The Daily clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1866-1888, 1876-01-18
INTE7EEIIY AGITATION.
a Word 10 Southern 1sen i'm
Congress.

luentlal election, we breathe Ifeer now
that the Amnesty Bill has been disposed
Of. Thank God for that much We
hope we have seen the last of it for
twelve-month. The bill did not receive
the constitutional two-thirds majority in
the House and will not therefore become
law, but the thing to be rejoiced over
is, that for the present at least, the mat
ter is done with, and Congress can de
vote its attention to topics more likely to
exercise an influence for good on the
Presidential election.
1t was chapter of bIunders from be-
ginning to end-from its untimely intro
duction at the present session to its mel
ancholy close-and blunder at this
stage Of the Presidential contest by those
to whom the fortunes and hopes Of the
party Of Reform are confded, is equal to
a crime.
Knowing the eagerness of the unscru-
pulous managers of the Radical party
to obtain political capital for the pending
campaign; knowing the readiness with
which they would appropriate opportuni-
ties to that end knowing that they had
nothing under heaven on which to build
hope of defeatingth the Democratic party
in the Presidential election, except a re-
vival of the sectional issues-the ques-
tions Of the war, on which the Radical
party arose and has fourished- and
knowing that the introduction Of such
a measure by Democrat at such time,
would furnish the occasion desired by the
desperate demagogues Of that party-we
cannot imagine what prompted Mr.. Ran
dali, who is reputed to be a sagacious
leader, to thrust the subject upon the
House Of Representatives at the time
and under the circumstances. Nor can
we understand why Southern mem
bers, with so little of practical
value to be gained by the passage
of such a measure, compared to
the injuries that would result from
the opening of the issues that would in
evitably attend its introduction, did not
Interpose their influence, and pray him
to spare their constituents, if not the |
whole country, the consequences Of such |
IN agitation. Look at it practically. In
al, there are few hundred persons who |
nave not been amnestied. For the most
part, to quote the language of Mr.. Davis.
hey have shaken hands with politics and
neither desire nor expect office. But in
he event there were exceptions, the disa-
'ilities of such persons would be re-
moved if necessary to the perform
nee Of any trust imposed upon them by
ne people. This has been the case in
very instance. Then what was to have
cen practically gained by the passage of 5
he measure however intrinsically lust |
nd melitoriOus of itself? What good |
)uld possibly have been attained to com ;
ensate for the vast injury which the 40 v
alton of sectional issues upon which the ]
section is united, and of diver. L
On OF the public mind from the real is y
es of the canyass? If we are told that I
e measure being just, would have graf c
ed sentiment, we reply that we can
t afford to be sentimental at this stage O
the game. We must be :
actical. 1t will be prudent to take
re of the sentimental matters after the tn
election has been fought and 1t
N. Until then, we impIore Mr.. Ran u
II to spare US his gifts. They are well At
ant but they are death bearing; they q
imperilling struggle in which all m
hopes of the unfortunate carpet TO
sged States are bound up. III
The second blunder was the speech of *
. Hill, of Georgia. As Byron's pc
,amer said to the spirit, what business
1t there at such a time? 1t was able :
lchant, eloquent and, in some points, NJ,
rwhelmlng, 1t was a victory of Hill of
Blaine; of the Southern side over the na
thern side on the topics introduced l
We are lost if many such victories =; ;-i
won at the present session by the j
as the Southern Demo-
Ic Representatives in Congress are an,
'sed by their Radical opponents. mo
o Southern man ought to have per- hin
ed himself to be drawn into such a the
roversy the statements he would be did
PEELED to make; the expressions he cen
d be provoked to employ, are pre- ure
y the materials most needed han
successful Radical campaign revi
the Northern States-are the raw
Is most needed for diversion of at Il
mind of that section f.,, .,,a,