Daily union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1865-1866, 1866-09-19
THE PROSPECT BEFORE Us---THE
PROGRAMME OF RADICALIsM.

is a candidate for Congress in the Lancas-
ter district. Mr.. STEVENS says he intends
to propose at the next session certain mea-
sures which Congress failed to adopt last
winter, and he tells us what these mea-
sures are.
J. He intends that Congress shall pass
laws overthrowing and discarding the pre-
sent State Governments in the Southern
States, as utterly illegal-and providing
Governments for them as conquered pro-
vinces-fxing the qualifications Of voters
and requiring universal negro suffrage. Mr..
STEVENS leaves no doubt upon this point.
lie reproaches Congress with cOwardice for
not having done this at the last session, and
says it failed because the Republican party
had not been sufficiently informed on the
subject. But now he thinks the party is pre-
pared TO adopt it, and he looks to thecoming
elections for an Endorsement of his views.
II. lie intends that Congress shall pass
laws by which "a sufficient fund shall be
levied out of the property Of the Southern
people TO pay the expenses and damages Of
the war;" This cannot be less than four or
five thousand million of dollars, and South
ern property to this extent is to be confsca-
ted. Congress would have done this, too at
its last session, but for its cowaTdice. 81
trust now" says Mr.. STEvESs, "that our
constituents will give US more courage"
III. The third measure Mr.. STEVENS in
tends to force upon Congress is to give home
steads and the right to vote TO all the color
ed men who fought in the Union armies.
This is also to come out of the property Of
Southern people, and is simply so much ad-
ditional confscation.
". The great fundamental question to be
met at this election, NJ. STEVENS holds, is
the question Of negro rights; and that he
means to force upon the action Of Congress
He asserts in the broadest terms his theory
that the Southern people have no rights
whatever; that they can claim nothing un'
der the Constitution, and that the national
Government is not restrained in the slightest
degree, in its dealings with the Southern
States and people by any Of the provisions
of that fundamental law. 1t need not look
to see what powers are conferred on it by
the Constitution, nor need it regard its linn
itations and restrictions as of the slightes
consequence in its dealings with the South
Its own will is its only law. Mr.. STEyENi
maintains that il has all the rights Of con
queror; that the lives, fortunes, property
rights, everything belonging Il
| the rebellious sectiOn-are at an end. HC
holds that the Constitution has not only beer
changed, but abolished by the war; for, say
he, no. principle is clearer that that in wal
call the former obligations, treaties ant
compacts between the parties become null
and void, and after the war are to be re
newed or repudiated as the parties agree, o
as the conqueror DEGREES. The Constitution
therefore, being a compact between the par
ties, may be renewed or repudiated as tn
conqueror may decreeP
1t will be remembered that in the las
speech made before the adjournment of Con
gress, in July, Mr.. STEVENS announced tina
in voting for the Constitutional amendmen
as a scheme of restoration, he did SO in vic
lation of the convictions Of his judgment
and simply for the purpose Of assisting hi
party in the Congressional elections soon
be held. 1t was deemed necessary by tn
managers to satisfy the people who were i'm
patient for some settlement. The plan pro
posed did not come up to the advanced rad
iealism Of STEVENS, WADE, SUMNER, Coz
FAX and other leaders great and small, bu
party necessity drove them to its adoption
Before the people, Mr.. STEVENS takes tn
bold stand presented in the above PROPOSE
tons. He is the recognized leader of tn
Congressional Radicals, and exerts a create
influence than any one man in that party
If the result of the fall elections should no
materially diminish the strength of hi
party in the next Congress, his power 70
mischief will be unimpaired. If it SHOULD
DO maintained or increased, he and hi
associate Jacobins will be in a pc
sition to annul the Constitution, i'm
peach the President, erect Radical au
tocracy on the ruins Of the Republic oblit
crate the Statehood Of ten or twelve State
of the Union, and reduce their people to
degrading political vassalage The doctrine
announced by this bad, but able man, MAJ
seemto many used we have become 10 througl
appalling encroachments upon republican
liberty, as utterly absurd-too gross to b
imposed upon an intelligent and vigilan
people, and, therefore, impossible to be re
duoed TO practice. But II we have no
miscalculated the signs of the times, an,
miscalculated the purposes of the Radica
leaders, Mr.. SrEvENs, who speaks for them
means what he says, and his utterances, il
case of Radical success, will become word
of grave and fearful import,
In view Of z1ch threatenings by the lead
ing men of a party formidable, and domi
nant in one great department of the Gov
ernment the political sky is overcast will
clouds which portend another rain Of bloc,
and horror for this country, if the virtu
and good sense Of the people cannot b
brought to check the mad ambition whiol
is hastening their dearest interests to de
striction. II the Northern majority shoul
sustain the projects Of these men, all hope
| for a restoration of the Union. and all tn
prospects for peace are blasted; and W
have nothing to look forward to, better tha
the anarchy Of Mexico and the Centra
American States.
| THEODORE Cook, the able and thorough
ly Conservative candidate for Congress i
the second district of Ohio, in Cincinnati
addressed bis future constituents, a few ever