The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1867-06-18
"Cnconsiiiusionalizin q -

Every one Is familiar with the story of the
mathematician who quarreled with the fish
woman. He was overwhelmed with the
coarsest denunciatory language to be found
in the billingsgate vocabulary, with the idioms
OF which the good lady was thoroughly con-
versant. He attempted to make use of the
same weapons in defending himself from the
curses and insults which afforded exquisite
delish! to the surrounding crowd But this
was like undertaking to fight native Aus
ITALIAN with the boomerang. He was forced to
resort to the terms Of his own science for de-
hverance, causing the old beldam to disappear
with howl of rsge by calling her an "irres-
ular rhomboid." She regarded this as convey
ing meaning so deeply injurious that no
sell-respecting fishwoman might endure it.
Bilingsgates famed mart no longer enjoys
monopoly of the staple which erewhile
gave it renown. All its stock in trade of
slang smut, and abuse was long since made
over to the New York press. The World.
however, assumes the part of the mathema-
tlcian OF the story, and not being able to
make use of slang so deity as its neishbor.
the Day-Book, it resorts to irrelevant and un-
truthful sesquipedalia. 1t is so learned, with
al, that it once discovered that President Lin
coin borrowed Terence's res magma est, when
he indulged in the colloqulalism, ats bio
thing" Its latest exploit in this direction is
the most remarkable, and leaves nothing
further to be hoped or desired 1t has been
safely delivered of the word of nine well de-
fined and several syllables which we have
written once and decline undertaking again.
But If provincial press may tender advice
to metropolitan, we would suggest that an
additional syllable may be obtained by giving
the word an adverbial form, and that in ftl-
ture editotials its argumentative force may be
increased by constantly repeating it without
taking the useless trouble to sandwich 1t be-
tween particles and expletives.
This bristling array of sylables is hurled
against the Union party, because it is alleged
that that party proposes to take the control
and regulation of the elective nanchise from
the States, and vest 1t in the legislative de-
partment of the general government In
dealing with the Southern States lately in re-
bellion, Congress has been embarrassed at
every step by its respect for the constitutional
Limitations OF its power. Especially has 1t
been embarrassed by its sacred regard for
the rights OF the States to prescribe the
qualifications of their own electors No Re-
publican or body of Republicans has ever con-
tended that the general government can in
terfere in this matter except where the exclu-
sion from the ballot-box Is so general, or the
prescribed qualifications for electors SO
anfi-democratic as to bring the cases
within the purview Of the guarantee
clause of the Constitution. These
cases have never arisen, and exist only
potentially. Every act of Congress has thus
far shown recognition OF this fact. The
list amendment to the Constitution submit
ted by that body to the legislatures of thu
several States is ar attempt to obyiate thu
unjust results of the exclusion of the peopl,
| from the ballot-box in some of the States
Instead OF attempting to enfranchise the ex
ciuded classes by legislative enaetments
Congress has devised legitimate meth
cd by which the States them
selves are forced either to Hberalize thei
own constitutions or suffer loss OF represer
tation in the national councils. The miiitar
reconstruction acts, too, go no further than I
present to the rebel States the alternative c
enfranehising the excluded classes or remain
ing under military control. That this is al
unauthorized assumption ofpower not Reve
dy johnson himself will contend, for his voic
and his vote had their weight in placing thes
acts upon the statute book. Too large
number of persons affected by the provision
OF the Shermsn bill have given 1t their apprNl
al and support, to make it becoming for car
tious Northern politicians to enter their prc
test lfindividuals in the situation of Go,
| Orr, Gov. Brown, Gen. Lee and Gen. Lonc
street are impressed with sense OF the iu:
tice of the reconstruction measures of Cor
| gress, the editor Of tho World NAV we'll hol
|, his peace. l
While Republicans are not the victims {
that superStitious reverence for the organi
which induces morbid aversion to maxim
any changes in its provisions, yet they posses
that practical regard for it which within fe,
years past has led them in thousands to th
"perilous edge Of battle" But for their deyt
tion the instrument which "we the people
established and ordained, would have share
in the ruin ofthe nation whose charter it wa
intended to be.