The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-01-10
Asnects end Prospects.


----s-
Aspects and Prospects.
From The Tribune.
We spent the latter part of last week at Wash
ington, anxiously inquiring into the political
situation, and seeking TO measure the probabi-
lity of the rumored breach between the Presi-
dent and Congress touching Southern "Restora-
tionn or DEMONSTRATION; and we believe most
of our readers viii share the satisfaction with
which we announce our conclusion that there
need be, and probably will be, none. What
maadroit, or malignant, or Iale-bearing inter-
meddlers may achieve, we cannot foretell; but
we are confident that there is no necessary in
compatibility between the views and purposes OF
Compress and those Of the President, and no
desire-at least no predominant desire-on either
hand to create such incompaubility. And we
feel sure that frank, earnest, kindly conferences
between the Capitol and the White House will
speedily and almost certainly remove any obsta-
Gle which may seem TO exist to cordial aud tho
rough cooperation.
Let us briefly set forth the chief elements of
the problem to be solved
The President earnestly desires and urges the
restoration of the Southern States to their former
posluon in the Union and in Congress- In his
view, those States have never been out OF the
Union since they we're seyerally admitted into 1t,
because they had no power to 60 out, and no
portion OF their people had any power to take
them out. He would have the right of each
State to voice in the national councils recog-
niZed-iuly, cordially, and as promp tly as may
be. Such is essentially, the Presidents position.
Congress, on its part, desires, hrst, that the
stoIation OF power to the South, or of the South
TO power, shall not involve or draw after it the
power OF merely whitewashed Rebels to repu-
diate the national debt or impose the Rebel debt
on the loyal States OF on the loyal people of any
States, or, In combination with their sympa-
thIzers in the North, to pervert the authority,
prestige, and patronage OF the Union into an in
strument of vengeance to be welded by those
who would have destroyed The Union against
those who lavshed blood and treasure to save it.
In other words, it IS resolved that they shall not
win by restoration" what they risked and lost
| by secession.
Secondly, it feels solemn obligation to pro-
! tect and shield the freedmen from oppression,
! injustice and revengetul inhictions mLted by
| their participation and profit by the great
national triumph. 1t other words, it feels bound
| to secure to them the rights and mmunlties, not
! merely Of freedmen, but of treemen.
We believe this a perfectly far statement of
| what is meditated at either end of the avenue
| Are these ends Incompatible? How, and
| wherein? Why should not the President accept
! and enforce the purposes of Congress? Why
! should not Congress accept and enforce the pur-
| pose oil the President Why is not the right
| with both? We cannot see.
Bear in mind that We who are Unionists not
| by the potency OF shot and shell, but because
we love our country and its flag, are a clear
! majority in the South as well as IN the North
| IN South Carolina and Mississippi well as in
|
| abuse OF language that the late Rebels--penitent
| or acknowledgements TO themselves the desig-
| nation 1.-THE South" Whatever power they
possess is based on the denial of natural right
! ON the monopoly of caste-on the arbitrary sub.
iugation of the Union majority by the Rebel
| minority. We can atford-anu should be very
| pla0-to remove and e4ace all POLITICAL disabili-
ties resulting from the Rebellion ii our adver-
salies would unite in ignoring those based arbi-
tTaIily on the irrelevant circumstance of color.
All we ask is that the Iaint of African blood
shall be deemed as eliaceable as that OF treason.
What impartial observer will say that this is
amnesty for treason; we ask like oblivion OF
the fact that a part OF our people have been
slaves Let bygones be bygones.
II there be any party or faction who insist on
keeping the South indefinitely out of the Union,
as a punishment for what is past, it is formida
BILE neither by it's logic nor its numbers. If any
desire 10 keep single State out OF Congress one
day longer than shall be necessary to secure the
integrity OF the nation and the rights of its hum
bier citizens, we are sure 1t is far short of ma
ioIity in either branch of Congress. But that the
loyal people Of the Moth should seek TO secure
the loyal people OF the South against mfliction OF
disability impelled by resentment for theil
loyalty, is not merely natural, wholesome, com
! mendable 1t is vital, inevitable. Not to do 81
} would be perilous ingratitude and perfdy.
! The assumption that ''the Southn-that is, tn,
tolHe South--ls universally, inyncibly hostile t
any practical recognition of the rights of th
J freedmen, is not sustained by facts. Witness tn
held at MemL his on the 9th ultimo, to denounc
and resist the ''Radicalsm" of Summer, Ste
vens a Co., and their open or secret allies IL
the lately Rebel States;-
Resolved That we accept the political situation
, Il Is, with its rights and its responsibilities an
pledge ourselves IN good faith TO carry tho view
of President johnson, so far as developed, for Tn
restoration Of our former relations in the Union
That we are IN favor OF legislation that will secur
to the freedman all his natural and acquired right
among them that of testItylnR in oOurs justice
subject TO the usual tests OF character and cred
$ bihiy, and of such general pohcY will make th
freedman contented with his situation, ana fnendl
| and Jealous cO-worker IN the great work of budin
up and restoring the industry and prosperity Of II
o | Stael
RESOLVED That our present LEGISLATURE has failed
comprehend the true situation Of public affairs, an
their late action an refusing to accord to the
man the right 10 testify in our courts OF justice is
!; eur opinion, deliberate attempt on their part
!. tbwart the policy of President johnson in reorga
izinR the government of these States, and resoFin
them 20 their former position in the Union under Il
d Constitution.
d This is but straw; but there are many mo
y ing In the same direction. There are man
y knaVes or ninnies in the South, and great m
y lority OF them have been hot secessionists; bl
= even these VIII recognize-ity0u give their heat
= time TO cool-that all attempts TO keep the blacl
= under foot now that slavery is dead, must prov
J, ultimately futile, and must immediately woI
Is Infinite coLfusion and disaster tO the industi