The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-01-29

Southern Restoration Curious Array OF
Disturbing Forces.
from the Herald.
Wendell Phillips, in the State House at Boston
the other day. devoted himself to an argument
against the ratification of the pending Constitu.
tional amendment by Massachusetts, on the
ground that while it's adoption will be binding
on the North, it win be practically dead letter
in the South. The third section, dis!ranchsing
certain classes of Rebels, he holds, cannot be
executed in the South. The only remedy, he
contends is to put seven hundred thousand
negro votes into the scale. He is in favor Of
DISTINGUISHING prominent Rebels; but if he can
give the negro the ballot he will be willing to
trust Wade Hampton. He says nothing of ix-
ing in the Constitution, as this amendment pro-
poses, the binding obligations OF the national
debt and the reputation iorevermore, as
utterly illegal, null and void, of all Rebel debts
and all claims for emanCipated slaves, and he
overlooks the condition which requires the con-
cession OF the suffrage to the blacks by the seve-
raj States, IN order to count them IN the popular
enumeration for Representatives to Congress.
In truth, from certain declarations of Phillips
heretofore, he IS ready Tor the alternative of
universal rcpudiaton If he cannot obtain uni
versal suffrage, as the all-healng panacea of
Southern restoration.
All this means that Phillips is opposed to any
scheme which promises speedy settlement of
bu Is NtAtu NiuGollOus LlG utlS MS OWu lueOIN OI
the advantages to be gained by delay. He has
his own visionary projects of reconstruction,
which can only be reached by reducing the
country 10 chaos, and then in beginning anew.
There are various other leaders and factionists
and fanatics who are driving for the same point of
departure, although by different roads. The lead
ers OF the Northern Democracy are opposed to the
pending amendment, because they think that in
staving off this settlement something will turn
up" to bring them in conjunction with the
South, again into power. The ruling old pro-
slavery class OF the South are opposed to the
amendment because they entertain similar eX-
peCtations. President johnson himself may be
placed in the same category. Greeley, accord
ing to his last prO7auacldmentO on the subject is
with Phillips as to the infallible specific of
universal negro suffrage, but shrinks with fear
and trembling from President Johnson's im-
BeaChment, which Phillips holds to be the first
indispensable step to liberty, equality, and
fraternity
Such are the disturbing forces operating
against the pending amendment-the Northern
Abolition fanatics of the school of Wendell
Phillips, the weak-kneed reformers repre- sented
by Greeley, the old hide-bouud Northern Demo-
cratic leaders, the old ruling class of the Rebel
States, President johnson and the hold-over
Dred Scott eXpOunders of the Supreme Court.
These disturbing elements, in many things con-
iictng, and arising out of different objects, are
all working together for delay in the settlement
of our existing troubles Phillips and Greeley
desire to sacrifice the amendment in order to
secure universal negro suffrage; Vallan1igham
and the Seymours, Wade Hampton, and all the
old Southern political managers still remaining
on hand, together with the Administration, are
laboring to defeat the amendment, because, If
adopted, it will inaugurate new dispensation
and an entirely new organization of parties,
and because under President johnson and the
Supreme Court the hope is cherished of still
another reign OF the Bourbons, State rights,
slavery and all. Thus it is that the main body
of the dominant party in Congress is confronted
on every side by hostile factions, and thus,
among other dancers this dominant jS
threatened with dlssensions and divisions which
encourage all these opposing forces TO hold
their ground.
How is Congress to battle and overthrow all
these opposing combinations? Not by delay
nor mastery inactivity; for this Is their game.
Not by hedging and ditching to the end of
President Johnson's term OF office: for that is
his policy and theirs, to bring the Rebel States,
as they stand, into Congress and the next
Presidential election, under a decree from the
Supreme Court. There remains to Congress,
then, only the policy of pushing through the
amendment as the basis of Southern restora-
ton; and as it is now made manifest that the
amendment is mainly blocked by President
Johnson, his impeachment and removal Will
become the first and the main question with the
new Congress which meets in March. What
ever else Congress may deem necessary in the
way of reconstruction, the securities of this
amendment must be fixed in the Constitution.
Otherwise, with Southern restoration q repu iia-
tion party will at once be DEVELOPED North and
South. 1t is limited that Chief Justice Chase
and Greeley favor a compromise on negro suf-
frage with the President; we know that Phillips
goes for his Impeachment TO secure negro
suffrage; but there can be no security for any
thing short of the adoption of this amendment.
How the Republicans now stand in the two
Houses upon tins question we cannot tell, but
with the meeting OF the new Congress fresh
from the people we expect that. mainly i'm
behalf of this pending amendment as the great
issue of the recent elections the impeachment
will be pushed to the removal Of President
johnson.
Upon this line there will be force and con.
sistency in the impeachment; but in diyerging
to negro suffrage as the only issue to be settled
as the only security needed for the future,
Wendell Phillips as of old, is again playinG
into the hands of Wade Hampton and Greeley
is strengthening the rejected policy of Presi-
dent johnson. Upon the basis of the amend.
ment the party in power will be supported by
the North even, to the removal of the present
Executive and reconstruction of the Supreme
Court. Then, with the settlement comDlete d
and with the South restored, We shall have a
reconstruction OF parties involving new issues
new men, and new combinations of sections and
factions and whites and blacks. Let Congress-
on the other hand, try the substitute of negro
suffrage as presented by Phillips and Greeley,
and it Will prove to the Republicans the admis-
sion OF the wooden horse within the walls o
Troy, and a restoration Of the Bouroons. Nav,
more, we must fix the amendment in the Con.
stltuton or prepare Tor the new party and the
chaos of universal reputation, as the price
which Wade Hampton is ready, no doubt tC
exact, and which Wendell Phillips is ready, VIZ
conclude, to pay for universal negro suffrage.
The Democratic Party and the Lat,
Rebellion.
From the Tribune
The circumstance that member of Congress
is branded liar for stating in his place tina
very many Democrats were sympathizers will
and virtual allies of the late Rebellion, compel
us to ask attention to certain historical facts