The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1866-12-20
Pnnic Faith.

Pnnic Faith. 3
1t will be remembered by our readers
that, during the late political campaign
the radicals were accustomed to call the
constitutional amendment "the great is
sue" and that they labOred studiously
to create the impression that that
amendment embodied their plan of re-
construction. They constantly held out
the idea that the ratification of the
amendment was all that was needed tC
secure the admission of Southern repre-,
sentatives to seats in Congress, and
that the complete restoration of the
Union was only contingent upon the
adoption of the measure which
they called the mildest amnesty
even offered to treason. 1t was charged
upon them by conservative men that
they were acting in bad faith and tri
fling with the hopes of the people; that
even if the amendment were ratified the
restoration of the Union would be as
far off as before and that the dominant
party in Congress entertained no in
tention of fulfilling the pledge which
was so continually thrust forward by
them during the campaign.
By means of false pretences, the rad
icals were successful in again duping
the people and obtaining new lease o.
power, but they had scarcely counted
the returns of the election before they
threw off the mask they had worn be
fore the people and avowed purposes
which, few days before, they had bit
terly denied. Every charge made 10y
the Democratic party is now proven
and acknowledged to be true, and "th'
great issue" is conceded to have beer
merely humbug, n gross deception, al
infamous cheat.
Without waiting to see whether OF
not the amendment will be ratified, and
while the measure which vas formally
declared to be the uHimdtum, the Con
gressional plan of reconstruction, is still
pending before the legislatures of the
several States, Il new theory is adj
vanced and is sought to be put into I'M
mediate practical operation. Despite
their former pledges, the radicals are
now about to destroy the State
Governments of the South ant
set up territorial organizations
in their stead, without even waiting tt
see whether the proposition under which
they promised restoration of the Un;or
will be complied with or not. In The
Senate, few days ago, SUMNER sale
that he did not accept the constitu
tional amendment "as finality,' nol
did he understand that Congress hat
made any such agreement. He knew
that certain politicians and editor!
had tried to foist such an understand
ing of the constitutional amendment
but there was no ground for it," Th'
leading radicals of both Houses of Con
gress have expressly repudiated th'
pledge they made to the nation and
having been successful in the elections
deliberately break the promise by whicl
that success was obtained.
The ancient Carthagenians were ac
customed thus to violate their treaties
and trample upon their most solemn
promises, and the phrase "Punic faith
has damned that people to an immortal
ity of infamy. But in comparison
with the per6dy of the men nov
composing the majority in th
Congress of the United States
Carthagenian falsehood becomes al
most respectable and new phrase
must be coined to express the deepe
degradation of the radical politicians
a phrase that will, for all time, expires
the superlative of deception and flint
no synonym in any language spokel
under the sun.