The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1871-04-25
SPIRIT OF THE PRESS.
EDITORIAL OPINIONS OF THE LEADING JOURNALS
UPON CURRENT ToPIos-ooMPILED EVERY
DAY FOR THE EVENING TELEGRAPH.
THE RADICAL DECLARATION OF WAR.

THE RADICAL DECLARATION OF WAR.
From the Louisville Cotwier-Jourral.
The passage of the Ku-klux bill and rejec-
ton of the General Amnesty bill furnish con-
elusive proof of the campaign policy on
which the radicals mean to rely next year.
The Ku-klux bill is expected to foment dis
turbance in the South which will supply
pretext for the refusal of amnesty; and the
relations of the people OF the two sections
thus muddled, the bsyonet election law may
be brought to bear upon the ballot-box with
a show Of necessity if not of justicer This is
the warlike strategy to which we have so
often referred. 1t is a scheme made up partly
of the spirit of eternal hate and partly of the
lust of eternal rapine-a hideous revolution
ary scheme, the more hideous because it is
brutal, the more cruel because it is deliber-
ate, appealing to the wicked passions of the
Northern people and the venal desires of the
radical politicians.
The New York Times complains of the "ve-
hemence" with which we described the Ku-
klux bill when the announcement of its adop-
tion by the Senate came to us over the wires.
Reflection, however, suggests M modification
of our remarks made on that occasion. 1t is
impossible to regard the measures with any
other sentiments than those of horror, amaze
ment, and disgust-horror at its belligerent
features, amazenent at such an imposition on
the credulity and patience of the people, and
disgust at the corruption which permeates the
whole thing from beginning to end.
The rejection of amnesty and the passage
of the Ku-klux bill fix the lines of battle
where we have placed them from the first
The Democratic party is the party of liberal
impulses; the party of tolerance, nationality
and peace; the party of union and order
through local self-government; the party Of
progress in constitutional freedom and law;
the party of honesty, humanity, and gene
rous ideas in political and civil economy.
The radical party is the party of eternal
hatred disunion, and strife; the party of
public pillage and private wrong; the party
of vengeance, rapacity, and double deal
ing; the party with a wooden head and
an iron heart; the party whose morality is
represented by Ben Butler, and whose
intelligence is represented by Ulysses s..
Grant, and whose entire fabric embraces an
organized plot against the liberties and pro-
perty of the people, Prescription is the first
step in the forward movement of the politi-
clans against free thought and free speech
The Ku-klux bill is confscation in embryo.
The radical leaders have named Grant dicta-
tor. They have set up machine for sup
pressing all the forms of republicanism as
soon as it becomes necessary to carry out
their design. They refuse to give up power
without a fight and they propose to terrify
the country BY. the bloody spectacle of civil
war.
The people of the North may choose be-
tween the promise of peace offered by a
change of rulers and the certainty of blood
shed and the overthrow of our Government
as matters are going The South is power
less. The free States must fight it out. The
Ku-klux bill is declaration of war on the
South; it makes the Southern States slave
States once more; the bayonet election law is
a proclamation of the vassalage Of all the
people to the radical leaders. A peaceful
outpouring of citizens at the ballot-box may
stay the course of the violent revolution
which Congress is precipitsting on the coun.
try. Nothing else can. The radicals mean
Office or blood, and are recklessly needless OF
consequences; and the issue of free govern.
ment, thus made up, must 60 to the people
for final arbitrament.
The war for the Union was not war fol
the preservation of the Government, but 6
war for a chance to test the quality of free
government upon the field of revolution now
presented to the people.