The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1866-07-25

in the least conceal their purpose, IN
the event Of such q collision; to ap-
peal TO force, and to ssdrive the rival
Congress, with the President and his
Cabinet and supporters, into the
Potomac, y to Use the language of one
of the ablest and most sincere of
their number. If you will recall the
remarks Of Mr.. Boutwell,, of Massa-
chusetts, in last weeks first caucas,
you will see this movement clearly
foreshadowed-indeed avowed. He
declared his belief that an issue of
force was rapidly approaching, and
thatwe must be prepared to meet it.
He acts, and all who cooperate with
him IN these measures profess to act,
under the apprehension that the
President intends to resort to force
that he means to disperse the present
Congress on it's re-assembling in De-
cember, If it refuses to admit the
Southern members; and MI. Farms
worth ascribed to MIR. Seward the
declaration that this Congress should
never re-assemble unless tue South
ern members were admitted-in sun
port of this belief I need. scarcely
say that Mr.. Seward never made any
remark of the kind, nor that the pro
ject ascribed to the President is pure
ly an Invention, or at best the crazy
dream of political nightmare. But
IN either case it serves the same pur-
pose. It covers and is held to Justify
the determination to arouse the
North. and prepare for a resort to
force upon the assembling OF the
fortieth Congress in extra or in regn-
lar session: and this determination is
avowed. And the resolution to
which L have referred for an organi-
zation OF the militia and distribu-
ton of arms in the Northern States
is the initial step to its execution
do not propose to comment upon
the result of such movement It is
obvious that if any such contingency
should arise, the war would not be
sectional, as was the last; it would be
a war of political parties and neigh
borhoeds. Not only have the great
body Of the Union party in Congress
no sympathy with these views and
purposes, but they are in the main
ignorant and incredulous of their ex-
istence. That the extreme radicals
entertain them, however, there is not
the slightest doubt, and we know,
from the experience of secession in
1861. how few men it sometimes re-
quires to plunge great party or Il
great nation into war.
The Union party must not forget,
however, that the Philadelphia Con-
vention is due entirely to its own fail
ure to comprehend and meet the
necessities of the hour. When the
war was over and the rebellion sup
pressed, powerful public sentiment,
pervading all parties, demanded the
under the Constitution and in accord
ance with the fnndame ltal principles
of the Government. If the Union
party had responded to that senti-
ment, which was very powerful in its
own ranks--if it had co-operated with
the President, who did comprehend
and sympathize with it-and had
made the restoration of union, peace
and concord the first object of its
endeavors, it would have broadened
It's own foundations and left neither
motive nor excuse for any such move
ment as that which is now on foot.
If Congress had, two months ago
admitted to their seats loyal members
from Southern States, who could take
the oath prescribed by LAWN other
words, if they had admitted the mem
bers from Tennessee and Arkansas.
the only States which have sent such
men, the Philadelphia Convention
would never have been heard of.
Unfortunately, the Union party, con-
trary to the judgment of very many
Of its own members, surrendered
itself to the guidance of men with
whom other things were more impor-
tant than the peace and harmony of
the country. 1t followed the lead Of
men who insisted upon reconstruct
ing" the Government from it's foun-
dations, instead of restoring the
Union which the rebellion had for
the time destroyed, and repairing the
breaches which the war had made. 1t
listened to tales of the provinces it
had conquered, the new rights it had
acquired, the absolute unchecked
power it now enjoyed; and while it
was indulging its dreams of subjuga-
ton, of con6scation, Of universal suf-
frage and the elevation of the negro
race, the enemy quietly stepped in
and took possession of the stronghold
of the Union and Constitution, where
all its victories had been won, but
which for the moment it seems to have