The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1866-05-16

ding by offering $4,000 The animal
was finally knocked down to Mr.. Louis
Petty, the owner of Lady Emma, foI
$4,000.
The MERCHANTS BANK FAILURE.-It is
expected that the receiver appointed
by the Government to investigate the
affairs of the Merchants National
Bank, of this city, will report to the
Treasurer to-day. This report will
amount of public deposits was SO 1000
all of which, with the exception OF
about $4,000 held as securities for
deposit and circulation, will be a dead
loss to the Government Wash. Rep
l2th.
The Radicals and Their Ganae Oi
RevOlutiOn---The Danger to the
Country.
Congress is getting into deep water
On Tuesday morning last, according to
an appointment, the reconstruction
scheme of the joint committee of fif
teen was taken up In the House as tie
special order of the day. This scheme
embraces a constitutional amendment
and two supplemental bills. Mr. Ste
vens explained that the amendment
would be first considered, and that il
was not the purpose of the committee
to have the two bills acted on until il
was seen what disposition the Senate
would make of the amendment The
proposition before the House fell far
short of his wishes, but he believed
that it was all that could be obtained
in the present state of public opinion.
Something is due, then, even in the
estimation of Stevens, to "the present
state of public opinion" But let us
see what he is aiming at. He says that
mot only Congress, but the several
States are to be consulted. On care
fol survey of the whole ground the
committe did not believe that nineteen
of the loyal States could be induced to
ratify any proposition more stringent
than this. He repeated nineteen
States; for he utterly repudiated and
scorned the idea that any State not ac-
tually in the Union was to be counted
in the question of ratification" This
is en- important feature, then, in the
scheme of the committee. Three
fourths of the States now represented
in Congress are to be deemed sufficient
for the ratification of the proposed
amendment; and its ratification by the
other States is to be required only as a
condition of their restoration to Con-
gress The amendment abolishing and
interdicting slavery was officially de-
clared part of the constitution by the
Secretary of State, in having received a
ratification by tWenty-seVen States, or
three-fourths of all the States of the
Union, in or out of Congress. Now, if
Congress shall accept a ratification by
nineteen States as enough, how is the
Secretary of State to be made to pro.
claim it asrequired by the constitution
Does not this make a case for an inn
peachment of President johnson
Assuming, however, that this idea oi
impeachment, from the utter impossi
bility of carrying it out, is not enter
tanned, the question recurs, what is
this Joint committee aiming at2 Mr.
Stevens admits that the third section
ment, which seeks to disfranchise from
all federal elections till the Fourth o
July, 1870 all persons voluntarily aid
ing the late rebellion, becomes a dead
letter under the pardoning power o.
the President If, therefore, under the
amnesty proclamations and special par
dons already issued by the President
the most of the Southern people are
not affected by this constitutions
amendment, may not the rest of them
be relieved in the same way2 The pro
position, however, was intended to rule
out the Southern States concerned
from the Presidential election of 1868
and we presume that as it has been
found Intellectual, some other device
will be contrived for that purpose, in
an amendment of this third section
In fact, the object of this radical Con
gress is so manifestly the continued ex
clusion from the government of the
now excluded States, not only till 1870
but for an indefinite number of years
to come, that we care not to waste any
further time upon the details of this
Congressional scheme. 1t is at best
only a scheme for a revolutionary re
construction of the government under
the ruling faction of this Congress, OF
for the perpetuation of their power
after the fashion of the Directory Of
the first experimental French republic,
If this is permitted, the next thing will
be reaction from anarchy to despot-
ism, as in the case of the first Napo-
leon; or from another commonwealth
of roundheads like that of England to
the old monarchical system; or from
the fighting factions of the republic to
the consolidation of all the powers OF
the government in another Cesar.
Thaddeus Stevens and his joint com
mittee are fighting behind a masked
battery. Under the cover of plausible
measures of national security they seek
to disguise their real designs But
Wendell Phillips, the infallible pioneer
OF the radical faction, speaks without
reserve and without quibbling. He de-
spises the cant of constitutional "
measures. He hates the word. He
says So He wants universal suffrage,
negro political and social equality; he
wants liberty, equality and fraterni-
ty," without any constitutional draw
backs. He wants negroes in the gov
eminent, and he is disgusted at the
shrinking of the radicals of Congress.
Phillips disoloses what Stevens would
conceal Phillips, fighting his battles
at his own expense, has no favors to
ask of parties or State elections. Ste
vens, as a party leader, dependent
upon popular support, is compelled to
bend 10 public opinion. Stevens, how
ever, though far behind with his recon-
structiOn wagon, is still on the same
road with Phillips Hence, whatever
nav be the scheme of reconstruction
finally agreed upon in this Congress
if they can agree upon anything-the
people will be secure only in adher-
inc 10 the simple, safe and acceptable
policy of President johnson. The rad
icsls contemplate 8 radical revolution
10 the government There is danger
in it. disguise it as they may. If the
American people desire 20 perpetuate
the blessings Of constitutional liberty
they should prepare at once for the ne
cessary work Of putting down these rev
olutionary radicals in the approaching
elections for the next Congress.--M 7.
Herald
See "a Woman