The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-10-03
SPIRIT or THE PRESS.
EDITORIAL OPINIONS OF THB LEADING JOURNALS
Upon CURRBET TOPICs-ooMPILED EVERY
DAY FoR THR EVENING TELEGRAPH.
rns Political Reaction.


From me ~ y Times.
The Democrats are counting largely on the
"reaotion" said to be going on, for victory in
tba coming elections. President Johnson, it is
evident also believes in the alleged political
reaction in public sentiment, and expects from
IL similar results.
That the public mind has become disgusted
with the extreme measures of many promi-
neut men in the Union party, we have
little doubt The evident determination Of
come among them, not only to secure the
colored race in the enjoyment of equal rights,
but to give them absolute asceDdancy in the
Government of the country, has repelled
very many who have hitherto acted with the
Republican party. There is no doubt, more
over, that the violence and reckless par
tisanship which have marked much of the
action and more of the speeches of Republi-
can leaders, the disregard of constitutional
obligations, the manifest determination to keep
political power in their own hands, by what
ever means, and the evident purpose to eX
clude the Southern States from the Union
until they can rely on their support of the
most radical measures of public and of party
policy, have caused very many members of
that party to dstrust the wisdom and the
patriotism Of those who have usurped its
leadership and control.
But this must not be mistaken for a reao-
tiOn which contemplates will tolerate the
renewed ascendancy of the Democratic party.
II is not a reaction against the principles or
the policy which carried the country through
the war and suppressed the Rebellion. 1t is
not a reaction against "coerciou,' and in
favor of the old doctrine of State rights. 1t
is not reaction against the more vigorous
conduct of the war which dismissed Mcclellan
and put General Grant at the head of the
national armies. 1t is not a reaction against
the proclamation of emancipation, nor against
the Constitutional amendment by which
slavery was forever abolished Nor is it a
reaction against the legislation OF Congress
by which equal civil and political rights are
secured to all men without distinction of race
or color, and by which the Southern States
are required to recognize and accept this prin-
ciple as the condition of restoration to politi-
cal power.
Upon none of these points have the people
changed their minds, or determined to reverse
the policy of the country. They are no nearer
now to approving the Presidents policy of ad-
mitting the South back to Congress without
conditions of any sort, and as a matter of con-
stitutional right, than they were year ago.
They approve the general action of Congress
now as thoroughly as they did then. And
still less is there the slightest indication of
their disposition to reverse the leading princi-
pies on which the war was waged, and adopt
ing in their stead those by which the Demo
Gratis constantly endeavored to weaken its
force and embarrass it's progress.
The Democrats have, therefore, no warrant
in any indications of public sentiment for an
ticipating their own return to power upon
the principles and under the organization
which they have hitherto maintained. The
only ''reaction" which is either feasible or
probable is within the ranks of the Republican
party against the extreme, violent, and in
temperate measures for which the leaders Of
that party have in some degree made it re-
spOnsible. If the vehement crudities of
Thad. Stevens, the systematic and calculating
Jacobinism of Senators Sumner and Wade,
and the reckless and INSCRIPTIONS partisan
ship of such men as Wendell Phillips and
Senators Chandler, Howard and others, are
to be fastened upon the Republican party as
essential parts of its national creed, it is by
no means unlikely that they may involve
their ultimate expulsion from power, even to
be replaced by their Democratic opponents.
But the peril has not reached this point yet
The losses of the Republicans in the elections
that have already taken place do not indicate
any popular desire for the restoration of the
Democratic Bourbons. But they do involve an
unmistakable hint to the Republicans against
pushing too far the theories and purposes Of
the extremists among them. And even if
the elections which are still to occur should
be somewhat of the same complexion, they
would only enforce still more emphatically
the lessons which may fairly be drawn from
those that are past.
1t will not do for the Democrats to presume
too far upon the symptoms of ''reaction'
which they have observed in the public mind;
nor will it be any wiser for the Republicans to
underrate them or to understand their real
meaning.