The day book. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 1857-1867, 1866-02-05
RADICALISM.


The proceedings of the Jacobin Congress
now assembled in Washington City are we'll
calculated to appall the stoutest heart and to
excite in the breasts Of the most hopeful,
gloomy forebodings of the future Reason
and common sense seem to have taken their
everlasting flight from the halls Of Legislation.
Radicalism reigns supreme, and the wild
storm of fanaticism threatens to sweep away
the last bulwarks of the Constitution and to
subvert all the principles of Republican Gov
eminent and all the hopes of a permanent
peace. Never in the annals Of mankind, has
such a golden opportunity been presented to
the real statesman to rise superior to the pas
sions and prejudices of the hour, and rescue a
L!.-li--e. 49,. prosil"t7 eoantry from inrsnd-
ing ruin. But alasl in thess degenerate and
evil times upon which We have fallen, we
look in vain to the halls of National Legisla-
ton for any evidences of real craftsmanship
The Congress of the United States has become
a negro worshipping society, and the seats
cnce graced and adorned by Webster and
Clay are now filled by Sumner and Ste
vens
We have just emerged from an unhappy
civil strife, with wounds still bleeding and an
immense load of National Indebtedness The
industry of the whole country is paralysed,
all its great interests are Frustrated, and uni
versal bankruptcy must be the inevitable con-
sequence, if the programme inaugurated by
the Radicals shall be carried out. The dis
ordered finances and other important aud ur-
gent matters, essential to the restoration Of
the Union and the prosperity Of the people
demand legislation, but they turn deaf ear
to all these considerations, and devote all their
time and talents to the one, grand, absorbing
idea of negro acknowledgements. The bill now
pending for the enlargement Of the powers
of the Freedmens Bureau will, if passed into
a law, completely revolutionize the whole
character of the Government and convert
it into military despotism. 1t breaks down
the line of partition between the different de-
partnients of the Government; clothes mill
tary officers with high judicial powers, aud
confsrs upon the Agents Of the Bureau abso
Lutte control in all matters between the en-
ployers and the employed
The compensation of the Commissioners,
assistant Commissioners, Clerks and Agents
provided for, and the cost Of food Of clothing
and medical attendance for the Freedmen will
create an onerous burden upon the tax pay
ers of the country. But it is vain, and worse
than vain to attempt to reason with fanati
cism. The blind and deluded bigots who
now rule the destinies Of the country, have
no regard for an exhausted National Treas
ury. and no regard for the Constitutional bar
riers erected by the Fathers of the Republic.
In the emphatic and significant language Of
the President propositions to amend the
Constitution are becoming as numerous as
preambles and resolutions at town meetings,
called to consider the most ordinary questions
connected with the administration Of local
affairs" All this, in his opinion has ten
dency to diminish the dignity and prestige
attached to the Constitution of the country,
and to lessen the respect and commence ol the
people in their great charter Of freedom"
But what generation and respect, has Radical
ism for the work of Washington and Madi-
son2 Fools some times rush in where angels
would fear to tread. The people of the South
have no breakwater between them and utter
ruin. but the frmness and patriotism OF the
President, and in the noble efforts, which he