Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1866-09-20
The Maine Election.

The gain on their former majority by the
Radicals of Maine, has produced CONSIDER
able excitement in the political world. Line
New York World attaches but little impor-
lance to it from the fact that the gain was
in New England, of which the woT1d ex-
meets nothing. IT looks for different re-
suits in the great Central and Western
States.
nleteIv yanouished by the unexpected re-
snlt and makes haste to set its sails to what
Il considers the popular breeze. 1t declares
=, favor of the Constitutional Amendment,
and the Congressional programme general
". and calls upon the President to adopt
Il 1t predicts unbroken defeat to the Con
servatives in the autumn elections, and the
certain triumph of the Observation-Disclosures
party The following extract will show the
new position of that tlme-serving Sheet
which, curiously enough, in its very next
article, attacks Mr.. Raymond for being a
s. trimmer :" -..- -
From the elections which have occurred
since the Constitutional amendment was
adopted by Congress for the reconstruction
of the Southern States, we are satisfied that
that amendment IS to become the basis of
Southern restoratiOn-that it will carry and
be carried by all the Nor hern State cleo
tions yet to come, and that with New Jer-
sey leading off it will be ratified by them
all and become part and parcel of the SUI
preme law of the land. Nor have we any
fear of the consequences. There is moth
ing, after all, so very Objectionable in this
Notwithstanding which President
Johnson himself has not, at one time or
another, recommended to some Southern
State or to Congress, and nothing upon
which there should have been a disagree
ment between the President and Congress-
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 also by the President,
inasmuch as he stands committed in some
shape to all its provisions. It 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 in spite of
their threats 1t embOdies substantially, in
fact, the Presidents original programme,
and if carried in these coming Oct. and Nov.
elections-as we predictit will be, from Mas
sachusetts and New York westward-wet trust
that the Administration, in Difference to the
will of the people, will come back to it
Why not? Surely this amendment engraft-
ed upon the Constitution will be amply suf-
ficient for the restoration of the Union, in
ternal peace, sectional harmony, and'the Sc
curity of the Government and treasury, for
many generations to come, against all dis
turbing factions of either section. Parson
Brownlow, in leading off with the State of
Tennessee for the ratification, has shown
that good thing may be done by bad
man for bad motive but that Tennessee
should thus lead off for this amendment is
Il very remarkable and significant fact-that
New Jersey should next follow is almost as
strange but from good or bad designs,
thus started, the amendment will surely go
through.
The Presidents quarrel and rupture with
Congress was an unfortunate mistake. From
recent events, South and North, it is clear
that it Will prove a fatal blunder to his ad-
ministration, unless he abandons it as the
Issue before the people.