The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1868-09-25
The War Party.
Y. Y. IndeDendenk.

From the ". Y. independent.
The Damoorntio Party hos boOomo the war
party; and that, too, in the time of peace. It's
platform declares "the Reconstruction acts $50
called) of Congress" to be "usurpations, and
unconstitutional, revolutionary, and void"
This declaration, if carried into effect meaus
that Congressional reconstruction is to be
swept away from top to bottom. Will it be
carried into effect If the Democrats triumph in
the coming election! So Wade Hampton
understands the purpose of the party. So
General Blair openly proclaims. So the whole
tribe OF Rebels and the Democratic sympa-
thizers both mean and demand.
VI course, the reconstructed State govern
ments, now in actual operation and repre-
sented in both Houses of Congress, are to be
treated as null and void-as really having no
legal existence or rightful authority. This is
the necessary result of the Democratic pro-
position, when put into practice. Is, then,
any man SO foolish as to suppose that this
will or can occur without second war, in
volvipg anarchy and bloodshed at the South,
and quite likely sweeping over the whole
country These State governments are
already in existence. They are not abstract
ideas, but concrete facts. They have their
officers of law, installed not only in the coun-
ellis of the State but also in those of the nation
They also have their earnest supporters, both
North and South. And these, let it be re-
membered, are solid facts, not to be disposed
of or brushed away by a mere resolution
Nothing can dispense with them but revolu-
tionary violence. Such violence means war.
1t can mean nothing else. The Democratic
programme, II reduced to practical effect, will
and must bring on a collision of arms.
We are aware that the Democrats claim
that these reconstructed Governments are ile-
gal, and that for this reason they may and
should be displaced; yet they exist as facts
under Congressional legislation. Moreover
Southern loyalists, supported by the Republ-
can party, claim that these Governments are
duly constituted, and that they must be main
tanned. Here are elements of immense danger
to the peace of the country the moment the
Democratic doctrine assumes practical form.
Rebels of the Wade Hampton school are ready
for the strife; but are the American people
ready No graver question has ever been
placed before the public mind.
What does the Democratic party propose to
substitute in place of these governments, de-
clared to be unconstitutional, revolutionary,
and void ~ Of course, they mean to have
State governments at the South of some kind
What shall they be, and in what respect shall
they differ from those already in existence?
There is no difficulty in answering this ques-
tion. The Democrats mean-the proof thereof
is as clear as the light of day-to disfranchise
the negro, and restore the Rebels to power.
They mean in this way to make these States
democratic States; ana. by this means, place
the party once more in power in the National
Government. They want the votes of their
Southern Democratic friends, nine-tenths of
whom are unrepentant Rebels. The political
reason is the great secret of their hostility to
the reconstruction measures of Congress.
Southern Rebels affiliate themselves with
Northern Democrats, because this is their
only hope for saving the "lost cause;'' and
Northern Democrats affiliate themselves with
Daha md tn .nIn
last to achieve a political success. Combine
the two, and give them the control of the
Government and then the old Democratic
regime would be again in full blast. The rights
OF the negro would be crushed to the earth.
Slavery would be re-established in effect, if
not in form. The national debt would bs re-