Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1866-09-27
THE WILMINGTON JOURNAL.
Political Prospects.

Political Prospects.
National politics are rapidly approaching
an important crisis The elections to be
held the first Tuesday in October will sc
far to fix the complexion of the next Con.
press. The most sanguine friends of the
Administration, now, can hardly expect
greater gains in the Middle and Western
States than to reduce the Radical majority
in Congress to such figures as will make the
Executive veto effective in staying the on
ward progress of the fell spirit of fanati
cism and revolution which characterized
the legislation of the last session. IF the
Radicals are emboldened by their recent
success in Maine and Vermont, the Presi-
dent shows no disposition to yield. In the
mean time party spirit increases, and threats
even going to the impeachment of the Pres
ident and the confscation of Southern pro-
perty are freely and boldly uttered. 1t
would seem that without compromise, civil
war is again imminent.
Against this direful alternative the teem-
ing wealth of the North is throwing its
mighty influence, and compromise is be-
ing attempted upon the basis of the How
ard amendment. It may be well enough
to lay Columbia in ruins and batter down
Petersburg and Charleston, but it is very
different thing to burn Harrisburg or bonn
bard Portland and Albany, and laying waste
the Valley of the Mississippi and the
Shenandoah is not desolating those of the
Connecticut and the Wyoming.
The New York Herald says that the fact
that the people of the North are going to
sustain Congress in demanding the guaran-
tee of the Howard amendment from the
South, before admitting members from this
section to take their seats, isa foregone con-
clusion. This paper advises the President
to let this matter alone for the future, and
tells him that he has allowed his passions to
carry him to great degree of bitterness
and invectiveness, but that there is scarcely
any real difference between the majority in
Congress and himself. Mr.. Raymond oil
the New York Times, and the reputed au-
thor of the Philadelphia National Union
Address, and who voted as member of
Congress for the amendment, declares that
s'there is not one syllable in the Philadel-
phia Address against the adoption of the
Constitutional amendment, nor against its
adoption 10y the Southern States"
New Jersey, through her Legislature, has
accepted it, and Tennessee, the only one of
the Southern States. has been gagged into
its adoption. Governor Throckmorton, of
Texas, lays the amendment before the
Legislature of that State, with his unquali-
fed disapproval. Gov. Orr, of South Car
olin&, makes no allusion to the subject III |
his recent message. The following embrace
the substance of the amendment proposed
by Congress as their policy for Southern
restoration
First: That all persons born or natural |
lied in the United States are citizens there
OF and of the States in which they reside, |
and on footing of equality in regard to
their civil rights.
Second. That the enumeration of the
people for representation in Congress shall
be abridged in proportion to tho abridg,
ment of the right of suffrage-maies above
the age of twenty-one years--in any State
on account of race or color.
Third That largo schedule OF persons,
civil and military, engaged in the late re-
bellion, shall be ineligible to any federal
Office hereafter until absolved by two
thirds vote of each House of Congress.
Fourth. 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.
Fifth. That Congress shall have power to
enforce the provisions Of this article.
Against this amendment President John
son entered his solemn protest, and it was
by the more extreme members of
the party with much reluctance, and then
only because they regarded it as step
ping-stone to other and greater demands
upon the South.
This amendment is now urged as the
ground upon which the Moses of the North
will consent to q restoration of the Union;
but if they are refused, then the code of
the more extreme men will be adopted, and
negro suffrage will be the sine qua non of
The results of the late cleo
tions tell how much in earnest these Radi-
Gals are.
But on the other hand, the more recent
speeches of the President demonstrate his
After the vetoes of Mr. John
son, and the denunciations he has visited
upon the Congress, none who are familiar
with his firmness and resolution can believe
that he will now bend to the demands of
his political enemies, and at their bidding
violate his oath and surrender the Consti-
tuition into the hands of those who seem
to destroy it.
So long as the President stands by them,
the South will refuse to ratify these amend
ments. Thespiritmanifested by the Radicals
only increase the prejudices entertained by
the sections and reconciliation seems far
ther of, even if it be desired by the people {
of tho North than If uas t1rnI1o ,,,o,4bs