The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-04-05

harmony with the solemn declarations of Con-
gress, supported and in al least one instance
originated by the very members who now find it
convenient to occupy Numerically opposite
ground. They who now say that the war had
other objects than the maintenance OF the Union,
whenever they assail the Proclamation will find
themselves confronted with their own avowals,
and the avowals OF the then President, put for
ward with their sanction. The Tribune pro-
nounces this testimony superhuous. No doubt
our contemporary and not a few others would
prefer to have forgotten what so palpably con-
victs them of inconsistency, not to say insin-
certify But the country will think differently.
And President Johnson, in thus appealing TO the
record in support of his own view, does much to
counteract the malignity of those who may be
expected to be its assailants.
Parliamentary Reform - Negro Suffrage.
from the World.
Which is the freest country, England or
France? Every man of intelligence answers
without hesitation, england" England may,
indeed, become freer and better Government
than she now is, by the extension of the suffrage
proposed in the new reform bill; but she has
long been the freest country in Europe, and,
excepting the United States, the freest in the
world. The amount Of freedom enjoyed in any
nation bears no necessary relation to the num-
Der of its voters. France needs no reform bill,
in the sense in which that phrase is understood
i'll England; France. in other words, is not
capable OF receiving any extension of the cleo
tive franchise. In France, suffrage is already
universal. In England, the elective franchise
attaches to property qualification; the new
reform bill merely proposes to reduce, not
abolish, the qualification. In France, every
male inhabitant OF twenty-one years or upwards
has the suffrage by reason of his birth in the
country; while in England, even under the new
reform bill, not one grown man in five will have
! the right to vote. 1t must, therefore, be ad-
| mitted that freedom is not necessarily in pro-
! portion to the number of voters.
If the choice were given to well-informed
man whether he would prefer in the United
States centralized despotlsm, like the Govern
ment of france, with negro suffrage, or the free
institutions OF England with her restricted
suffrage, he would decide for the free institu-
tons. The actual question, in this country, lies
between wider extremes. we have already uni
versa white suffrage, as they have in Frances
and our actual Constitution is much freer than
that of England. But it is proposed by the
radicals to acquire universal negro suffrage by
q centralized despotism outrivallng that of
Napoleon. For the French Government admits
representatives into the legislative body from
all parts OF the Empire, while halt of the terri
torial area of the United States is not repre-
seuted in Congress.
The Government of England is free, because
the country Is governed by It's public opinion.
The Government OF France is not free, because
public opinion does not, in that country con-
troll governmental measures. The radical policy
is producing similar political condition here.
Nobody entertains any doubt that majority oil
the whole people included in the whole coun
try, approve the reconstruction policy of the
President. But the Government is so organized
by disregard of the Constitution, that this
aggregate public opinion does not find expires
sion IN Congress. In England, under similar
circumstances, the Executive would dissolve
the Parliament, and appeal to the people il
a new election. In this country we must
await the stated period of elections, which
would be- no evil if all the present Repre-
sentatives were admitted to their lawful seats
II the members of Parliament from the coun
, haA Ind fho fha fouy
a dissolution would be no remedy, unless thu
towns were to be admitted after the new elec
=. ton. II a rump Parliament should pass law
3 giving the counties the control of the organZa
3 tion of the next Parliament, there could be NJ
appeal to the country, but only to the repre-
sented part OF it. But the exclusion of th'
. towns would be reYolution-a virtual over
r throw OF the British Constitution. There is no
: a statesman or publicist in Europe but would s.
pronounce it. The exclusion, in this country
: of eleven States from Congress, is equally revo
| lutonary The Constitution declares that eacl
D State shall have two Senators, and that n
: State shall, without its consent, be deprived @
= its equal representation in the Senate. 1t ais
e declares that each State shall be represented il
the lower branch OF Congress in proportion +
e its population, as ascertained by the next pre-
: cedng census. These provisions are virtual
Y abrogated by the radical representatives troI
e the Northern States. The consequence is, tha
e Congress, instead of expressing the will of
s majority OF the people OF the United States
e represents an acknowledged minority. Tn
Il radicals dare not admit the whole country
, the representation which the Constitution give
o it, knowing that they would thereby lose thei
IS power.
/ 1t is plain, therefore, that for the sake of on
Il stripping France in the matter of universal Su
e trage, the radicals are also outstripping her
IS despotism. Even under the despotism of Loni
d Napoleon every part OF France is represented
IS but universal suffrage is far enough from pr
ducng liberty
D The radicals are constantly clamoring thi
e | universal suffrage is necessary to complet
d ! emancipation. But are there slaves in England
IS II is the boast of that country that slavery hl
1T not existed there for several hundred year
rs Perfect freedom is therefore consistent wit
al a denial OF suffrage to considerable classes
,e the population. The free institutions of En-
n land are better protection to its Inhabitan
De than universal suffrage is TO the inhabitants
10 France. The present movement in England +
IN extending the suffrage by lowering the proper
si- qualification has an instructive side for I'll
le country in the demonstration it calls to min
d. that personal freedom may be fully enjoyed
to classes VINO have no excess to the polling
OF 1t puts to shame the argument of the revo
as tionary radicals that the negroes cannot be tr
n without the elective franchise If this preten
as were well founded, tour-tiths OF the people
ne England would be slaves, even after the passa
be OF the new reform bill.
10 u ---------------4A--------
Is, DR. Releerscheid, OF Bonn, in his research
lei in the libraries OF Italy for his edition OF
ms Latin Fathers, has made some discoveries
be Anglo-SaXon and Gothic MSS. The Ahgenae
re- ZeitltDg (BeIlage), of the lst of March, sta
wa that ih the Vatican DIR. Reifferscheld discovers