Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1867-10-18
Statesman,
Will They Reflect?

Will They ReAeca?
The people of the United States have be-
gun to reflect; it is very important to know
whether the leading men who have con-
trolled our destinies during the last Two
years and more will also reflect. The action
or reaction now going on among the peo-
pie, is the result of a certain course of pub
lie policy adopted and maintained by these
men, who have hitherto claimed, first, that
they were carrying oat the will of the peo
pie; next, that they were and are the whole
Government
We refer to the representative men of
the party in power; that party which elect
ed Mr.. Lincoln, for a special purpose,
which party at first called itself Republi-
can, afterwards Radical Republican, and
finally Radical. IJ is important that these
men should be known and distinctly mark
ed, by all the people, as the men who in
augurated the policy which emanated from
Congress, and which is now governing ten
States of the American Union; the same
men who are seeking to govern all the rest
of the States, and who, at the present mo-
ment do, to vast extent. cOntrive and
regulate every great political measure
throughout the entire, country. They are
entitled to credit for whatever of good
they have accomplished; they must bear
the blame of all the evil which has resulted
from their policy.
1t is not necessary to designate every
man of the Radical party who has pushed
himself forward in Congress, and else
where, and taken a conspicuous position
through selfish ends, under the impression
that the chains of their party were so secure
that the people could be plucked at their
leisure, dd ibitun,. But there are few,
around whom these, and still smaller satel-
lites have continually revolved, who can
not, by any means, be separated from the
Radical policy, which policy the people are
now condemning.
Wendell Phillips, Charles Sumner, Thad-
deus Stevens, Benjamin Wade. Henry Will
son are the master spirits. These are the
men who invented, planned and arranged
the programme which led to the establish
ment of military despotism, and by its
means to the forcing of negro suffrage and
negro ruling upon eight millions OF an un-
willing people, our white fellOw-citizens
of ten Southern States. If this policy is
just and good, these men and all those other
public men who have supported and still
advocate and sustain this policy, are ent
tied to the credit of the invention and
should receive praise for their boldness in
carrying it out. Ii, on the other hand, this
policy has already been productive of an
immense amount of national evil, and is
fructify ing rapidly with still more terrible
future evils for all our people, these men
must be charged with it. The sooner the
truth in regard to this important, nay vital,
question, is known and universally under
stood, the better for all the people; the bet
ter for the negro race In the United States.
Ohio has spoken to Mr.. Wade, and said to
him, in the language of Shakespeare, No
longer be officer of mine." Never perhaps
in the history of any of our public men has
there been a more rapid ascent with so
little merit, to high position and power,
or more sudden descent to the low level
at which he will be in his appropriate
sphere.
Benjamin Wade has been a demagogue,
pure and unmitigated, from the crown of
his head to the sole of his feet. Born in
New England, reared in All atmosphere
whicn has ever been prolific in nourishing
creatures of his political stamp, possessed
of scertain Yankee smartuess, but de-
void of sound, true craftsmanship, he rose in
Ohio and made himself the leader OF men,
many like himself. but also of many others,
better men, who will not take the trouble
in ordinary times to think for themselves.
This is the man who was chosen by his
Radical cOmpeers in Congress, to stand
forth before the country, as the Represent
alive man of the great Radical idea; as the
man who was to take the chair of the Pres
ident of the United States through an un-
constitutional, revolutionary and un-
heard of proceeding, and deal out, or dole
out, to the people of this Union, such
measure of rights as he and his party
might choose to grant. How have the
mighty fallen! His own adopted State has
repudiated him; and now even the seat in
the Senate will be taken from him. Penn
sylvanla. the adopted State of Thaddeus
Stevens, has rebuked him and his Radical
policy, and even the people of New Eng
land, the hot bed of Radicalism, are ris-
ing and endeavoring to rid themselves of
the Radical incubus that is weighing upon
our country.
Will these men now reflect? 1t is not
only important tor the future peace of the
people, but it is possibly important for
them personally that they should soon re-
fleet. They should now look at both sides
of the policy they have inaugurated, and
study it so as to perceive its logical and in
evitable result. If continued, it must re-
suit i'll something-good or bad for the
American Union. To continue such pol
icy under the belief that it is the wish of
the people of the North, is one thing; to
continue it under the knowledge that it is
contrary to the will of the North, is an
other thing. These leaders have alleged
that in the peculiar negro policy they
nave established, they were but CARRYING
out after the war, the will OF the success
ful North. The elections in the North are
telling them as plainly as men can speak,
that this policy is not and will not be sane
toned by them. And the more it is under
stood and reflected upon in the North, the
more strongly and the more unanimously
1t will be opposed by the general popular
sentiment. 1t will, therefore, be good for
these men if they now reflect, and no long
er persist in forcing upon us a policy
which is both distasteful and ruinous to
the North and South alike.-Pittsbwgt