The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-03-30
SPIRIT OF THE PRESS.
EDITORIAL OPINIONS OF FHB LEADING JOURNALS
UPON CURRENT TOPIOs--CoMPmKD EvBRY
DAY FOR THE EVENING TELEeRAPH
Georgia and the Amendment-Pr Pretexts for
Interference.


From TIE ~ y Times
The failure of the fifteenth amendment in
the Georgia Legislature Is pretext for quar-
rel of which the advocates of extreme mea-
sures are promptly awaiting themselves. The
opportunity is too good to be lost. Here is
pToposed constitutional change, moderate
and lust in its terms, and infinitely more ao-
oeptable than the provisions of the Georgia
constitution; and here is the local Legislature
spurning the profered compromise, and OBJ
stinately refusing compliance with the behests
of the dominant party The fact is pro-
nounoed inomprehensible, except on the sup
position that the local majority is composed
of disleyal elements. And since they dare
show themselves in insolent disregard of the
Congressional will, what more natural or
proper than that some stern action should be
invoked to extirpate lingering rebellion and
so reshape the affairs of reconstructed State
that those who hunger and thirst after Office
and its emoluments may be satisfied? In such
a cause the END will justify even objection
able means.
But before undertaking to chastise the
people of Georgia for the sins of it's Legisla-
ture il is desirable that the precise facts of
the case may be correctly known. 1t may be
legitimate and necessary to vindicate the
rights of the expelled colored members, and
to treat the defeat of the pending amendment
as an occasion for eXerting in i ts full force,
act precipitately. For it is at least possible
that on a careful review Of the circumstances
attending the recent proceedings at Atlanta,
the fate of the amendment may prove to be
more the work Of mischievOus extremists on
the Republican side than of stiff-necked
Democrats on the side of the opposition.
of the ll-advised message of Governor
Bullock we have already spoken. 1t would
scarcely have been different had the purpose
of its author been to provoke the Democrats
into the giving OF an unfriendly vote. The
amendment speaks for itself, and the Gov
ernor was not its friend when he attempted to
fasten upon it construction not warranted
by any declaration of Congress, and calcu-
lated more than aught else to irTitate the
Democratic members. Our Atlanta cor
respondent has shown that in this offensive
course the Executive was supported by seve-
raj of his adherents in the House. Instead
of allowing the amendment to stand upon its
merits as measure OF equity aud symbol
of reconciliation and union, the ratification
of which should be separated from partisan
considerations, the more violent of Governor
Bullock's supporters used it to taunt their
opponents, to insult them, and to drive them
into an attitude of resistance. Such conduct
ia only intelligible on the theory that
Messrs. Bullock, ONeal, Fitzpatrick Il Co.
really desired the defeat OF the amendment.
And, certainly, they took the best possible
We are not, however left to conjecture.
Records of the divisions prove that the amend
ment was delayed by the absence OF so-called
Republicans, and that it was finally defeated
by the very men who clamor most loudly FOL
Congressional interference to bring the Legis
lature into subsection. We begin with thu
votes in the House:-ln the first division tn,
members stood 81 in favor of the amendment
60 against, with "a radical Republicans ab
sent or not voting. The majority included
az Democrats, and the minority-against rati
fication-four Republicans. 1t is true that OF
this occasion the form of ratification was en-
numbered with protest against the construc
ton put upon the amendment by Gov
ernor Bullock; but that circumstance
was a result of the challenge throw
down in the gubernatOral message
and might have been obviated haC
the members who absented themselves pur
sued less offensive course. A motion to re-
consider prevailed on the following day, and
still later, q square division on the merits o
the amendment ended in its adoption by the
House by narrow majority. The figures are
"a yeas, So nays; eight Republican extremists
voting in the minority, and twenty-tour being
absent or non-voting, twenty seven Democrats
also being in the latter category. Again, il
the Senate, the amendment, after having beel
adopted by vote of q to IL, was reconsidered
and indefinitely postponed by the casting vot
seventeen who voted with him being ultra Re
publioans, and others of the same complexion
lodging the vote.
This exhibit we derive from the detaile
divisions published in the local journals, an
il is conclusive upon the essential point, tina
for the virtual defeat of the amendment
the Georgia Legislature, radical Republica
Senators are responsible. But for their il
sincerity and trickery, the amendment woul
have been ratified. Aud it was not rattle
simply because the partisans who urge upo
Congress the policy of fresh interference
the affairs Of reconstructed State chose tn
plan for putting its Legislature in apparel
hostility to the policy OF the Government al
of the Republican party as expressed by Il
amendment.
II is clear, therefore, that the effort to m ak
the fate of the amendment in the State pr
text for impugning the thorOughness Of
reconstruction, and subjecting it anew to I'll
penalties of a provisional government and Il
uncertainties of Congressional action, is
the circumstances inexcusable. The Sta
would have at this moment appeared as a
cepting instead of rejecting the amendmer
had the whole body of Republican Senate
done their duty. In the House, where Dem
Gratis are in the ascendant, IL was adopted;
the Senate where Republicans compose t
majority, it was killed by indefinite delf
Will the members of the Reconstruction Co
mittee and the members of the Senate Ju
ciary Committee who favor the Edmunds b
be good enough to consider this aspect of
case.
How TO Resume
From the NJ Y. Tribune.
TO tHe Editor Of The Iribune-Sivg-I wo