The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1868-03-26

49,
Thursday Evening. March 90, 1866.
g One of the most fragrant pieces of pros
pective special legislation which the radical
party have yet attempted, is the recent pro.
position to relieve Mr. Butler, of Tennessee,
from political disabilities BY permitting him
to taky his seat in congress without swallow.
ing the test oath. Only short time since,
Mr.. Thomas, of Maryland, was sent back to
his constituency, because he had furnished
500 to his own son when in the confederate
service; and he might have taken the oath
with the same modification which was &C.
corded to Senator Patterson, who vas let
down thus easily because at frst supposed
to belong to the radical party. This Mr.
Butler was member of the Tennessee ieg'
isiature during the war, and in that capacity
gave aid and comfort to-the eonfederafes,
directly and indirectly but, as 1t is known
that he will vote with the radicals, special
act is proposed to ease his conscience by re-
leasing him from the obligation of taking the
oath. The N. Y. Herald concludes a scath-
ing review of the rrepositienas follows:
"If we were not accustomed to the raseality Of
radical legislation, we would stfgmatzethis afair
as an atrocious violation of consistency and
decency. bat rs tits only part Of the policy of
an unscrupulous faction, with which we are made
familiar every day, il does not strike with as
constituent. and, indeed, is hardly worth con-
demning wasting words over, because ex-
rIa nv e fha ind &c aSrss
lation, and o good deal worse, from a party with
whom laws and constitutions ere mere playthings,
to be used or abused for their own benefit"
The views of the leading men of the ma.
ton upon the present political crisis are
much sought after just now, and newspaper
correspondents seem to be doing their best
to supply the popular demand. The Wash
ington correspondent of the n. Y. Herald
has had an interesting interview with Alex
ander Fl. Stephens, with whom he eonversed
freely upon the situation. Mr.. Stephens
thinks that
1--WE are tending to Capitalization, are ap
proaching Asiatic government, which is the con
centration of all the functions of government in
oae, and max es all the Others subservieut and
moved only by the distation Of the power in the
aseendaney." .--e ra La 81
To the question as TO what was his opin-
ion of the political prospects of the south,
Mr.. Stephens said the prospects of the south
were gloomy in the extreme. He saw moth.
ing but utter ruin. The promiseuous en-,
Reimbursement of the blacks throws the cen
troll of six of the southern states entirely in
IL Il e G.
time the blacks might be satisfied to exer-
else their political privileges with the whites,
but with the knowledge of the power thus
placed in their hands it would be but natur-
al for them in a short time to insist upon ex
ercising that power exclusive of the whites
The effect of registration, he continued, has
completely denoralized the negro and
though, fortunately, the crops of last year
. were matnred before negistra ton set in ,the
mass Of the negroes show little disposition
to quietly settle down to the necessary labor
of preparing for. the crops of the next In
regard to Reconstruction Mr.. Stephens
said: -- r.
II think the policy of Mr. johnson was gener-
ally accepted by the thinking people of the seatt
as the true grounds of restoration, of harmony
between the two sections. Indeed, I think this
was the unanimous opinion OF the people, and IL
the enforcement of the opposite it is fixed con
viction with them that their doom is sealed. A
war of races seems to be the inevitable conse-
quence. In that event the white population
would do one of two things-quit the country OF
remain and fall. For my part my mind is made
up l have not long to live. win stay and go
down with the ship but to the young, I would
counsel them to find homes elsewhere
Mr.. Stephens was deeply affected at this
portion of his conversation, and with 6rmnes,
of tone, fash of the eye, he rose to his feet
and nervously striking one hand with the
other, said Tin prepared Will remain
and perish with the ship" ef1l~
.s4z,.s sGT
RADICAL INSULTS TO UNION SOLDIERS
The radical newspapers, the little Rim
Union, among the number, in their rage q
the fact that single, unarmed federal sol