The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1868-10-08
suppose a Democratic success-what
Them
Hrorr, the Ne,o YORK Timer

Congress are null and void, but VINO
protest that their a6Eoga.
tion may be effected quietly, without
the employment of force. They insist
on separatine the document which ex.
plains the platform from the platform
itself. and on holding up an imaginary
Blair instead of the outspOken person.
age whom the Convention nominated.
Thew are sensible enough to evade spe-
cific questions, and to confine them
selves to assertions, without a particle
of evidence to sustain them.
Ear. Stanbery's candor prompted him
to attempt an explanation of a consti-
tutional Hodtts operdndi, which would
break down at the vital point of the
BE requires, as the pre-
to the setting aside of recon
a Democratic President,
Democratic House of Representatives
and Democratic Senate: Let these be
obtained, he says, and all will be right.
But will II be right, in the Democratic
sense, even then2 The repeal of the
Reconstruction acts will be Intellectual,
for they will have fulfilled their pur-
pose. The exclusion of Southern Sem
atorS and Representatives will not affect
the existence of the local Governments
or rights held under the authority of
the local Constitutions. Colored suf-
frage will continue an established fact.
the real obstacles to the destruction of
the new order of things will remain as
formidable as at this moment.
Yet another suggestion associates the
election of Seymour with some mys.
terious assertion of power by the Su-
preme Court. With Seymour as Presl-
Chief Justice Chase will sat one breath
clear away the cloud that has rested
over the Executive, the Congress and
the States" How the miracle is to be
wrought, the ATgnS does not explain.
The opinion of the Supreme Court as
to the constitutionality of the Recon-
struction acts, is matter only of con-
lecture. This, however, is known:
That in the Judgment OF the Chief JUS
tice, the Fourteenth Amendment is a
part of the Constitution, and therefore
binding upon the States, whatever fate
beiall the Reconstruction acts. Besides,
he new Governments being, recognized
by Congress, will not be touched by the
Supreme Court in any event, nor will
any opinion in regard to the constitu-
tiOnality OF any particular link in the
chain of reconstruction induce sur
render by the enfranchised freedmen
of the power they now WELD.
Evidently, then, these more moderate
explanations of the Democratic policy
are defective precisely where they are
required to be strongest. They do not
lOuCh AhS HONSAIluB 1dCbb vi kuO CdS6s
They leave the realities of reconstruc-
ton solid as ever-the Executives, the
Legislatures, the voting body all as they
are now. II, as the World asserts, re-
construction may be uDdone by and
through these iDstrumentnlities, the re-
suit promised by the Democrats be-
comes remote indeed, for this theory
presupposes the readiness of the colored
people TO dislranchise themselves, and
10 invest with absolute power the men
who declare them permanently inferior
and subordinate.
Hence the favor with which General
BIair's proposition is regarded by the
great body OF the Democrats. They
have no patience for the sophisms and
trinaires of the party inopm Der the re.
construction controversy. They have
made up their minds to destroy the
work OF Congress, and tolerate only
those means of accomplishing 1t which
commend themselVe as direct and GER
tain. The Blair programme is the one
that satisfies this requirement.. Them
tervention of the Supreme Court, and
the slow process of change by methods
prescribed by the new Constitutions,
fall short of the standard. Blair hit It
with his letter. describing circumlo.
cution, despising false pretenses, he
proposes simply revolution. Seymour
10 W plhy luo uSuEpeEa anu ny SueGE
force clear away the results of recon
struction. The Governments, the off,
Gals, the colored voters. are all to be
swept aside. The mere will of the Demo-
cratic party Is to determine the mean
ing OF the Constitution, the rights OF the
States, and the absolute authority of
the whites over blacks. This pro
gramme unquestionably involves Vio-
lence, disturbance, and instruction.
It is. however, the only programme
which found favor in the eyes of the
New York Convention, for though rev.
it is logical consistent, and
effective.
Now let us outrage probability by
supposinH n Democratic triumph in
ton OF Seymour, and the ability of the
Democratic Party TO grapple with the
issue raised by their platform. The
Is cStravagant, and, in fact
possible only by the, Blair method.
Fhere is no possibility of controlling
the next Congress, or the Senate for
years to come, and therefore none or
pounded by Mr.. Stanberry. There
must be usurpation on the part of the
President, and revolution, or the war
upon reconstruction will end. To I'M
derstaud fully the dilemma of the
Democrats, however, 1t is necessary to
look beyond these obstacles to throw
aside all probabilities, and TO bring the
party face TO face with the-responsibili-
ties attendant upon success.
What would then occur? Recon-
struction is to be overthrown because
unconstitutional, and therefore, in
Democratic parlRnce, null and void.
What do they propose as its substitute?
these new governments are to be set
aside 10 make room for the govern
mPntQ " hfRh FNFnRaHnH
ent officials are to be dismissed, and
those whom Congress legislated out of
office retnstalled. The existing suffrage
basis Is TO give way 10 the basis which
Congress demolished. But the govern
ments which are to be thus re estab-
Iished-the system which is to be thus
revived-were VIGOROUSLY without a
shadow of constitutional authority,
They were the products OF Mr.. Andrew
Johnson's exercise of authority. By q
mere Executive order, without shadow
Of legal sanction, he DESTROYED the then
existing rebel governments, prescribed
the terms and manner of their reor-
SANITATION, dictated the qualifications
OF electors and officials, and the amend
ments TO the State Constitutions, and,
IN Tact, did all, without warrant OF law.
Whlch Congress has ever proposed TO do
through the law. When, therefore, the
Dem democrats propose to destroy the exist
ItnB SaIe ORGANIZATIONS and to bring
PUCK the State organizations of Mr..
Johnson, they-propose to do away with
tne Fes Ha OF law and to revive the re.
suits OF Executive usurnation Tho
organizations they favor never had n
pretenceof onstitutionality. But thew
were in the interest of the rebels. and
that alone explains the preferences. The
outcrY about constitutionality is a
sham. They are anxious only to re.
store rebel Influences to mower Pro1,i
ded this be done, they are as indiffer-
ent TO the Constitution as to the rights
of the millions over whom Mr.. john
sons GOVarnmanfa tyranniza6