The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-09-07

From the Times
A transparent fallacy is employed by the
radicals to hide the tendency of their Congress
sional policy. To excuse the result of their
action in refusing to aGmt Southern Repre-
sentatives, they argue that the tact of exclusion
is one for which the Southern States are alone
responsible. eff the Union has not been re.
stored, +" they reason, 'it rs because the South
objects to restoration" Following out this
line, they are care VI to profess their readiness
TO receive the South. as evidence that its non.
admission is the result OF its own obstinacy.
The Chicago Tribune falls back upon this pre-
tense:-
"1he doors Of Congress are not closed to the
representatives OF these States; they are not
excluded indefinitely, nor are they sought to be
excluded. On the contrary, they are excluding
themselves Congress seeks their restoration,
and would GLADLY welcome them TO the Union if
they will present themselves with the creden-
tlals which the hideous past has made an I'M
peratlve necessity. Congress meets III December
next There is not one oil these ten States but
might convene its Legislature, and, ratltyiug the
amendment, have its Senators and Reprt senta-
tives present at the meeting OF Congress- There
Is no shorter or more expeditions mode of re-
gaining admission. Congtess, in the case of
| Tennessee sufficiently displayed how earnestly
! and anXtously 1t desired the representation of
! the people OF these Rebel States. Even in the
| last hours OF the session, without waiting for
| Legislature, the pressing business of the hour
! was suspended that Tennessee might be well
coined through her representatives to the Union
! OF the States Instead of Congress proposing,
as the President and his followers assert, the
! indefinite exclusion OF these states from repre-
| sentanOn, there is an earnest desire on the part
OF Congress that they be received with the least
| possible delay.n
| This is a mere play upon words which can.
not deceive the most superficial thinker.
Congress, we take IT, must be responsible for
the consequences of its own action. And we
must also assume that the radical majority re-
solved upon their action with full knowledge
of its effect. Whether they avow honestly
that the South shall not be admitted, or couple
an invtauon to enter with conditions which
they know will not be accepted, matters COM
paratlvely little. The result Is the same. The
South is excluded. And 1t is excluded delbe-
rately, intentionally, and apparently lnded-
nitely, by the course OF the radicals in regard
10 it.
The wrong is more ilagTant because gratui
touS. II the exclusion OF Southern representa-
/ tVes proceeded from rigid Interpretation o
constitutional provisions no objection coulC
I | be fairly raised against II. Not only, however
is it not warranted by the Constitution, but it il
1 | directly at variance with the requirements O
I | the Constitution upon the subject. To keep on
9 | Southern members, the radicals discard th
i | Constitution, evade the duty it imposes on them
l and insist upon stpulations for which that in
( strument gives no authority. How absurd
then. is the plea that the failure TO restore tn
IA Union is attributable to the South, not to tn
/, radicals
r. The South has for months stood at the doc
G. OF CONGRESS- asking Tor admission subject to th
ID requirements OF the existing law and the test G
e, individual fitness. Had Congress opened il
doo1 subject TO these conditions, and these only
TX its position would have been vindicated II
ty readiness to complete the restoration of tn
at Union would have been demonstrated, and n
Il, complaint could have been urged because
ts the exclusion of non-Qualihed representative
~ The opus of justification would have reste
id upon the constituencies by whom the unit me
at had been elected. But Congress suITendere
"a this yantageground when it refused to ente
nd tain the applications OF the South, or to co
ed slider the individual eligibility OF those wi
er appeared in the name of the South And VIII,
en- Congress adopted tests framed for the occasio
res in defiance of Southern feelings and conviction
rty it excluded the South as effectually as reall
OF as though ii had in terms decreed exclusion.
of And what shall be done when II becomes fo
he may known that the ten excluded States
'ue cline 10 accept the extrae unconstitutional conc
we tions dictated by ConyressY Will Congress
J cede from Its position content itself with Z