The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1867-10-24
GheGtttAtiQettcers
The Democratic Party and the south
1.-The Real Issue. F n
An Article TO DO Read Before Voting
Today.

! Cooper institute the other evening,
tersely indicated the prospective result
of the restoration of the Democratic
party to power. "No one can doubt"
he wrote, THAT the result would be the
immediate recognition of the revolted
| States as lawful States in the Union,
ana the admission to seats in the Senate
I and House of Representatives of the
| leaders of the rebellion, to resume their
old intluence aud power in the politics
of the Union' In other words, "The
triumph of the Democratic party would
| be the reopeniug of every question set
| tied by the war;"
"The motiveo of the Democratic party
is manifest. Its chance of restoration
TO power is dependent upon the read
mission of the Southern States to Con-
| gress, free from the conditions now be-
| ing enforced. On the attainment of
this object the very existence of
the party is contingent. For with
all its numerical strength in the
North - Notwithstanding its gains
in Ohio and Pennsylvania, and
/ the vigor with which 1t is fighting in
I New York and other States-Ihe fact is
| indisputab Bile that the salvation or the
| destruction OF the Democracy IS in
| vOlved in the future OF the South. Let
! ii come back as though no rebellion had
occurred-with slavery overthrown,
| indeed, but with all tie appliances of
| the slave system in full operation as
| before the war-Hnd the re-establish-
| ment of Democratic authority over the
/ land would be simply a question of
time. On the other hand, bring the
South into the Union subject to the
| terms and governed by the influences
I nj aFsf6
| freedmen enfranchised, the prominent
I rebels excluded from Office, and the
local organizations checked at the out
set by the restraining hand OF Congress
and Southern representation Will
| thenceforward throw its weight ud-
| versely to the pretensions of Democra-
cy. Thus reconstructed, the Govern
ment OF the Union will be beyond the
reach OF the present Democratic lead
ers.
"While, then, we are bound to con-
fess that certain features of the Com
gressioual plan were framed with a
view to partisan advantage, it is equal
ly clear that the course OF the Demo-
cratic opposition is controlled by no
higher considerations than those of
party profit. Here, however, the anal
ogy ends. Beyond this point there is
not the shadow of resemblance. The
| reconstruction measures are warped by
II partisan bias, but at least their gen.
eral scope harmoniZes with the objects
which animated the North in the prose-
I cution of the war. Granting tEat the
| experiment of universal negro suffrage
! is beset with difficulty, and that the
disabilities imposed are more sweeping
and harsh than wisdom or mRgnaniMi-
ty would desire them to be, it must not
FNF
scheme, of which these are parts, bear
AN obvious relationship to the one
great object Of securing and perpetual
ing divers essential results ofthe Union
victory. The means employed may
not be the most discreet imaginable,
nor the spirit that employs them
the most generous and umiable; but
these defects will be forgiven if their
effect be to build upt the Union anew on
"a basis of justice and peace. With the
Democracy the caseis altogether differ
ent. What the war has done they seek
to undo. The victories of the Union
armies they would counteract by u sur
render of all that the Rebel leaders de-
mand. With guarantees OF peace or
justice they are ready TO dispense, that
thereby they may reinvest with the
balance OF governing power the
States but recently in rebellion. To OBJ
tain for the Democratic party the help
which alone can savesit, they are pre-
pared to clothe with authority as Sena-
tors and Representatives the unpun-
ished, untaught, unrepentant promo
ters of rebellion, that. the Federal
Government may be transferred from
ltUnion to Democratic hands. Divested
of surpIusage and DISCUSSES, this is all
that the Democratic policy on this sub
iect amounts TO. 1t is an attempt by
pretenses, oil constitutionality toignore
the lessons and upset the results of the
war, and TO secure Tor the Democracy a
| renewed alliance with the disu1ected
elements of the South. .e
Intoxicated with late occurrences,
our opponents scarcely affect conceal
ment. The last fortnight has changed
the tone OF many of them considera-
bly,. Twelve months ago negro en-
franchisement had no more doughty
champion than the leading Democratic
Journal of the Northwest. More re-
Gently our neighbor, the World, while
bitter in its denunCiationS Of the meas
ures of Congress, was earnest III It's re-
commend alton to the South to accept
them, and toiconply with theif require
ments, as the sole means of regHlning
the privileges of the Union. The World
then insisted that no available form of
resistance could benefit the South as
against the power of Congress, aud our
Impression is that it counselled IA
prompt compliance with the pre-
scribed conditions as preferable to pro-
longed exclusions. Since the election
in Ohio and Pennsylvania our cotem-
pOrary has preached widely different
doctrine Instead of advising compli-
ancer with the law, 1t vehemently y urges
the Southern whites to stand alOOf from
the work OF reconstruction, that they
may embarrass and, if possible, defeat
it. The hope is held out that by de-
llaying reconstruction, readmission I'M
incumhered by guarantees may be OBJ
tanned through the successes of the
Northern Democracy. one CONCESSION,
and one only, is recommended, and that
relates exclusively to ii constitutional
provision for insuring an equality oil
civil rights in the South. With this eX-
ception, the most rational and the most
able of Democratic journals now scout
the notion of reconstruction. 1t Will
listen to no talk of terms. 1t spurns
every proposition for securing to the
LOYALTY of the South the direction of
Southern affairs. 1t VIII be content
with nothing less than the uncondi-
tional restoration of the South-its
colOred people disfranchised, its Rebel
leaders occupying the. seats OF Senators
and Representatives, its theory OF State
rights intact and operative, and It's ma
chinery of local government worked IN
the identical interest which precipitated
the conflict with national authority.
Plainly stated, the design OF the De
mocracy is to destroy the safeguards
which the war has given 10 the Union,
and IN uSR whatever advantages may