Maryland free press., 1866-05-17
Radical-what does it Mean?

E.S"At the Radical Mass Meeting in
Hagerstown, on Saturday last, one of the
Speakers, Hon. Jno i. Thomas, declared
he was Radical, and that he was proud
of it, and his assertion was applauded by
the audience as an evidence that they were
proud Of their Speaker and approved cf his
principles. To proper understanding Of
what the Radical platform is, we give a
few of series of resolutions adopted at a
Radical meeting recently held not thou
sand miles from IIagerstown. If they suit
your ideas then you are right in following
the lead of Thomas, Creswell & Co., and
will find in the Baltimore Amoricdn and
Hagcrstown Uer0ld, reliable organs of
your party. Here are the Resolutions
which constitute the Radical Pldtform:-
"Rcsolred That considering what the nation
owes the Negro what il has promised him, and
remembering the lesson Of the war, it is evident
there is no course for us 10 tread, either safe,
just, or honorable, except to guarantee to him ut
once every political right enjoyed by every citi-
zen, the same circumstances. ENSTy OlllcI
path is alike dcathly and infamous.
ResolCcd, That the present condition o. the
nogro is one of nominal freedom but Of suffering
almost equal with that he endured under tie yoke
OF entire dependence on the white race for every
privilege, and the recognition Of every right
that no other enactment of Congress can alter
this unless it makes him in every respect the
absolute equal Of the white man before the law.
ReSolred That tie Southern States may see
the History and future of the policy they are inti-
atinm in the glass OF Jamaica, and Gnd that every
attempt to cheat the emancipatcd negro out OF
substantial freedom incurs bankruptcy, wrecks
property, and ends in blood.
ResoiOcd, That we demand of Congress, as
clearly within its Constitutional authority, to
secure, by appropriate legislation, his political
rights, especially the right of suffrage, TO every
citizen of the United States, [aPplause;] to assert
as principle of national law definitely settled
by the defeat of the rebellion in the field, that no
State is republican in n Constitutional and
national sense which makes any distinction in
civil or political rights among lis citizens on ac-
count OF race or descent; and thirdly TO call on
the loyal citizens of the late rcbcllous States 10
assemble by delegates in convention in such
State, and form Tor it State Constitution and
State measures TO regain its place in Congress
by choice Of Senators a.ld Representatives; but
that the basis of final settlement should be uni
vcrsal suffrage and universal amnesty,
RfsOtrcd That once compromise OF great
principles for immediate ends might have had
some plausible dcicncc but to-day, and in this
crises, whoever purposes TO settle any national
issue on any basis but that Of absolute justice
mistakes his timc-haS failed TO learn the lesson
of the War-postpones justice, Weakens liberty,
jeopards nationality and is a worse traitor be
canse n more dangerous one, than any armed
Rebel has been for the last four years: Better
defeat on true basis than success Oh Il conpro-
mise of rights. Applause. Better that the
Rebels should take possession of the Govern
ment in 1868 than thwart the course Of events
and surrender the fruits Of victory by agreeing
to any compromise which accepts peace on terms
unjust to any race, interest or section.
Rcsolccd, Tha twhcn Representatives and Scna-
tors forgot the last four years and initiated thc
trucking politicians Of our disgraccful cras, by
admitting the white aristocracy of Colorado as a
republican State into this Uniou-thcy stulticd
themselves, betrayed the North, and gave the
traitors of the White House and the Rebels of the
South an unansweruble argument against all their
hollow zeal for justice and freedom.