The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-12-29
AMNEST Y.

tate Congress as soon as business is resumed |
after the holidays, and the indications of the
temper of the House just before the adjourn
ment point to the probable defeat of all
measures looking to the restoration to citi-
zenship of the few still prescribed because of
their participation in rebellion.
The Republican leaders seem slow to real
ize the fact that amnesty is demanded not
only by the great mass of the people of all
political sympathies but also by the interests
of general peace and prosperity Whatever
opinions Republican statesmen may hold as
to the abstract justice or propriety of general
amnesty, they should not close their eyes to
the patent truth that some Of the most de-
cided Republican States have been swept
over to the Democracy by the obstinate efforts
of unwise leaders who insist upon maintain
ing political supremacy by sweeping dis
reimbursement of their political foes. 1t
seems a rational mode, arithmetically con-
sidered to maintain political power by limit
ing the ballot as nearly as possible to one
political faith; but the rule has failed so sig
nally within the last eighteen months, that
prudent and sagacious men cannot fail to
understand that continued Acknowledgement
is fatal policy.
Virginia was a Republican State. Her
people desired to be restored in sincere
accord with the administration of President
Grant, but a party of men who had no just
claim to popular favor insisted upon disfran-
chising large portion of the more intelli-
gent yirginians, hoping thereby to perpetuate
their rule Had Governor Wells taken
manly stand in favor of enfranchising all the
people of Virginia, black and white, he W ould
now be the Governor of the State, and the
Republicans would be in power in every
branch of the Government; but he was afflicted
with Buffers and Maynard's system of politi-
cal arithmetic and counted on disfranchise-
ment as his haven of political safety. The
result was the dismemberment of the Repub-
lican party and the transfer of the State into
Conservative hands; and once there, it has
been kicked and cuffed by men assuming to
speak for the Republican party until the Con-
servative power has gravitated into Demo-
cracy. The sum total is hopelessly Demo-
cratic State of Virginia.
Tennessee was subjected to the same ordeal
Certain Republicans resolved to make their
rule perpetual by silencing the voice of more
than one-third the citizens of the State. The
result was an open Republican revolt, and
general suffrage was attained at the cost of
Republican supremacy. Instead of being
two-thirds Republican, it is now nearly two
thirds Democratic. The sum total is a De
mocratic Governor, Senator, Congressional
delegation, Legislature, and hopelessly De-
mocratic State of Tennessee.
West Virginia was the next admonition on
this subject. Her people, like old Virginia,
would have been Republican had all her
people been permitted to vote as early as
1868, but the infatuation of power made
small leaders resolve to lengthen their dy-
nasty by illiberal laws. The sum total is
Democratic Governor, Senator, Congressional
delegation, and hopelessly Democratic State
of West Virginia.
1t is inexplicable that, in the face of these
lessons, SO plain that the wayfarer should
have profted by them, the thoroughly Re-
publican State of Missouri should have been
literally sacrificed to the narrow prejudices
of small men. 1t was clear to every intelli-
gent observer from the very hour that the
Republican party in Missouri refused to
accept general amnesty, that the people of
the State would defy all party discipline and
party affinities to reinstate all classes to the
rights of citizenship. In an evil hour the
President threw the whole power of his
administration into the battle in behalf of
prescription, and made the triumph of
amnesty a marked rebuke to himself. Here,
as elsewhere, the sum total of prescription
is Democratic Legislature, Democratic
Senator, more than doubtful Governor and
Congressional delegation, and hopelessly
Democratic State of Missouri.
Theorize as we may, these are stubborn re-
suits, and beyond the power of reversal
Notwithstanding the bitter feuds and passions
called into existence by civil war, experience
has demonstrated that the policy of proscrip.
tion is not in favor with those of our people
who have the best reason of any to enforce
it. While few Republicans in Missouri, OF
Tennessee, or West Virginia, or Virgins,
would have entertained the disposit ion to
enfranehise their bitter enemies, the rebels
five years ago, time, and business interests,
and social attrition have gradually dissipated
the bitter strife that was cherished by neigh
bors against neighbors, and at last, when nc
other opening offered for attaining general
amnesty, more than enough of the earnes