The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1868-08-27

anu HeutFhll1 W w buo pUolbiOho ~ h"S
assumed in the course OF legislation on these
matters. We submit, then, that here is the
'clear and well settled plap Of administration"
which the opposition demand. Here ls the
''exact plan'' which the Post declares has
no existence, but which in party sense has
been made irrevocable by the Chicago conven-
ton. -.r --r p.-. .tHr "..- II. s...
Can the Democratic party honestly say the
same of and for itselfH AT the instance and in
the words of Wade Hampton it pronounces
the reconstruction acts "a usurpation, and
unconstitutional, revolutionary, and void"
and it also calls for the immediate restoration
of all the States to their rights in the Union"
The latter proposition is Ineligible; although
its operation would now be limited to the
three excluded States. The seven States
which have been restored to the Union need
no further help; they have their rights in the
Union, including complete control of their own
affairs. The other three the party would
bring in without conditions of any kind So
far the Democratic plan is clear enough. But
who of the faithful will tell us its meaning in
regard to the accomplished facts of reconstruc-
ton What does the party propose to do
with theseP Will the Post explain with what
objects the party "presumes to present ITSELF"
SO far as the PRACTICAL aspect Of the question is
concerned
For two versions of Democratic desire and
duty are before the country. Frank Blair's
version prevailed in the Convention, and is
the one in vogue throughout the South. The
opposition leaders of that section have almost
to man committed themselves to the view
which implies the overthrow of the recon-
structed governments by force, and the re-
establishment of white mems governments.
One Southern journal has descended to par
ticulars, according to which-if Seymour be
elscted--ths Southern Democrats are to meet
in Convention, form other constitutions, pro-
vide for the organization Of other governments
on the white mans basis and butcher freed
men who dare to maintain the rights conferred
by Congress. This would be the consistent
application Of the Blair doctrine as indorsed
by the Convention, and incorporated in the
platform.
But the cooler heads of the Northern De-
mocracy repudiate programme which, be-
ginning in revolution, would end in anarchy.
OF this more moderate view the World was at
one time an emphatic expounder. No jour
nal then showed more clearly the constitu-
tional difficulties which block the path of
those who would suddenly overturn the Gov
ernments organized under the law. None
proved more oonclusively that if the contin-
gency contemplated occur, the President,
whoever he be, will be obliged to use the
power at his command to support the present
Governments against the combinations which
the Southern Democrats propose to employ.
Inc WOTld and Boston POSt, and the whole
brood of Democratic journals published in this
latitude, now evade the issue involved in this
question. Not one of them has manliness
enough to declare in what sense it receives
this feature of the Democratic plan, or to de-
clare in what light it would regard the prac-
tical exercise of the doctrine affirmed by Blair
and accepted by the South. Mr.. Seymour
has lodged the question. Mr.. PendletOn
usually as frank as he is courteous, passes it
over without word. Not single Democrat
of mark, who has appeared in the Northern
canvass, has ventured to unfold his own
rendering of the plan, either by way of con-
demnipg or ratifying the Southern method or
giving it effect.
The Democratic plan, then, is not only not
"clear and we'll settled,' but it is not honest
1t has two sides-one for the law-abiding
North, the other for the law-defying malcon-
tents Of the South. 1t is conservative or
revolutionary, according to the locality; the
variableness of meaning being in itself an ele-
ment OF disturbance, which the business and
industry of the country cannot afford to en-
counter.
The Republican plan, on the contrary, has
but one meaning and one end Its mainten-
ance of work performed under the law, and of
results realized in conformity with the settled
principles of the party, is distinct and empha-
tic. Neither in regard to the principles or
form of reconstruction is there the shadow of
turning. What the party advocates in the
North it upholds in the South. And the whole
tendency of its efforts is to secure the Just and
permanent peace which is the great need Of
the nation.