Clarksville weekly chronicle. [volume] (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1865-1867, 1866-12-21
THE PROGRAMME.

scalp still .tingles at the recollection
of Brookes cane. We publish also
the bill for the reduction of North
Carolina to a Territory and the two
together, viii give the reader pretty
clear idea of what the Radicals will
do, If they can. We say if they can,
because their programme can not be
carried out unless they first remove the
President, or secure his cooperation
The latter point they have no chance
to gain, and the former they dare not
attempt to carry by assault, because
they fcsfsss. nothing but party defeat
as the Certain result.
The conclusion we have arrived at
after a somewhat patient investiga.
ton of the views and wishes Of the
Radicals, is, that they do not oppose,
in sincerity, the immediate restora.
ton of the South, from any appre.
hension that it would be prejudicial
to the best interests Of the country,
or because they expect to obtain any
guarantees for the future, but simply
because they know that the restora-
ton of the South will be the imme.
date forerunnor Of their destruction
as party. 1t cannot be denied that
they are mean enough, and willing
enough to do all they threaten, be-
lieving that it would make permanent
their now precarious hold upon pow
err; but they see very serious obsta-
Giles in the way of immediate success
And whilst they are threatening, with
the hope of intimidating, and ranting
and clustering to feed the passions
and keep up the courage of their fol-
lowers, we are satisfied that all they
hope to accomplish, during the pres
cnt administration, is the exclusion
of the vote Of the South, in the next
Presidential election.
If they can do this, and thereby
secure the election of q man Of their
own party, they will have six years
lease of the government, dating from
the fourth Of March next, and during
that period, all that cunning, bribery,
intimidation and usurpation can do,
will be done to consolidate the gov
eminent, in their hands, and to make
the South feeble dependency. Ev-
cry move, every utterance points to
'this state of things as the Radical
ultimatum, and, confident of their
ability to accomplish it, in due time,
they will make no decisive issue with
the President, during his term of SER
vice, lest such a step may prccipitate
their own downfall. In the mean
time, relying upon his adherence to
the policy of "masterly inactivity
they are paving the way to the final
consummation Of their treason, by
treating the constitution as dead
letter, and the Executive as a worth
less excrescence upon the contempla-
ted system of consolidation and Con-
gressional supremacy. The struggle
will be continued during the next
two years, and the final result hangs
upon the single question--shall the
South vote in the next Presidential
election?
AS already stated, we believe this
to be the Radical programme. The re-
sstancc offered by the President will,
no doubt, stave off extreme measures
during his administration /; but whe.
Their his policy will afford any securi-
ty beyond that period, is question
to which no satisfactory answer can
be inferred from present surroundings
and we look forward to its solution
with little hope, because we can anti
cipate no action, by the President,
two years hence, that would not have
boon as proper aud effective one year
ago. .a '... ...tt..
Mn HANNA of Illinoia intro-