong. In the contest now to cnsue the black
man will disappear as the red one has done
Superior races extcrmnate inferior ones
When in contact the inferior race only learns
and practices the vices of the superior am
doing what experience teaches should be done
by excluding from the greatest privilege known
to civilized people, all inferior races from the
ballot-box. They have never preserved it
when committed to them.
In conclusion, I think it our duty in this
contest TO overthrow the Radical partly
mere faction, low controlling and running the
country.
Let US give the President an earnest sup
port in DISCRIMINATING this faction.
l am truly,
W. a. RICHARDSON.
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