Year: 1868

WIZ 4iSSfS SSS@A


eligible. If they had no lawful
title to seats they could have none
to votes; and after striking them
off, the motion to ratify becomes a
failure. Interpreting the action of
the Legislature in respect of the
amedment in the light ofits recent
proceeding, no special pleading
would seem necessary to justify
revision by Congress on the ground
offraud. For ifwhat purported to
be 8 ratification was really not
such, admission obtained in reliance
upon it was in fact admission by
false pretences; and Congress may
vindicate its integrity dpunish the
fraud by refusing to receiue the
Georgia senator's and representatives.
That step would virtually be a
declaration that the reconstruc-
tion of the State is still incomplete.


Now whatever may be thought
Of this remedy in other respects,
the Times must perceive that it
cannot work when we come to
have Democratic President and
Representatives. All that Congress
could do at the next session, would
be to stultify itself and make itself
a laughingstock, by expelling the
carpet-bag members it has just
admitted, and covering with deri-
sion the first plank of the Chicago
platform, which congratulates the
country on the perfect success of
the reconstruction policy. But as
soon as there is a Democratic
House, the Republicans are check
mated. The joint resolution read
hitting the States and sanctioning
their governments cannot be re-
pealed without the concurrence of
both Houses; and until it is repeal
ed. neither can refuse to admit
members on the ground that there
is no valid State government. The
Times must therefore see that it's
party will be bound, hand and foot
in fetters of its own forging
There will be no necessity for
demolisning the gallows erected
by Haman, when he can so easily
be hanged on it himself:


ALATER DECLARATION. -:


The New York World of Satur-
day last has another leader on the
same subject as the above, and even
more unmistakable in it's drift. We
quote the more important portions
of the article:


THE GREAT BUGBEAR.


The chief topic of Republican
invective, since the opening of the
canvass, is the imputed intention
of the Democratic party to dis
persc the carpet-bag governments
by force after the Inauguration of
Seymour and Blair. The Times,
if we understand it's rejcinder to
the World yesterday, admits that
thisimputation cannot be sustained
unless it is a logical sequence OF
the Democratic platform. This
puts the controversy on its true
ground; and on that ground we
proceed to show that the imputed
Intention is a baseless chimera.


The Times, arguing from the
platform, rests it's case on the de-
claration that the Reconstruction
acts arc "usurpations-unconstitu-
tional, revolutionary and void, "
and on the fact that this clause was
inserted in the platform at the
instance of General Wade Hamp-
ton. The fact that Wade Hampton
suggested it signifies nothing, un-
less it can be shown that it is a doc
trine which the Democratic party
had not previously held. Now, it
is notorious that this is a subject
on which there hasnever been any
difference ofopinion in the Demo
cratic ranks. From the very incep-
ton of the Reconstruction acts the
Democratic party has, to man,
consistently and Indignantly de-
nounced them as high-handedusur
pations and fragrant violations OF
the constitution. Every speech
made against them in Congress,
by every Democratic member, has
proceeded upon that ground. All
ofPresident Johnson's numerous