Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1865-1869, 1866-04-30
Anv Means. Foul or Fair.

The leading Radical organ of the Northwest,
the Chicago Tribune, says that there is much
want of common intelligence displayed by
" some professedly Republican journals relative
to reconstruction. They seem to consider
{, that it matters not how the seeded States are
recognized, provided true and loyal men are
60 elected as Senators, and a sufficient number
more of loyal Representatives" The 1ri-
blule continues:
s.Now, to our apprehension, the loyalty of the
men trhO mdy be sent to Congress rs matter o. no
earthly Importance compared with that OF the ad-
mission of the prescribed class in each State to vote
All Southern men are about equally loyal"
They have all liberty except the liberty to enslave
and the On[u safetu for Republican principles IS TO
be found not IN their promises Of loyalty out IN our
ability everylchere and all questions to pote them
dorm at the ballOt-bor hare Whipped them an
the field The OnlyPractical question, therefore, is,
by irhat means the freedom loving people OF ne
Union can most surely, successfully and PerPetuaty
rote doirn the devOteeS Of SlaDery throughout the
land? Evidently the first thing to be done IS TO
give the ballot to every loyal man, whether black or
white whose uOte ace need. We are not disposed to
insist that this shall be done immediately but, I'M
iii il is DONE we do insist that the South ought to
have no more Representatives, than she is entitled to
on the basis of the number of actual voters.
This statement of the Radical policy has at
least the merit of rufianly frankness. This
frankness, however, we fear is more the result
of unblushing hardihood than of regard for
virtue. "Loyalty" is of mo earthly impor-
tance." The great point is to create Radical
votes, 50 as to perpetuate the ascendancy of
the dominant party. That party has, by un-
scrupulous teachers, been educated up to the
point of maintaining that its preservation must
he accomplished by all means, fair or foul
that the means justify the end, and that it is
right to do any iniquity, commit any injustice,
and infict any outrage that promises party
advantage.
The political education through which this
country is passing is new and strange. 1t is an
education that teaches a contemptuous disre-
gard of all old landmarks and tradtions-all
the lessons of the past, and all restraints upon
the passions and caprices Of the hour. 1t is
the application on 4 large scale to politics of
what is known as "passiOnal attraction"
Whatever the ruling party desires to do, and
finds it convenient or profitable to do, it does
without regard to any law, human or divine.
The tendency of that party is towards unre-
strained license. 1t now changes the organic
law to enable it to compass its ends it will
soon abolish all constitutions as inconsistent
with freedom and felicity. What it wants to
do, it wants to do at once, without hindrance
or delay. 1t is tyrant that can brook no i'm
pediment to its will. 1t would make its ca
prices the law for the moment, and as they
change, so would it change the law. Two years
more of radical ascendancy will thoroughly
debauch America and introduce worse than
Mexican anarchy,