The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1866-10-03
The New York Weathercock on tht
Political Situation.
BENNETT WITH THE RADICALS.
[From the New York Herald. !

l
| 1t is a historical axiom that revolutions
never 60 backwards. Its truth has beel
affirmed in the great political events o
this country since the adjournment of Con
gress, and especially in the recent Stat
elections. 1t was reasonable to suppos,
that the Jacobincal violence, recklessnes,
and ferOcity of such political reformers 9s
Ben Butler in the East, Senator Chandler
in the West, and Parson Brownlow in the
South, would have damaging effect upon
| their party when brought to Judgment %,
fore the people; but it is strikingly appa
ant from the result of the elections i.
Maine that the popular mind is eontrolle
by larger questions, against which the
sayings OF doings of this or that tanatica
politician 90 for nothing. The great bod,
of the American people to which we are i'll
debted for the suppression. of the most for
midable rebellion in the history Of man.
kind, are evidently determined to have
substantial securities for the future before
they pronounce the good work of the Uni
on complete-that, in short Southern re-
construction shall rest upon the solid foun-
dation of the Federal Constitution, regard
less of the disturbing forces of Radicals,
| Copperheads, rebel, rutfians OF fanatics,
North OF South.
From the elections which have occurred
since the constitutional amendment was
adopted by Congress Tor the reconstruc
ton of the Southern States, we are salts
fled that that amendment is to become the
basis of Southern restoration-that it will
carry and be carried by all the Northern
| State elections vet to come, and that with
New Jersey leading off it will be ratified
! by them all. and become part and parcei
of the supreme law of the land Nor have
we any fear of the consequence. There i
nothing, after all, so very objectionable in
this misunderstanding which President
johnson has not, at one time or another,
recommended to some Southern State or to
Congress, and nothing upon which there
should have been disagreement between
the President and Congress. Let us for a
moment look at this amendment again. 1t
provides:
!. That all persons born or naturalized
in the United States are citizens thereof
and of the States in which they reside, and
on footing of equality in regard to their
civil rights.
2. That the enumeration of the people
for representation in Congress shall be
abridged in proportion to the abridgment
of the right of suffrage-males above the
age OF twenty.one years-in any State on
account of race or color. ~
3. That large schedule of persons, civil
and military, engaged in the late rebellion
shall be ineligible to any Federal Office
hereafter until absolved by two-thirds
votes of each House of Congress.
A. That the national war debt shall be
held sacred, and that all rebel debts and
obligations shall be utterly repudiated and
held Illegal and void.
S. That Congress shall have power to
enforce the provisions of this article
This amendment. is the reconstruction
plan and platform of Congress, and there
is no good reason, we say, why it should
not have been adopted by the President,
inasmuch as he stands committed in some
shape to all its provisions. 1t is not the
platform of Thaddeus Stevens, Sumner, or
any of the noisy Radicals of Congress
They can do nothing 1t, was adopted
against their remonstrances and i'll site of
their threats. II embodies substantially,
in fact, the President original programme.
and if carried in these coming October and
November elections-as we predict it will
be, fren Massachusetts and New York
westward-we the will of the people will
come back to It. Why not9 Surely this
amendment engrafted upon the cohstitu-
ton will be amply sufficient for the resto-
ration of the Union, internal peace, Sec
tional harmony, and the security OF the
government aud the treasury for many
generations to come against all disturbing
factions of either section. Parson Brown
low, in leading off with the State of Ten
nessee for the ratification has shown that
a good thing may be done by a badman,
and for bad motive; but that Tennessee
should thus lead off for this amendment is
a very remarkable and significant fact;
that New Jersey should next follow is al
most as strange; but from good or bad de-
signs, tIus started, the amendment will
surely'go through.
The Presidents quarrel andrupture with
Congress was an unfortunate mistake.
From recent events, South and North, it is
clear that it will prove a fatal blunder. to
his administration, unless he abandons it
as the issue before the people. Tho old
contests in England between King and
Parliament are full of instruction on this
subject Had Mr.. johnson taken ourfriend-
ly advice, and made the distinguishing
features of his administration a vigorous
foreign policy and asound financialsystem,
he might ere this become aspopular Presi-
dent as Andrew jackson. He has yet a
fair field before him in which to retrieve
his misfortunes Let him begin de moro by
reconstruction of his Cabinet, beginning
with his particular marplot, the, Secretary
of States and let him give us a Cabinet
and policy, foreign and domestic, shaped
to meet the exigencies ofthe day and the
developments Of public opinion, and his
administration may still become universal
ly acceptable and glorionsly successful.
We speak to him as a friend, and, we think,
in the voice OF the people.
THE CONTEST FOR GOVERNOR IN PENN
eyr ,,yY. Wrtas tho lancaster corras-