The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1868-11-23
The Washington correspondent of the Balti
mora Gozetta Writes.

The Washington correspondent OF the Baltl-
more Gazette writes:
The new Radical programme, put forth as
one of conciliation, now that they have full
power, is, in scnie OF its details, difficult
of comprehension, but in others plain enough.
The proposition, for example, to infict upon
the whole country, by another patch upon the
constitution, the undoubtcd evil of negro suf-
frage is purely and solely designed to negroize
Maryland, Kentucky and Delaware Missouri is
already shackled by prescriptions Of whites. 1t
has, nevertheless, been so ingeniously insinu-
ated to the public, that it has been made to
assume the shape of q measure of concession
to the South salad to its wounded honor
al, extrayagant reliance being placed upon the
potency of the aphorism that misery likes
company" It need not be added that the
negro vote in the States which would be affect
ed by such an amendment, other than those
named, is altogether insignificant politically,
and would loDg since have been accorded, but
for real personal prejudice, the existence OF
which has been falsely charged upon the South.
had IN interesting conversation this morn
ing with q gentleman high in the Radical san
hedriIn, up IN the whole subject Of the consti-
tuition in its respect to parties and tho condi-
ton of the country, its amendments already
adopted, undoubtedly, those doubtfuly adopt
cd and others proposed, when be startlingly
remarked as follows:
"Why should we not call q National Consti
tutional Convention at once and frame new
of things2 We Of the Radical side arc well
aware that we can never convince the
controlling minds Of the Democracy that
our past, present and prospective measures
are constitutional and the honest portion
Of that party will never pretend to be-
lieve they are. The best, the thinking men
OF the country, are thereby kept asunder and
hindered from devising, system having. in
view solely the essential good okthe nation.
The constitution, as things now stand, has no
vitality in single article section, paragraph
or clause applicable either to the Executive,
Legislative or Judicial Departments Of tho
government, and, probably, will not for many
years, il ever. The system OF government
contemplated by it is effete, and the American
people who gave the world the example of
constitution on parchment, couched in plain
anomaly OF living under o government
guided by no fundamental law whatever
written, or uuwritten-and, young as it is,
unable to appeal to tradition, but left at the
unbrided caprice Of tho demagogues Of the
hour" ~ Two things" continued he, "are
much to be deplored, the one is, tina: the
foolish batteries of Grant by the Democratic
weight he might otherwise have had with his
Radical friends, Wade, Wilson, Morton, SIM
ner, Butler and Logan, whose cooperation
would be indispensable to bring about so
desirable result; and the second is, that the
continued i'll health of General Rawlings pre-
vents him from actively engaging in the
mighty events looming up in the immediate
future. Constitutional Convention ID his
panacea for all existing evils"
At this point, not being advised in regard to
the safety at this juncture Of O constitutional
Convention but rorclbly impressed with some
of the views presented. inquired as to the
status and caLibre Of General Rawlings, ard
was answered that few men NOW living, OF
either party, equal him in comprehensive and
liberal statesmaiship, and that no man enjoys
40 large share OF Grants confidence. It is
but justice to soy that have heard in other
quarters this gentleman's intellect highly spo-
ken Of, but rs to his ''liberaiity" tho public
have been educated to doubt, and require
stronger proof than has yet been afforded. HIS
influence with Congress-the reigning power
is yet to be tested.
have it from an intelligent Radical source
that the catch-word at the coming session Of
Congress will be Economy"