The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-12-01

auce compared with this prime duty of the
nation. AND i'm thus demanding iuetice TO the
negro, the radical party have proposed no inius-
tce 70 white men. On the contrary, the leading
radicals have been nOtoriously temperate in
their spirit aud purposes towards the Rebel
leaders More Norlhern Democrats than abo-
litonists have asked tor the hanging of Jefferson
Davis More Northern conservatives than Tadl-
Gals have demanded condscatiOn and severe
penalties. The radical party ask for no mans
death-ior no mans property-for no mans
injury-for no mans humiliation. But they
not only ask-theY ineXoraoly demand-that
the leaders of the Rebellion shall be dis
qualified by their treason from casting a ballot
and from holding an office. The loyal North is
willing to see the dsloyal South restored to It's
right &c, live, restored to its houses and homes,
restored to its facilities for business but not
stored TO its political power For instance, no
Southern Rebel can prefer higher aim to the
leniency of the North than Alexander II.
Stephens. But to receive Alexander II.
stephens into the Senate of the United States
would be- neither better nor worse than to re.
ceive jefferson Davis. The proposition cannot
be entertained for a moment. The Rebel
leaders must be peremptorily forbidden the
ballot-boX and Congressional chairs. The honor
OF the nation demands this exclusion. The re-
public would sully its self-Tespect If it should
say to the Rebels, Here is water-wash your
hands of their bloody stains-and make haste TO
sit in the Capitol"
This nation can afford to let its traitors live
though other nations hang such criminals. Blu
the nation cannot afford TO let its traitors tax
part in governing it. 1t cannot afford to abolish
the test-oath. It cannot afford to abolish al
distinctions between treason ana loyalty. 1t
cannot afford to let the Rebel debt glide gently
back from promised reputation TO future pay
ment 1t cannot afford to omit the Civil Rights
bill from tue Constitution. II cannot afford to
enlarge the basis of representation so as TO
allow all negroes in the South TO be counted
while only a small fraction of these negroes are
to be permitted to vote All these perils lie
lurking under the cry of General Amnesty.
IT, however, an act of amnesty shall be so
drawn as TO exclude from political privileges all
Rebels above a certain specified rank it will
meet the appreciation of the radical party. But
the terms must not be amnesty FIRST and suffrage
afterwards, On the contrary, suffrage must be
the fogerunner and amnesty the corollarY
Moreover, the guarantee for suffrage must be
Incorporated into the Constitution of the United
States-not lett to the caprice of the several
rebellOus States.
FIRST secure impartial suffrage by the organic
law; then grant an amnesty as soon as the
negro shall inform us that no white man molests
him.
One idea must be protested against, and that
Is, that If the North grants amnesty, the South
is to grant suffrage. This implies that the right
resides with the South TO deny suffrage if she
shall so choose. But the South has no such
right. 1t is the bounden duty OF the North to
see that the negroes have suffrage, whether the
South be willing or unwilling. Southern white
men are not to be consulted in the matter. Did
we consult them as to whether the ordinances
of secession should be cancelled? No. Did we
consult them as to whether their Rebel debt
should be repudiated? No.
Neither shall we consult them as to whether
the negro shall have this ballot The North is
the conqueror, and oilers the terms. The South
is the conquered, and accepts them. The
North must simply Command-the South must
simply obey. The two parties cannot chatter,
like men at a bargain. To portray the North as
granting amnesty, and the South as granting
suffrage, is to discolor the true picture of the
situation. The South cannot grant anything
having nothing TO grant. The North cannot ask
for anything-having already come in posses
sion of everything by war.
The North must dictate Equal Rights-the
South must submit to this Just decision.
The blood of the 10th of April, 1775 became
the cement of Union of slaves. Let the blood
cf the 10th ofApril 1861, become the cement of
a Union of free and equal citizens.