Year: 1867

constitutional amendment, has put
the leaders to their wits ends.
. The Reconstruction Committee
laborcd six months, and produced
an abortion that cannot command
the consent of the requisite num-
Der Of States, nor receive the ap-
proval of all the party in whose
interest it was proposed. Some
contend that it falls short Of that
perfect puritan ideal, which it is
the chosen mission Of the domi-
nant party to frame and they cx-
press themselves as indifferent to
it's fate. Sumner and his follow
ers hold. that the ratification by
any one Of the now excluded
States, or by a sufficient number
Of all the States to make it part OF
the constitution, does not obligate
Congress to admit an old State at
present under the ban, or terrific
ries like Nebraska and Colorado,
applying for erection into States.
Some maintain that the Southern
States have no power to pass upon
it and that three-fourths Of the
'.loyal States are competent to
make it the law Of the land. 9th
ers deny this. Some to escape
the dilemma, advocate the alb
olition Of the present State gov
ernments, and their reduction to q
territorial condition, The scheme
is studded thick with difficulties,
and will raise fresh crop Of trou-
bic if ventured upon. Some favor
the scheme concocted by the North
Carolina doughfaccs, and patron
lied by Stevcns.- Others reject it
on various grounds. Some have
resorted to entreaty on behalf of
the amendment. Others threaten !;
and say that if the States persist
in refusing to accept it, they will
send athwart the Southern sky a
balcful comet from whose horrid
hair" shall shake woes never
dreamed of: In the mad attempt
to build party they are smittcn
with q confusion Of language.
They agree only to hate the Pres
ident and to hate the Southern
people and every man and thing.
North or South, that presents all
obstacle to their wishes. They
are destitute Of principles; they
arc deficient in true craftsmanship;
they are drifting at the mercy OF
every wind of doctrine. They are
Formidable in numbers, and as yet,
obedient to party drill; but there
is no compact, coherent organiza-
ton among them. Dissolution
threatens the party at every strait,
and difficulties are daily multiply
ING around it. The hope Of a ma
ton is in its death. 1t will proba-
bly, live long enough to do much
mischief yet, but the ruin it works
to the country is as surely work.
ing its own ruin. These notes
give us cheer amid the thick gloom.
\ party whose creed is composed
only Of malignity and cupidity can
not survive.


In addition to this fundamental
source of weakness, and this ina
bility to frame any system Of mea-
surcs practicable in themselves, or
acceptable to the mass Of it's mem
bers, it is beginning to feel the et-
fects Of the jostling ambition of
it's leaders. AS the Presidential
election approaches this will have
more serious effects. The perpct-
ual Congress which is proposed
will breed fresh pcrpleXities of this
sort. Every day and night will
bring forth complications and rival
aspirations for influence and place.
Chase has clique, so have Wade,
Sumner, Stevens, Colfax, Butler
and others of less note. Loosely
Joined and unsound timber, it can
not sustain such q pressure. 1t
seems now omnipotent, but its ap-
parent strength is real weakness.
Before it shall have utterly de-
stroyed the country, certainly be-
fore it can restore it, for that it
will never do, it will disintegrate
and dwindle into mere faction.
No scheme can be devised to save
it. Neither constitutional amend
ments, stringent test oaths, alter
nations in the basis Of suffrage,