The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-02-19

duration, and leave open for the South way
of escape, If they shall find il wise to avail
themselves OF it. They can secure for the
Southern States the chance of a return to civil
governments not such a chance perhaps, as
they would deem desirable, but far better than
none at all And above all, they can, if they
see It, avert from the great body of the South
ern whites that wholesale, sweeping proscrip-
ton by which the radical ultraists hope to de-
prive them for years to come of all participa-
ton in the Government, both national and
State, and to vest all political power in the
hands of the negroes alone.
Unless the Democrats are blind and deaf to
every instinct of patriotism, as well as every
dictate of common sense, they will not refuse
this service to the nation at this crisis of it's
fate. If they do, the country will hold them
responsible for the consequences. They can
not escape that responsibility by any plea of
want of power. They have all the power the
emergency requires. They can secure these
results by their votes. They already stagger
under load of opprobrium which has crushed
every attempt they have made at resurrection
hitherto; they cannot afford to tamper further
with great national interests which they
are branded with the public Indignation for
having betrayed and trampled under foot in
the past. They may redeem themselves to
some extent in the confidence of the people by
disregarding for the moment the shallow cal
CuldLlOuS Oh party advantage, ana coming to
the rescue OF imperilled interests involving
the nations peace. But they may rest assured
that persistence in the policy they pursued
last week will simply sink them still lower in
the public distrust, and confirm the popular
purpose to prevent at all hazards their return
to power.
The radicals who follow the lead of Mr..
Stevens stand committed to a policy which
does not command the approval or assent of
Al 4lo
ment of the blacks and the disfranchisement of
the whites, as the sole basis of reconstruction
in the Southern States. They demand
that Southern Governments shall thus be
virtually vested in the negroes alone,
and unless this is done they threaten
to defeat them altogether. They will
have no reconstruction unless they San have
it on that basis. The men of moderate counsels
in Congress should compel them, then, to take
that responsibility. The people do not SYM
pathize with their purposes or their princi-
pies. The country demands restoration on prin-
ciples that are just, wise, and consistent with
the national safety. 1t does not demand
nor will it tolerate, that the Southern
States shall be turned into a st. Do
mingo, or that the peace of the nation
/ shall be sacrificed to extravagant and
stitute, which has been already adopted
| by the Senate, comes up fully and
| completely to the public requirements. 1t
secures everything the country demands or
desires. 1t goes far beyond anything the
people have ever adopted as the basis of their
requirements and will more than meet the
expectations and the wishes of the Republican
party everywhere. 1t secures the Constitu-
| tional amendment, with universal suffrage
superadded, as the basis of reconstruction, and
provides military government meantime as a
guarantee for the preservation of order and
peace in the Southern States. Equality of
civil rights equality of representation based
on voters treason made disqualification for
| office; the national debt made inviolate the
Confederate debt, and all payment for slaves
set free, repudiated all these and universal
suffrage for all classes and conditions secured
by fundamental law-what further guarantees
can any sane or sensible man demand as a
basis of reconstruction If the radicals in
Congress see fit to reject such basis, the
country will hold them to a rigid response
biity. No man who appreciates Alright either
the necessities of the nation or the sentiments
of the people will seek to share that response
bility with them.
But one day remains for action within the
time during which the bill may be passed over
the Presidents veto. The Democrats, it is
said, threaten to consume that time in ''fli-
bustering," and thus defeat the bill altogether.
This it is their parliamentary right to do; but,
unless tney can nave assurance OF the Presl-
dents cooperation (Which we do not believe
they can ge), the attempt would not be worth
making; and success, even if they were to
achieve it, would be attended with perils which
it would be wiser to avoid.
We hope the good sense of Congress may
secure the passage of this bill as it has passed
| the Senate. 1t is all that the emergency re-
quires and more even than the country de-
mands. 1t will settle a controversy that be-
comes more perilous the longer it lasts, and
will revive the confidence of the public in the
| possibility of a restored and prosperous Union.
If this fails, the political future is dark and
gloomy indeed.