The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-11-13
SPIRIT or THE PRESS.
EDrroRrAL OPINIONS OF THE LEADING JOURNALS
uPoN OURRENT ToPIos-oOMPILED EVERY
DAY FOB FHB EVENING TELBGRAPH,
rn. DisOrRaniziDg Programme of the
y ~ naInner

uha DIsOFgRniziDR Programme of the
Democracy
J,,oru he ~ Y. Times
Il must be admitted that the Republican
marty in Congress has, during the last couple
81 wears set some very bad precedents But
none that we know of quite justifes the plan
nrovided for the Democratic party in the
event of It's return to power.
This plan so far as it pertains to the South
ern States, is plain enough. 1t amounts to no
more and no less than a summary overthrow
Of whatever has been or may be done under
tbe Reconstruction acts, and the unconditional
restoration of the old Governments to imme-
diate, unrestricted Congressional repre-
sentation.
An attempt is made to Justify this procedure
by q reference to the action of the late and the
present Congress. The effort however, starts
with q misstatement. The remark of the
World that ''the Republican party has edu-
Gated the people to believe that Congress has
the most absolute discretion in deciding what
Is and is not a valid State Government, " is
not sustained by any formal action of the
party in or out Of Congress. Some of its
action doubtless looks that way, and some Of
its prominent members have put forward the
pretension, and we may look for endeavors to
embody it in legislation; but thus far no mea-
sure that has been passed, or that has been
approved by the party, sanctions it to the
extent which the World assumes. On the
contrary, it is certain that the scheme by
which few extreme men propose to force
universal suffrage upon all the States, under
the pretense of guaranteeing to them repub-
lican government, would be voted down in
any regular convention of the party, and will
fail in Congress whenever it is brought for
ward.
But, it is said, Congress has already ECKER
cised such discretion in upsetting the govern
ments OF ten States;' whence it follows "that
the next Congress will be Just as free to re-
cognize new white, as this Congress is to re-
Cognlze new negro governments in the South
ern States.' The inference is untenable be-
cause the cases are not analogous. The
Democratic hypothesis is, of course, that the
Rebellion, being the exercise of a reserved
constitutional right, entailed no penalty; that
its suppression ended the business: and that
from that moment the white citizens resumed
their old supremacy in the State governments
and their old relations to the Union. This
view, however, has been repudiated by the
people now represented in the Government
1t formed the issue between the Republican
and Democratic parties, and was decided ad-
versey to the latter The open question was
whether the work of recognizing belonged to
the President or to Congress- and this too
"upsettiDg that occurred in the promises had
reference to Mr.. Johnson's handiwork, which
hao but scant resemblance to regular organi-
cation.
Besides, whatever be the faults Of the recon
struotion scheme-and they are many and
serious-at least it proceeds on the only prin-
Ciple which underlies popular government.
The governments upset were irregular organi,
cations, making small pretense to legitimacy
in their origin or none to universal or impartial
representation of the people concerned. While,
then, Congress has exercised its authOrity-call
il unconstitutional it you Will-this, at any
rate, may be urged in its behalf-that it inter
fered in the interest of the whole people, white
and black; whereas the ''discretiOn" which
the Democrats propose to exercise, would be
in favor of the whites only at the expense of
black disfranchisement. The distinction is
material For though certain classes Of whites
are now disfranchised, they are so small a
fraction of the entire body that they do not
invalidate the general argument. If the
Southern governments be negro government is,
therefore let us not forget that the exclusion
of the whites is, as a rule, self imposed. They
are at liberty to participate in the govern
ments on basis of equality. They demand
supremacy based on color, and the bastard
Democracy of the World indorses their claim.
The same journal adheres to its revolution
ary method of overcoming the Republican
majority in the Senate. On the assumption
that the Democrats will elect the next Presi-
dent and majority of the next House, it sug-
gests that the Senators whom the Southern
whites may send to Washington shall unite
with the Northern Democratic Senators, and
that the Senate thus composed shall be recog-
nized by the President and the House. This
step, the World contends, sis defensible on
perfectly solid grounds" but our contempt
rary prudently abstains from stating them
Since each Chamber has the sole right to deter
mine the eligibility of its own members, how
does the World propose to obtain the admis
sion of Southern Senators, whom the majority
of the existing Senate will refuse to acknow
ledgeP The whole proceeding would be revo
lutionary. In the first place, the elections by
whites alone, in the Southern States, would
be in effect-an insurrectionary movement; and
the forcible intrusion of Senators, elected il
pursuance of insurrectiOn, to occupy seats
already regularly filled, would be of the same
character. At every stage the affair would bt
revolutionary. We have little fear that mat
ters will reach this point. But the fact that i
is deliberately contemplated as part of tn,
Democratic policy, shows the difficulties anC
dangers that would attend the triumph of tina
party.
General Grant Among the pOIItIeians-A
Little Friendly Advice
From the ~. Y. Herald.