The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1867-11-08
with rapture We, delight to see,
This wicked cuss removed"
THADDEUs STEVENS.

No better proof could be adduced with
which to satisfy the public mind as to
the falling powers Of the veteran repre-
sentative from the Lancaster district,
than the remarkable document bearing
his signature, and addressed to one NJ.
ID. G. Pfeiffer M. d. L. l.. D., which we
find In full in the columns of the Press.
Remarkable it certainly is, not only for
the singularity of its arguments, but
for the style and manner of their setting
forth-being pre-eminently Illogical,
rambling and discursive. 1t is difficult
to perceive, in this loosely jointed and
incongruous array of words, any traces
of either the statesman or the philoso-
pher, and we doubt whether this pro.
duction will do much to strengthen the
Radical party, or convince the thinking
members thereof as to the justness OF
its deductions. Through it all we can
hardly fail to discover the querulous
complaint Of the bcd-ridden old man,
that because Of the nOn-acceptance of
his one idea, the country is in its present
state of confusion and disorder. The
general tenor of Mr.. Stevens argument
Is This: That the Constitution of the
United States as handed down to this
generation, is but faulty and con-
strained instrument, not carrying out
the intentions OF its trainers or fully
elucidating their ideas.
He contends that we Of the present
day are competent TO alter and improve
this time-honored instrument, and that
by so doing we will raise the country to
a more perfect state Of liberty than we
have heretofore enjoyed, or than, per-
haps, the fathers Ofthe country had con-
templated. This wonderful improve
ment is to be brought about by simply
adopting his principle, that Congress
has full and complete authority to leg
islate for all the States in the matter of
the elective franchise. In other words
he proposes to ignore all state laws and
Constitutions and to establish central
power in the Congress assembled at
Washington, which is to adjudicate in
matter SO important as this, and exer-
else a controlling power over the elec-
tors of the United States. And this,
Mr., Stevens thinks, is approaching near
er to the full and perfect liberty con.
templated by the trainers Of the Consti-
tuition, and the signers of the Declara-
tion. Mr.. Stevens however, does not
| declare that the Constitution furnishes
any authority for this Capitalization OF
power, but says that ii was the iHtel,.
tion of the fathers Of the Republic to
establish such government, and that
we should carry it out This argument
is amusing If not convincing, and eyin-
ces a singular unanimity of opinion be-
tween the able patriots who framed the
Constitution, and the able leader of the
I0st Radical House of Congress
Mr.. Stevens deduces from his reading
of the Declaration Of independence,
that the elective franchise is not merely
Il privilege but right, and that this
right descends rs matter of course up.
on those enfranchised beings whose wei
fare was considered in the lith Amend
ment TO the Constitution. 1t is difficult
to treat an argument so peculiar in all
respects. The Declaration fails to fur
nish any evidence Of this, but the as
sumption Of medniags which Mr.. Ste
vens adopts, settles all discrepancies.
1t were easy in any case to perfect an
argumcnt,if we were allowed to furnish
ideas and suggest intentions, when the
letter of the instrument would not bear
out our statements. In Mr.. Stevens
case "thewish Is father to the thought"
1t is not what the framers Uf thu Cpn.