The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-10-16
The Fruits of Victory.


men. They now know pretty much what to
rely upon for the future. The uncertainty
and doubt which hung over the final settle
ment of The question OF reconstruction are
passing away. Threa ened usurpation has
been rendered impracticabe Order and
stability are measurably assured, and men
may enter upon business enterprises with re-
newed confidence in the peace and pros
perity of the county.
But to b. more specific, the e lections just
held show, first OF all, that the people still
adhere in diligently to our popular form Of
government. This issue was really at the
bottom OF the late contest, though, IN defer
ence to the patriotism which we must always
believe resides in the bosoms OF the great
masses of the people, we cannot suppose that
our opponents generally so regarded 1t. But
the claim of the Executive to exercise
legiSlatioe functions was really claim to
overthrow the form of government be-
aueathed to us by the fathers. That form of
government leaves the legislative power
solely with the people, to be exercised
through their Representatives in Congress
assembled. This is the sheet anchor Of our
republican system. An established precedent
overriding this great fund imental principle of
the Government would have been more
dangerous to us than any other event that
has happened siuce the adoption of the
Federal Constitution. Ihe fact that, under
all the DISCUSSES and pretenseS OF the cam
paign, this vital issue was so clearly appr1-
hended by so many OF the people, and their
tolyo hi 10,
Of strictly adherins to the constitutional
division and ASSIGNMENT OF powers in the
Government, must be 20 a thoughtful men a
cause for heartfelt congratulations over the
results of the elections Oh The OH instant.
Al the first glance this may not seem to
have any immediate connection with the
peace and ma erial prosperity OF the country;
but follow out the successful uSurpatlon Oh
legislative functions by the Executive into all
its necessary consequences-itS continual coa
tentions with the Representatives OF the people,
its tanning the fires oil fierce and embittered
agitation, It's oegrada ion of The Character of
the laws from the expressed will OF the peo-
pie to the mere fiat OF one nan, its inevitable
oppression and inlquiGV, all resulting fually
in the most terrible form OF civil war; in
which the accumulated capital o. all our past
would have been swept away, and from which
constitutional liberty might never have
emerged-and we shall see how vtllly all of
the great interests Of the country weIe
involved in the struggle.
Secondly, the result OF the elections shows
that we may assume the policy OF the people
towards the late Rebel communities to be
settled They have endorsed the Congress
sonal plan OF restoration as embodied in the
Constitutional amendment. The South may
now regard this as the ultimatum of the
nation. They have been again deceived and
misled by the Democratic party as to the tenn
per and convictions of the Northern people,
Just as they were before the war. The very
same class OF polltcians-and ia many cases
the same men-who told chem then that the
people of the North would never endorse or
tolerate a war to subdue secession and rebel
lion, and who during the war itself held out
cor stantly the false hope to the Rebels that
the Northern masses were ready to overthrow
the National Administration as conducted by
Mr.. Lincoln, and put the political power of
the country into the hands OF the peace Demo
Gratis, have again on this subject of recon-
stIuction deceived and msled the outh with
the vain and foolish idea that the North was
ready to admit them to power upon the terms
proposed by the Democratic party. The
Southern people must at last see that they
are following blind guides, and that their real
interests are being sacrificed by these Demo-
cratic politicians They must perceive that
their true policy is to tall in at once with the
lust and generous terms offered by the people
through the National Congress.
It is to be hoped, and there are some
rumors to that effect liom Washington, that
the President will no longer oppose the
popular will, but that he will himself
recommend to the Southern States tue
adoption OF the amendment as a final settle
ment OF the question. But whether he shall
do so or not, the popular judgment will stand.
The Constitutional amendment, already
adopted by New jersey, Connecticut, New
Hampshire, Tennessee, and Oregon, will be
ratified by all the remaining Northern States
during the coming winter. The Southern
States will one after the other adopt it and
be admitted. Such, at least, is the present
appearance OF things.
a third cause of congratulation over the
octooer elections is the fact that the scheme
O' organizing bogus revolutionary, usurp
ing congress has been defeated. The thing
is now utterly imnraotioohla Tho taaIint