The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-10-11
riots OF the Politieians.

From the Herald
A little over year ago the army of Lee, ex-
hausted by the bulldog tenaclty of General
Grant, who had hung at its throat from the
Wilderness down to the gates OF Richmond,
gave up the fight and surrendered. There was
rejoicing all over the country; for the people
pined for peace and expected to enjoy its bless
irgs. In the loyal States the exultaton was
universal, because with peace came the restora-
ton of the Union and the re-establshmcnt of
the Government in all its strength. Although
the call of defeat may at first have embittered
the cup TO those who had so recently been our
enemies, vet even they soon came to regard
with heartfelt satisfaction the cessation of a war
that had brought them nothing Dut suffering
and destruction and were thankful that it was
at an end If q shadow darkeued the sky it
arose only from the fog OF those mems minds
who failed TO appreciate the American character
and predicted that the released soldiery would
wander about the country numbering aud rob
bing and burning and preying upon the peace
able citizens generally. Such clouds were
speedily dispelled when the sturdy men of war
betOok themselves to the work bench and the
plough, and quietly resumed the employments
they had quilted for the tent and the held.
The nations of Europe looked on in wonder.
They were not prepared for the grand spectacle
OF two mighty armies disbanding, as 1t we're, by
magic, and becoming at once absorbed in
peaceable ano producing population. They saw
with amaZement a government great enough to
extend q generous forgiveness 10 states tlat nad
for four years waged against it war of rebel
lion, and a system perfect enough to resume its
working harmoniously just as soon as such a
conflict ceased. The country was at peace; and
this fact, no less wonderful to them than the
immensely of the resources we had developed
during the war, gave us u credit in Europe
greater than any we had previously enjoyed.
But it was not long before the politicians set
to work to disturb the waters of the Pool OF
Sloan, through the virtues of which the eyes
Of the nation were receiving light. Peace was
no peace to them unless 1T could be rendered
subservient to their own advancement. They
must make some capital out of IT for their party
or personal purposes before they could regard
it as a blessing. The cessation of hostilities in
the field was the signal Tor the political guerillas
to enter upon campaign OF their own. They
commenced their raids in Congress by the use
OF violent and unbecOming language, In the
House of Representatives the President OF the
United States was alluded to as the man at the
other emo of the aYenue; and in the Senate the
classic Sumner, in the language of the kitchen,
denounced him as "whitewasher." BY degrees
the license Of the tongue became more un-
bounded. and the President was alluded to as
traitor and one VINO had "legalized assassina-
tion.n This desecration OF dignity and pro-
prIety continued until it infected the President
himself: and for the past two months the
huMliating spectacle has been presented of the
executive and legislative branches of the Gov
ernment scolding each other ana calling each
other names, like two angry drabs.
Outside OF Congress the political stump
rlotOus and violent The Buffers and Brown
lows and HamiltonS on one side, and the Shar
keys, Dawsons, and MourOes on the other, have
done their best to excite the prejudices and
passions OF the people, and to destroy the
blessings of peace. One set of men in the South
and another in the East have used their breath
increasingly to tan the smouldering embers of
fanatiCism and seCtionalism once more into
fame. On one side we are told that Congress is
to be forcbly entered by the Southern members
and the organization carried at the point of the
bayonet. On the other we are promised the
impeachment OF the President as soon as Con-
gross reassembles. Both schemes are the mere
rawlings Of braWling politicians. The South will
quietly rc-enter Congress under the Constitu-
tional amendment If the States are sensible
| enough to secure those terms of readmission,
| and Butler could not get more than fifty or sixty
| votes In the House for his threatened impeach-
| ment. The balance of the Representatives are
quiet and peaCeable men, who have already
| shown their inclination and their power to
! check the revolutionary power ofThad Stevens
| and other lmpracticable radicals, and they will
do no act in which the country will refuse to
| sustain them.
But, baseless as are these threats, they are not
| without mischief Their effect is seen in the
riots in Memphis, the fruits Of the violence OF
| Southern politicians; in the murderous affair
| in New Orleans the result of the incendiary
course of political agitators of both sides; in the
| cubbings, and shootings and cuttings In Phlla-
| dephia and other places, all the work OF mere
dribbhng politicians; of representatives OF cor
| rupt rings" that are in danger OF being broken
up; of men who hang on the outskirts and verge
OF parties, aud by their violence endeavor to
attract attention, in the hope OF getting some
| paltry Office II the side they esponse happens to
come out uppermost. And yet such palisltes as
these have 1t in their power to cloud over all
| the bright visions of peace that dawned upon us
| when the tempest of war passed away; and for
their acts thirty millions of quiet, peaceable
citizens are called upon to suffer in their repu-
| tation abroad and in their selErespect at home.
The course OF these violent and interruptions
| [ DOlltleal parties
| all the fruits of victory and all the blessings
secured by peace: and il the quiet, conservative
| strength of the country does not discounte-
nance and check them, we shall soon lose all
bring new dangers and suherings upon our
| selves at home.