Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1867-10-22
Moral of the Late Elections.

The National Intelliyencer holds that Con-
gress is bound, by the expression given at the
late elections, to reverse its action respecting
Reconstruction and adapt it to the sense of
the nation which has been 70 clearly pro-
nounced. 1t considers that body bound to
''abandon negro supremacy in the South"
and submit plan of reconstruction based
upon the existing constitutions of Ohio, New
York, and Pennsylvania. The principles of
the Sherman-Shellabarge bill are repudia.
ted in the very State which sent those gem
tlemen to Congress, and it is difficult to per-
ceivc how, with any consistency, they can
longer adhere to policy that their own con-
stituents reject by a majority of fifty thousand.
But Radicalsm long since drifted from
the line of safe precedent, and it may still
ignore the old doctrine of the right of in
structiOn electiug, to play out its desperate
game to the bitter end.
We subjoin the remarks of the ZnfeH;geneer:
Congress, stands condemned. The vote
just taken is vote of want of confidence
in the Congress and the Republican leaders
generally. The people asked for bread, and
they gave them a stone. The people wanted
the Union restored, and they have kept it
dissolved by expedients for carrying the next
Presidential election. Already they boast,
that by the rotten negro boroughs they have
manufactured in the South, they will be able
to defeat the expression of the Northern Con-
sentative masses. Let them beware how they
make such boasts, for the people are in no
mood 10 be cheated or trifled with
The whole system of military govern
ments for the South, despotism, the corrupt
political agency of the Freedmen's Bureau,
martial law, military commissions, fraudulent
registration, and all the accomplishments of
their system, stand condemned by the popu-
lar voice, aud they must be surrendered by
the Congress. Ii that body refuses Obsti>
nately to listen to the popular fat, SO much
the worse for the Congress.
"And still more and cmphntically does the
scheme of negro suffrage for the South stand
condemned. InNew York and Pennsylvania,
as the Anti-Slavery Standard remarks, the
Republicans have 'meanly lodged the issue
but in Ohio they thought themselves strong
| enough to face the music, and that is fifty
thousand majority aguinstit. This is decisive
as to Northern sentiment If Ohio thus
votes, it is fair TO assume that New York and
Pennsy lvania, would each give n hundred
thousand majority against the scheme of
putting the negro on political equality with
the white man. Let the plan be submitted
to the entire North, and not less than five
hundred thousand majority would be cast
against it, But if the North thus decides, it
is obvious that this foul outrage cannot be
inflicted upon the South. No party drill or
necessity stand up against the logic of
this vote. Ncg'O supremacy IN the South
mustJe aJ0ndoHed, and Congress must respect
the voice of the people by making this its
first work when it meets. All that can fairly
be demanded Of the Southern States is, that
their constitutions shall conform, in substance,
upon the question of Suffrage, emancipation,
and equality before the law, to those now
actually in force in Ohio, New York, and
Pennsylvania. Let this principle be assumed
and to do this is simply to obey the popu-
lar verdiCt-and the work of restoration will
be simple and speedy. All the complications
and delay hitherto have resulted from the
! efforts OF the Radicals to gain a party advan-
tage in the elections Of 1868 but this will
not longer DC endured.
Congress meets soon in this city. We
urge them to address themselves promptly
and without delay to the business of restora>
ton Withdrawing at once the hateful rule of
the sword, and demanding only those consti-
tutiOnal tests which the people of Ohio and
New York are willing to sanction for them
selves. Discarding passion and party ends,
they have work before them. They have u
painful and Notifying task to go through in
undoing their own mischief; but the sooner
they do it, and the better grace they put upon
il, the better for themselves and all concerned"