The Elk advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Elk Co., Pa.) 186?-1868, 1866-09-27
CORRESPONDENTS for iho AnOceaia.

.-~~ - . -. - 80 - -
Ms. EDlToR-A published address
Of the Union League of Philadelphia"
suggested to me the other day some
thoughts for your paper, but on further
peruSaI of the document it seems hardly
worthy OF any particular notice When
a party that so recently. treated a word
Of disrespect to the President as trea-
son to the Government, beeaase prac-
ticaly there is no distinction between
the Government and the Adsnnistra-
tion, speaks of President johnson as
that '>oold bad man" whose conduct may
be "passed over to the silence Of scorn )"
we may safely leave its partisan addres
ses and the party itself to "the uudy-
ing contempt of the nation
But the ridiculous absurdity Of some
things may excite passing smile, not
withstandrng the sadness which thought,
full men must feel in view Of the posi-
ble future of orr country. Two OF
three ef tkese ] weu|d ask voters at the
coming election to notice.
|. The Radicals are insisting upon
''inalterable guarantees for the future" ;"
as it the proposed amendment to the
Constitution would secure the country
against any future rebellion As if men
whose oath to support the Constitution
rs it IS, cannot be trusted, would have
any peculiar acruples about violating an
amendment which was jDrced upon
them
The only guaranty for future peace
and union is to be sought in the wisdom
and virtue Of the people ; and these can
net be scared by any legislation.
,. Amendments to the Constitution
must be ratified by three fcurths Of the
States. Now how many States do the
Radicals consiler qrorum? IF they
say twenty mast ratiiy, then the rebel
States arc in the Union, aud ef course
entitled te representation ia Congress.
That body has no right to "suspend"
any State at pleasure nor has o"e Hou5e
amy right to judge OF the qualifications
of members Of the other House. But
if the rebel States were ont of the
Union, how can they ever come in, but
by the same door by which other con
qucred territory has come in? What
right have any States la America more
than any in Europe to vote on amend
meqts to our Constitution, if they are
not numbered amo4g the UaitrH StateS?
This point was well put to Congress in
the Presidents message on the "rcad
mission Of Tennessee and they would
do well to consider it,
o. The Radical cry was once "abol's
Slavery. and all will be WE'LL" now they
! say, "the North cannot stand idly By
while the freedmen who lavishcd THEN
blood in one cause are reduced by ppon
ago to Il state worse than Slavery itself
According to them Slavery was the
worst state they could be in; and 81
they justified themselves in persisteut
agitation iOr its abolition even at tht
risk of civil war, Rather than forg,
their phiIanthropic purpose, they woulc
"let the Union slide"
/ Now these emancipated slaves-wht
ouly wanted ireedom in order to asset
their equality with the whites-who ar,
10 every way fit to be eaIrusted with al
equal share in the government-thes,
freedmen are in danger Of worse fat,
than that from which they have beef
rescued at such a fearful cost
Bat these things only illustrate tn,
character of the Radical party Th,
| par.y, | say, not Of all the man tina
have voted, and probably will vote, tina
ticket for there are many good men il
the 50 called Republican ranks. VIII
ought by this time to see the tendency
of things, and free themselves from al
bondage to party, | say from all bond
age to party; aud let citizens vote "a
each election as present issues aud pres
ent candidates shall seem to requires
In regard to the cdadGiates now be
fore the people of Pennsylvania, l hav
no opinion to offer; but in regard to tn
questions at issue / thiuk The case
very plain. Congress is certainly wrong
and we ought TO indicate our sense q