The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1870-04-08
The Last Device.

No one can deny the marvellous dexterlty
of the Radical politicians. They have adop-
TED tire principle that words are meant LOT
the ;, 4lpose of concealment. Whenever they
have an iniouitous measure to pass they
mask it in an honorable name and so "put
..it through" Radicalism is the grandest
humbug of history.
It is plain to every one who has TIE slight
est knowledge of the constitution, that Con-
eress has transcribed its powers. The case
of General Ames, who has been thrust into
the Mississippi senatorship at the point OIL
the bayonet, is the latest case in point. a
senator must be resident citizen; Ames is
citizen of Maine. An election OF whatever
sort must be free; Ames had military con-
troll and possession Of the ballet-box. he
virtually elected himself and actually signed
his own credentials. But Congress has the
right to guarantee to each State repuoll-
can form of government, and is not General
Ames Republican? Congress has the right
to decide upon the qualifications OF its mem
bers, and has it not voted that he is eligible:
The fact is, as Senator Edmunds (Vermont
RadicaD stated during the discussion OF this
subject, that 'the Republican majority in the
.'Senate was so strong that senator's were
s'apl TO decide the question in advance oil
';ts consideration, and then attempt to end
..reasons for the conclusion at which they
chad jumped"
But now it would seem that they begin to
become weary OF this effort 10 find special
reasons for any act Of unconstitutional leg
islation. Mr. Sumner, in debating the Geor,
cia case, las found pretext which will war
rant all Congressional usurpations. lie re-
pudiates 'technicalities" as having any bind
ing authority over Congress, denominating
that body "a high court OF equity" Let
the name become current, and the policy of
despotism is complete
Equity, indeed, according to one OF its
first maxims, ssfollows the law" but it is not
in the sense of q high justice, which supplies
legal defects, that Mr. Sumner uses the ex-
preston. To his hazy anG inscriptions
mind, equity is that which supplants the law
It is certain superior law which, at its WILL
recognizes or refuses to acknowledge the
relations which the written law establishes,
and follows or departs from the analogy OF
that law. For he claims that Congress, as
a high court of equity, has the right to vio-
late at once the Constitution OF Georgia and
that of the United States. Mr.. Stevens said
that the reconstruction measures OF Congress
were outside OF the constitution. And now
Mr.. Sumner claims that Congress may go
outside of the constitution whenever it VIII,
and may stay there as long as it pleases. 1t
is law unto itself.
We begin to look upon all these pretcn-
sions with certain sense OF amusement.
Mr. Sumner reminds US of another vaporing
pedant by name James I OF England, who
was quite his equal both in courage and in
sense. As the monarch was perDctualiy
boasting OF his prerogalive and NpScrait,
while the reins of authority continued to slip
from his hands, so the senator, with his party
brags and collapses Like Jonah;s Soalsl,
the bloated night-growth is waving aad
willing in the sunshine.
After awhile the South will be represented
in that high court OF equity-we mean not
General Ames' South, nor cadet White
more's South, hut tie people, IN the persons
ot-hheG' chosen representatives. AZ the pre-
sent schism in the Radical party dccpcns
and the dissatisfaction at the West increases,
and the political power drifts away from New
England in either direction, an opportunity
for new political alliances will be afforded.
Whatever theory of government may pre-
vail. we shall regain our rightful place in tine
councils of the nation The gallant life
which breasted invading myriads, and has
already redeemed industrial and financial dis
astcr, cannot be crushed out by any tribunal
which Radicalism may establish at Wash
inyton. Whether it be masked as high
court of equity, or unmasked as low lobby
of iniquity, matters not.