The Conservative. (M'connelsville, Ohio) 1866-1871, 1868-03-12

at the South, and the radical of tho
South an equally violent radical
ut the North,
Mr.. President, it is n striking fact,
showing how easily extremes some
times meet, that the radical cry of tho
sccossonists of 1860 its identical with
that Of the northern radical of to-day.
namely, "The Union is broken; tho
constitution in all tho States of the
South is gone. Down with the old
Union, down with tho old Constitution;
we arc outside the Union and outside
the Constitution to suit ourselves or
we will have none at all" Tho cry
was the samo, the purpose the samo-
political power. The radicals of tho
South raised that cry to build up their
power upon negro slavery the radicals
Of the North to build mp their power
upon negro supremacy, upheld by the
bayonet.
And, sir, shall we make no allowance
for tho great mass of the southern
people who by force, by terror, by
persuasion, by tho abandonment Of tho
Government, and by all the excite
monts, passions, and necessities or ac-
tual war, were plunged into that ter
riblc conflict by tho radicals of tho
South as by power they could not
control? We all know tho influence
ovor any party or community of
small, well organized minority, strong
in will and reckless OF consequences.
What havo we seen in the Republi-
can party itself within tho last three
years
We havo seen comparatively small
number Of earnest radicals reverse and
absolutely ovcrturn from its founda-
tions the policy of reconstruction
adopted by Mr.. Lincoln before his re-
election. and sustained by she conven-
tion which rcnomnatod him and the
party which reelected him in 1861
His policy was reconstruction upon
tho white basis. The negro was ox-
cludcd altogether.
Even the Wado and Davis recon-
structlon bill, which passed Congress
by Republican votes, and which Mr..
Lincoln refused to sanction, but not
for that reason, confned reconstruction
to tho white basis alono. 1t excluded
all negro sufIiago. 1t left that quos-
tion, whoro-it belongs, to tho ,whito
race 10 determine in each State for
themselves.
Upon this subject ] quote and adopt
tho language of the Senator from
Indiana Mr.. Morton] while Governor
of that State:
al call your attention to tho fact that Con-
gresi itself, when 1t assumed. TO take the whole
question Of reconstruction out Of the hands of
the President, expressly excluded the negro
from the right of suffrage in voting for tho men
who were 10 frame the new constitution for tho
rebel States"
'If Mr.. Lincoln had not refused to sign that
bill there would to-day he an act of Congress-
on the stutute-books absolutely prehibiting ne
groos from any participation in tho work Of re-
organization, and plcdgiug the Government in
advance TO accept Of the constitutions THAT
might be formed under the BILL although they
made no provision for the negro beyond tho
fact of his personal liberty"
l rcpeat, we have seen little hand
full Of Radicals, by their boldness, per-
sistoncy, and force, persuade, caiOle, or
drive the great majority Of the Repub-
ilcan party away from thor own avow-
cd policy of reconstruction upon tho
whlro basis, and compel them to adopt
tho policy Of universal negro suffrage,
to establish negro governments, and
now, at last 10 propose in the bill on
your table an absolute military dicta-
torship IN all the States of the South.
/ shall say nothing unlIlnd Of Tho
Senator from Indiana; l admit his
patriotism and eminent abilities and
his almost Incompatible services dur
ing the late war to put down the re.
bclIion. But utifanything wore wanting
to demonstrate tho power which these
Radical have had over tho mass Of the
Republican party IN changing their
opinions and reversing their policy.
We have only TO point to tho able
Senator from Indiana himself once
among tho most powerful advocates of
the Lncoln-JOhnaon policy Of restora-
tion upon the white basis, now bound
hand and foot and dragged in CHAINS
at the victorious chariot wheels, to
grace the triumph Of Wendell Phillips
and tho Senator from Massachusetts,,
TMr SUMNER ! Even his great mind
now lends its powerful influence to
favor tho establishment of government
based upon universal negro suffrage,
to hold, it may be, the balance of pow
or in tins Republic under the control
oftho bayonoJs Of tho regular Army.
l we'll remember the effect produced
by the speech Of the Governor of Indi-
ana in 1865. 1t came at time to be
most disgracofully remembered by mo
for | was engaged in struggle at tLat
tImo against the Radicals in my own
State to prevent them from changing
the creed and reversing the policy
upon which tho Union party fought
aud mastered tho rebellion, and by
which alono thor victory was achieved.
l endeayored to demonstrate the same
truths set forth in that great speech,
and when it came, with it's irresistible
eloquonce and unanswerable force of
argument, rejoicod to lean upon his
strong arm for support. Like him, l