The national Republican. [volume] (Washington City [D.C.]) 1866-1870, 1866-08-24
HOW THE RADICALS THINK OF
FLANKING THE PHILADEL-
PHIA CONVENTION.

On the above subject the following slgnin-
cant editorial appears in the Springfield Re
publican: Hr
"All that the Presidents friends propose
to do, at present, is to operate for the cleo
ton Of members of Congress who will vote
for the admission Of loyal Southern members,
and to do this irrespective Of party lines
voting for Republicans or Democrats who
will do this one thing, whatever may be their
views on other questions. 1t is not, therefore,
party contest, and there is no need to
make it so. Nor is there any necessity that
the Republicans, or their candidates, should
accept the issue made up for them. 1t has
not been made in Congress. Not few Of
the most stamch Republicans in both Houses
have desired the prompt admission Of South
ern members who could take the test oath,
and would have voted for it at any time last
session, if the matter could have been brought
forward. But the joint committee, cunningly
devised for that very purpose, prevented nc
ton till near the close Of the session, and
then no opportunity was given to act except
upon the cases Of the Tennessee members.
If a vote could have been reached, unembar-
raised with other matters, there were several
times during the session when both Houses
would undoubtedly have received oil the
loyal Southern members who offered them
selves. Skillful tactics on the part Of certain
leaders prevented a trial Of strength on the
main question, but the real state Of the case
is made evident by the fact that they dared
not press to q vote the bill fixing conditions
Of representation for the Southern States.
They knew that they could not get mai
ity Of the Republican members to tie their
own hands for the future by any such action.
| Il ha lad that tho
gument made by the Philadelphia Conven-
ton for the right of the Southern States to
representation is q very strong one. Consti.
tutionally it is impregnable. But, nevertbe-
less the issue is not in fact as broad and dis
tinct as the Presidents supporters assume.
II is q question Of time and circumstance
rather than Of constitutional right, as it now
stands. II the Southern States had present
ed themselves before Congress the day after
Lees surrender, and demanded the admission
OF their Senators and Representatives as
constitutional right, it would have beer
considered indecent haste. 1t was evidentl,
the right and duty Of Congress to wait til
the South was in a condition to be rep
resented, and Of this IL had the right t.
Judge, as well as Of the fact of the regu
lar election and the loyalty of the mem
bers offering themselves. Congress has
taken time for that purpose, whether too
much or not is matter Of opinion. But II
has not taken any position requiring the in,
definite exclusion of the South, or fixing
terms of admission, or precluding their ad
mission at the opening Of the next session
or at any time when circumstances are found
to Justify it. This view Of the case and it il
the true one, shows how easily the Phladel
phia guns may DO spiked, and how com
pletely the Republicans command the situa
ton. 1t will be gratuitous folly if they
accept narrower platform than they have
made for themselves"