The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-08-24
THE NEW YORK PRESS.
EDITORIAL OPINIONS OF THE LEADING
JOURNALS UPON CURRENT TOPICS.
The johnson Soldiers.

From he Tribune.
Generals Custer, Dix, etc, urge their fellow
soldiers in the late civil war to unite with them
in holding a Convention at Cleveland intended
to pave the way for a aRebel-Copperhead triumph
in our approaching elections. Contrary to the
most notorious facts, they assure those soldiers
shat the late Rebels have in good faith acknow-
ledged that they were wrong IN forcbly resist
ing and seeking to subvert the authority of the
Union in the South, when nearly every promi-
nent journal in the South emphatically denies
and scouts that assumption. Assuming, in
defiance of facts as notorious as the sun, that
he late Rebels are now all loyal, and we'll dis
posed towards Unionists, Dix q Co. plead their
cause as follows:-
, "But, though individuals may be tried, con-
UcGed, ana punished, communities cannot; nor
can the States and their people, without
plain violation of the Constitution, be denied
the RIGHT OF representation, through men per-
sonally qualIned, in the councils OF the nation.
The intention OF Congress seems to be to
deprive them OF representation just so long as
suits the purposes OF the radical party. Many
assert that ii Will concede the right whenever
the Constitutional amendment snail have been
adopted and each prescribed State shall have
ratified 1T. But is quite certain that the amend
ment will not be ratified by thrCe-tOurths of
the States, and therefore that it will not be
adopted Some, perhaps many, of the North
ern States will reject it and we cannot
expect its legal ratification by any OF the
lately insurrecionary States. If there were
no other reason why the Southern States should
reject 1t, 1t Is enough that il proposes to dis
franchise nearly all the men in the South who
have influence over the masses of the people.
If none were to be DISTINGUISHED except officers
OF the Rebel army, we still could not expect the
South to adopt it; Tor a large majority Of men IN
the lately insurrectlOnary States, through com
pulsion or choice, served in the Rebel army, and
their votes alone would overwhelmingly defeat
1T n
privileges, disranchlse their leaders whom they
love and revere lOr their heroic virtues? How,
then, can We expect Southern soldiers to dis
franchise and degrade their old commanders!
AS there IS no probability that the amendment
will be ratified by three-tOurths of the States,
the plan OF restoration which Congress appears
TO have determined on is at best impracticabe."
That is TO say: The plan Of reconstruction
prescribed by Congress is impractlcable, because
the Rebels will not assent TO it. And lOhy will
they not? Because ut proposes to disiranchise
nearly all the men in the South who have in
huence over the masses of the people," No. 1t
does not. II proposes that certain of the more
conspicuous and culpable Rebels shall be ex.
cluded from Federal office until Congress shall
see ft to remove the proscription. Is not that
quite another thing?
But we take Generals Dix, Custer & Co. on
their own ground. They ask our soldiers to put
themselves in the place of the Rebels against
whom they fought, and say whether hey would
vote to disranchse their leaders and comrades
IN arms. Now, 1t Is notorious that some two
hunored thousand blacks fought against the
Rebelion-loueht bravey and well so that
many thousands of them sealed with their lite.
blood their devotion to the Union. Nearly all
the survivors. 1t is perfectly notorious are
doomed TO perpetual disfranChisement, and to
be left without any political rights whatever, If
the johnson policy OF restoration Is successful.
You say gentlemen, that the Rebel soldiers
cannot be expected to sustain acquiesce in a
policy of reconstruction that divests their com
rades of political power. Are you not, then, by
your own confession, base and treacherous
hounds, in that you, being triumphant, are
wiling TO do by yOur comrades in the late strug-
1eated, must scorn to do by theirs