The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1867-05-15
Quarrel Between the Radical Leaders.
do nnffi L.

|
WASHINGTON, May 8, 1867.
Poor old Thaddeus Stevens is but the wreck of his
| former self After remaining here until day Or two
ago, he has left at last for his home in Pennsylvania
But he has become weak and debilitated, that he
had to be carried to the cars, and placed there
i bed made up for the purpose.
There is great futtering in the Republican camp,
account of the radical difference that has sprung
up between two such great leaders Senator Wilson
and Thaddcus Stevens. Senator Wilson goes down to
the Southern States and makes what the moderate Re-
pubcans (if there are any such people, call mag
unanimous offer to the Southern people. Whereupon
Thaddeus Stevens flies into rage declares that Sen
ator Wilson has no right to make such liberal con-
| cessions" or to offer such magnanmous terms, and
asserts that Congress is not done with the South yet
tn. the lands of the wealthy Southern people must
be confscated, and divided among the negroes and
that policy must be adopted which viii place the
State governments of the South. beyond oil -dnnht
within the control Of the Radical party. When Con-
gross reassembles next December, it will be seen
which of these two views will prevail. At present,
those members of Congress who here much di-
vded on the subject, some taking side and some
the other.
We had an intmation by telegraph Of the quarrel
referred to above by the special correspondent of the
Picayune. The issue between them is only important
from its significance. 1t shows what we believed
from the first that the military bills were mere COM
Tue Two Vi
between its mountain and its plain and that as
promises, they were accepted with entire different
views On the part of Wilson and his followers they,
while going the full length of their wishes,
regarded fnalites to effect restoration and were
accepted in the light of necessity the part of
Congress, to propose tangible basis Of reconstruc-
ton in lieu of the repudated policy Of the President
By Stevens and his ultra disciples they evidently
accepted the Of further irritating and pro-.
vokiug the South, and in the hope that few mobs
might follow and that these would justify confscaton
Mr.. Stevens, old, infrm, irritable and impractical, is
disappointed in his expectation of Southern repudia-
ton of the bills, and is hence prompt toy pick quar-
rel with Wilson, who his visit to Virginia, i'm
pressed with the earnest desire of the people to sup
press agitation, and after fashion, pledged himself
regard the bills fnality if they accepted
in good faith by the Southern States. 1t should also
be remembered that the original BILL as it passed.
was not the bill introduced by Senator Sherman, who
is still another and believe the abest leader of
the party. There then no less than three factions
of the Radical party. "A house divided against itself
cannot long stand Whatever is the practical result
of the reconstruction bills upon restoration whether
they accomplish the readmisson of the excluded States
not the day is not distant when the party in power
will become the party of the minority. Yet little
while, we hope our people will be patient.