The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1867-01-05
Universal Suffrage and Gcnera'
Amnesty.

tWO gfetb paItlcS wa va" >'' &
Radicals and Consevvativcs-and among =
fine latter are said to be prominent !
Southern gentemen--looking to an y
adjustment of our political difficulties
mon the basis of "universal suffrage ,
and general amnesty to the people !
of the South. How much OF trnt'l
there NAV be in these political rumors
is difficult to divine. Should the re-
port be true, we have no idea that such
a settlement would be accepted by the
Southern States; nor do we believe, Il
accented, it would put an end to POM,
cal agitation and sectional strife. nnch
is the character Of Puritanism, that II
is ever rcstive and impaticnt-ever oe-
string to meddle with the affairs OF oel-
er people. This fact, alone, aside RON
thc monstrosity Of universal suffrage
and its injustice to the south an" us
d;roct yiointion Of the Constitution, II
forced ljy legislation, would deter the
Southern people from accepting, or
even entertaining, such proposl''oh'
The Constitution, as it now. stands,
gives to each State the right Of regu
latino It's own suffrage laws, and Is q
sacred and iu.lienal,lc right no State OF
the Union should surrender, and 1t can,
not &c wrestcd from the people except
by revolutionary action upon the part
Of Congress, ,
If the Radicals should agree to soch
a settlement as is proposed, the peo-
nle have no assurance, Judging from
tthe post, that the country would De
nerm tied to rest in peace. We should
f cain nothing By bartering away Con,
!, stitutional rights for al ephemer"l
promise Of peace. by Il law OF Oon,
crcss, the President is ciothel N''''
discretionary powers in the matter Oh
t granting pardons and declaring an"e'-
fy, By that law he is allowed to re,
lease all persons from the disability Oh
, the coniisvation vet, in all instances
:. when it is apparent that it Is 'or 'n' u,
Good Of the country; an. should nc
Conclude that u general amnesty
woull suhs2ryc the best interests Oh l'l'
q q country, Congress has not the power
II to nroycnt the issuance OF a procii'lha
II tion TO that effect And it is reported
by telegraphic correspondents a''' m
rovsnoncr writer's, from Washington
!. City, trat it is the current heiIel 'lSf
. that such q proclamation wIIl De iSsue' issue,
T. soon. Then, why should prom'nIen
20 Southern men be closeted Witn lcadi":
Radical, to thus compromise the night
/" and honor Of tue South: ANA VIII
ID should the South #ish to eonceNe III
u Unconstitutional right Of each State r'
m ,n gulating its own suffrage laws 10 a
'n IRRESPONSIBLE party for mere proml'
co Of general amnesty which /, may {
may not comply with, even II IN
power to consummalc s"cn " P''
les mise? ,.
mt The truth is, the South has airsa'
=. concealed too much. We have Accep
" cd terms from the Government, ioE u
sake of peace ANA restoration, "A''
are ,lishonorable in the end, we fear
TO- is now out of the power Of Congress
ers force any distasteiul CONSTITUTE
in amendments, rs long rs the ten eAeio
ed States are unitcdin opposition 10
and sustained by Kentucky, Maryla
ew. and New Jersey. We, therefore, ha
erv it in our power to refuse all degrAd'
~, terms of Constitutional amendnoh
Va" and should WELD it for the purpose
IN saving the country from anarcly a
and the degradation of the south !
,erc mower is guaranteed to us by the "
.orv stitution, and no Radical Congress
~ ever divest us Of it except by revo
'N' tionary legislation. When they attel
this, civil var will saturate the 2mef'
soil with blood from the Canad"s TO
ana Rio Grand, and the Radical party
ance be held responsible for this blight
we're ruin Of the country.
t. Of If war is to grow out OF the sUU'
:, sion Of the rights Of the people OF
American government, let lis ol
nose South stand firmly upon our CONS
hole tional rights-refusing to yield ny
IS Of act of ours, one jot or title Oh u
elm rights. Thus panoplied, victory
tso,f eventually perch upon the n n"hne
'sen the Constitution, and the Conserve
1ac- masses of the country will be Su5Sa
elish by the moral ,nso Of the world
only innocent of the disasters which
,,on follow in the train Of Radical opI
c.o1, sion and usurpation.
''e'' The people Of the South do not
sire war They want peace, law
ord dsr; but they are not prepared,
IS to cyer, to surrender every prncipl
the Justice in order to avert war,
pres;- shown by the recent action OF Sc
oa,, Legislatures of the South on the
''''' stitutional amendments proposed
l'heFh last session of Congress and snbn
jemo for ratification to aV the States o
The Union, including the ten exc
,or hv States. They are willing to- max
necessary and honorable compro
opp'. IN order to induce harmony IN TIL
oppo- islation and administration OF the
,e dis eral Government. They are not
ct the pared to eat dirt" any more as
o,1o are thoroughly convinced That crl
pe'p only calls for further" bending
S"'" suppliant knee"
nment. licnce il is that q compromi
universal suffrage for gener
Mt, no nesty" cannot bc honorably &C
ION too by the people of this section; Al
ders to responsive pf""'''e.'. p, .,o"tm ~.
....;a, are authorized to make any term'
,i''''''' sort with leading men of the /
hemes' patty at Washington City, orelse