The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-03-18
A Desperate Device.

From the ". Y. World.
The announcement that General Stonemsn
has issued an order directing the removal of
all State officers in Virginia who will not or
cannot take the test oath, or iron-clad, by the
18th prox, may not seem of any considerable
public significance, and yet it is. 70 show
how, it is necessary to state that this order
is superinduced by that resolution of the
Fortieth Congress which decreed that thirty
days,from date thereof no person should bold
any civil Office in either of the States of Vir-
ginis, Mississippi, and Texas, unless said per-
son could take the oath prescribed in the act
of July 2, 1862, or had been relieved of his dis
abilities under the so-called fourteenth amend
ment by two-thirds Congressional vote. At
the time this resolution was under discussion,
We indicated that 1t was part of deliberate
attempt to build up, by the persuasive power
of office, radical party In the South
of better material than has heretofore gone
to constitute that organization. Feeling that
the negroes were losing confidence in the car
pet-bsg meE, and yet seeing it to be all-import-
ant to hold this black balance of power as q
set-off to the growing aversion OF the North,
the radical leaders some time since hit on the
plan of securing weak aud venal Southerners
TO take charge OF the negroes and bring them
up, in conjunction with such whites as they
| might influence, to the support of the party.
The means OF purchasing such leaders lay
, ready to the hand in the various State offices,
| and this resolution in question was therefore
passed, to sequester, as it were, the civil esta-
blishment of these States into corruption
! fund.
1t is perfectly we'll known to Congress that
these State offices cannot be filed by test-oath
men, and indeed it is not desired by that
body that they should be. The test-oath is
merely the means of forcing the present in
cumbents to apply for a removal OF disabili-
ties, and this removal ia only to be obtained
on q pledge of support to the radical party.
II the official will give this pledge and prove
his sincerity, he is to be allowed to remain
but II not, then down comes the oath upon
him, ont he goes, and in his place comes
'relisble'' man.
In Virginia, the offices thus to be utilized
number some three thousand; in Texas and
Mississippi, near two Thousand eaeh-or about
seven thousand in all. Now, seven thousand
"white- washed Rebels" scattered in every
county in these three outlying States, would
be quite an effective corps OF officers to mar
shal the negroes to the polls in the recon
struction elections yet TO come; and not only
useful thus, but likewise as standing adver
tisement to hesh-pot men In every othel
Southern State that Office was to be had Dy
adhesion to the radical party. With this as
the programme, General Stoneman's order
indicates the first step to an attempt at III
accomplishment. That such design should
have been conceived, or be now in process
of execution, betokens, We cannot but think
q very considerable degree OF weakness In th'
radical party. Men do not seek reinforce
! ments TIL they need them; and this wild