The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1870-10-06
Radical Policy and Its Effects.

fearfully ravaged and devastated the |
That such will be the impair
tial verdict Of history, when the pas
sions aud prejudices of the day shall
have passed away, We have not the
slightest doubt But, even on the sup.
position that the Radicals erred in
ignorance of the consequences of their
own measures Of policy, or were 10.
fatuated with the false philanthropy
which exacted Of them the sacrifice Of
the white to the negro race, their re.
sponsibility is only changed in charac-
ter, without being diminished in degree
or oppressiveness, The war ended, aud
the negro was emancipated lie was
even more free than his white competitor
for social and political privileges All
the powers of the general government
were called into requisition to force his
equality upon reluctant people The
entire policy of the government was
changed SO as to adapt it to the needs
Of the emancipated slave. The organi,
law was modelled in accordance with
the privileges and immunities that were
deemed essential to his free enjoyment
Of the rights of citizenship, To accom-.
plish this end many Of the rights that
sprung out Of or were regarded as the
legal inheritance of the white man, were
outraged and disregarded. Not only
was the legal right of the master to the
service Of his slave obliterated, but the
right Of property in the slave was rudely
rayished from the master without the
equity of any compensation whatever.
1t was an easy philanthropy that
sundered the manacles from the slave,
for those who accomplished it, had first
taken care to rid themselves of all
interest in this peculiar, but still legal
property. But hayingsucceeded, through
civil strife aud courage and crime, in
this purpose; and having in their hands
all the power of the government to heal
the wounds they had Inflicted, was it
expecting too much ofthe Radical party
that it should exercise its authority and
use the vast. means under its control
to rehabilitate the government and give
to the constitution its normal and beneii
cent action? Such would have been
the plain duty Of patriotism, Such
would have been the dictate of sound
policy. And yet what measures have
the Radicals projected, what laws have
they enacted, that were calculated to
harmonic the jarring sections of the
country and re.establish that unity Of a
political brotherhood Of States SO pros
perously realized under our original
constitution The most significant
reply to all this is found in the fact
that, though nearly six years have
elapsed since the war was ended, the
union is still practically discovered and
the whole country in a state of chronic
commoiion, disastrous to its peace and
harmony and destructive of its moral
and material interests For FIVE long
and dreary years Radical majority in
Congress has imposed its will upon the
country. Arrogating to itself all the
powers of the government, it has used
these powers to perpetuate its rule aud
keep alive the spirit of discord. Hav.
ing enfranchised the slave and armed
him with the right Of suffrage, it hoped
to secure the perpetuation of its power
Wherever it failed in this expectation
the failure was charged to the account
of rebel influences and the unlucky
State which permitted it, was made to
feel the vengeance of disappointed
faction; was Invested of its rights, and
forced once more to undergo the tyran.
ny ola military government. No people
could be happy aud prosperous under
such yicissitudes. If the Southern
States, since the war, have attained TO a
comparative degree of prosperity, this
result was due rather to the inherent
recuperative force of the people, using
its physical advantages of soil, climate
aud production, than to the fostering
care and liberal legislation Of the gov.
eminent.
Ignorant of the elementary principles
Of political science, and disrega, ding
with infatuated blindness, the wise
lessons of history, the Radicals have
attempted to reconcile two opposing
elements of political power. Ia order
to neutralize the white element in the
South, they have enlarged the basis Of
suffrage, comforting the ballot without
regurd to "race, color or previous con
dition Of servitude." Then, in order
TO WELD the political force thus secured,
they assumed for Congress equal, if not
superior power to that conceded to the
English Parliament BY the constitution
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