The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-12-07
Tbe South ern Lawmakers.

in the doctrine that the World not only never
moves backward, but does not so much as
pause in its onward career towards political
and social millennium, it is the course pur-
sued by some men who have, by the merest
accident obtained the ear of the Southern
people. Mr.. D. II. Bingham, member Of the
Alabama Constitutional Convention, is fair
specimen of this class. He is a native Of Yer
mont, but having resided in Alabama for more
than thirty years, it is reasonable to suppose
that he has had time to become sufficiently
identified with Southern interests to desire to
promote them in every possible way. Yet we
regret the necessity which compels us to say
that Mr.. Bingham is nothing more nor less
than q fre-brand in the midst of very
infammable materials. He appears to
have conceived the idea that every other
white man in the State is on the high road to
perdition, and will be vastly benefited by
little purgatorial experience before he enters
into final and unceasing torment. Therefore,
he does all that he possibly can towards
fomenting ill-will between the two races which
must dwell together in the Southern States for
few years, il not for all time. Mr.. Bingham
goes about the matter systematically, and by
the most inconsiderate and nonsensical
harangues endeavors to foster and perpetuate
in the minds of the freedmen feeling of an
tagonism towards the white portion of the
population. In the same spirit he speaks and
votes, as a member of the Constitutional Con-
VentiOn; and if its labors are to be based alto
gether upon his platform, then woe to the
unhappy men who have elevated him and
others of like spirit to power.
This Alabama Convention, in which Mr.,
Bingham at present figures so conspicuously,
is overstepping the bounds of propriety in
more ways than one. Impressed with an idea
n that its powers are altogether sovereign and
unlimited, it has undertaken to legislate upon
4 the subject of divorces and similar matters,
thereby simply holding itself up to the ridi-
cule Of the country. There are likewise in
the Louisiana Convention some men who are
afflicted with sense of their own supreme
authority and wisdom; and they have pro-
n posed-although the Convention has not as
i yet had the foolishness to declare-that no
y other Convention for the further revision of
the Constitution shall be authorized by the
a ridiculous measure is approved of by this
body, it will insure to Louisiana, in all pro-
liability, repetition of scenes similar to those
which transpired in Rhode Island during the
Dorr rebellion. Wise as the lawmakers Of
Louisiana may be, they should not attempt to
legislate so far into the future, for fear their
grandchildren may have good cause to doubt
their claim to the honor of craftsmanship.
+ | The task confded by Congress to the
Southern Conventions is the greatest and the
gravest that has devolved upon any similar
body since the days when our Federal Consti-
a tuition itself was framed. In the words OF
Abraham Lincoln, ''With malice towards none,
with charity for all, and with hrmness in the
right" they should "strive on to finish the
B work they are in, to bind up the nations
wounds, and to do all which may achieve and
cherish a just and lasting peace" 1t is their
province to decide the degree of prescription
which is necessary to their own safety and the
welfare of the whole country. Yet, by giving
loose reins to their animosity, they will more
than oounteract all the good they can possibly
achieve, will bring themselves into antagonism
with almost the entire white population oi
the Southern States, and will, moreover,
render it necessary for Congress to administer
to them a severe rebuke, by returning for
material revision the Constitutions in the
framing of which they are now engaged.
An Insurance Fund for Naval Officers.
SENATOR GRIMES, Chairman of the Senate
Committee on Naval Affairs, yesterday in
trOduced bill into that body which is founded
on sound policy and common sense. 1t con-
tains plan for the establishment of fund
for the insurance of the lives of our naval Off
GERS, the basis of which is to be the surplus
Interest of $l50,000 on the annual pension,
and the growth of which is secured by COM
pulsory levy on all officers, except Midship-
men ana Third Assistant Engineers, Of sums
ranging from 800 to $40. By this means a
handsome sum will be received, the interest
on which will be continually increasing it's
capacity, and provision be made for the com
fort of the widows and orphans of our sailors
should any disaster overtale them in the d;s
charge of their duty. Considering the ov
treme hazard they continually run, we ara
only surprised that some such plan has NOT
been suggested before. The risk is too grea,
for them to secure an ordinary insurance, and
it is quite time that the Government SHOULD
found a fund which will remove most 0
the anxiety to which those who hav
faDiIias denendent upon them are continual