The day book. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 1857-1867, 1866-07-16
rhe Radicaiism Of tine kepu.........

While we are ready TO admit as we really
hoeve. that there is a large body Of conserv-
tive men at the North who are anxious that
.ho Southern States should he restored to their
sormer rights in common union and under
common government, we must confess that we
are hardly prepared to appreciate an article in
tho N. Y. Times which rather ignores the
antbority of the radical element in the Repub-
lcan party. The Times says-'the radical
nress asserts its right to PROFOUND extreme
rr;.ws as for the Republican party, and to
rspresent the radical majority in Congress as
tbs only lawful inheritors of the faith that
elected Lincoln and gave to the rebellion its
ouietus." And again
"Where then, is the title of the Radicals to
the mastery. At what stage in the history Of
the marty was its conservatism thrown over
hoard? At that period, and by whom were
the Republican platforms adopted at Chicago
and Baltimore discarded, the assurances Of
President Lincoln repudiated, and the resolu-
ton of Congress overriden as destitute of au-
tbority. We shall be glad to have specific
answers to these interrogatories, for they APP
pear to cover the ground which is in dispute.
Ii the Republican party really is the Radical
disunion organization, which not few of our
contemporaries declare it to be, we want to
know how, when, where, and by whom the
change was perfected"
Their title to the mastery is to be traced to
the radical power its representatives WELD Ill
Congress, and the stage of its history when
conservatism was thrown overheard, is to be
dated from the period of the ultra measures
which they inaugurated and which the editor
of the Times himself assisted in passing, in
Guiding the so-calsd Civil Rights bill, the
Constitutional amendment, and other acts OF
ultraism which have characterized radical
legislation The radical ideas and acts, and
the mastery of the party which the editor Of
the Times Endorsed by his votes, are to be
traced in the congressional proceedings which
have been bitterly opposed to the policy OF
the President which have sought to disfran-
chise eleven States, and which have ignored,
as they assumed to have the right to do as
represen tatives of the party, whatever of con-
servative sentiment may have existed in it as
an element.
1t comes with a bad grace from one who
has voted for such measures as we have indi-
Gated to speak of "the tame surrender of the
position won by the party ere it had been di-
vided by the violence of Radicalism," who
himself, as we conceive, contributed to that
surrender and that division. In the language
Of a Boston exchange, who comments upon the
tone and spirit of the article of the Times;
"The Times complains of the Republican
Radicals for their assumption of mastery in
the Republican party, and holds that the
platforms of the Conventions of 10000,
gave them no authority to be SO presump-
tuous"
"What question to be put by one who
has supported almost every measure Of the
present Radical Congress, including the mis-
called Civil Bill, Constitutional Amendment,
&C. Congress has been the etfectual nterpre-
ter of Radical ideas and acts, and as such, has
fought the President, eleven States outright,
and the conservative sentiment OF the entire
country
1t is, nevertheless, beyond controversy, that
II the conservative element of the whole coun-
try do not unite and organize and work, in
order to rescue the power welded for evil
out OF the hands of Radicalism, the Union
will only exist as it does in 'broken and dis
membered fragments" and will not continue
to be "this glorious Union" except in name