New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1861-02-14
Reconstruction.

N y d Z y
We notice that Judge Douglas, in a letter to the
editor Of the Memphis Appeal, says that il Ten,
nesse, and the other Southern States that have not
4 seeded, VIII stand firm, compromise may be
agreed upon which will be satisfactory to them,
and the result will be- that the Gulf States will go
back into the Unon-the said Union then to be
| perp etuai So, also, a member Of Congress from
Virginia, Mr.. Harris, in speech the other day in
| the House Of Representatives. said that q the
| border States, by firm and oonciliatory course
can adjust all the pending difficulties. This being
done, the Cotton States would return.'
These gentlemen are, no doubt, honest in their
belief. But that they are wide of the mark the
| public sentiment of the Southern States abund-
antly shows. When Mr.. Seward expresses the
opinion that the difficulties will soon be settled
and the Union reconstructed, it is hardly worth
while to deny the assertion, because it comes
from an enemy. But when the same is done by
those whom the South has been accustomed to
iook upon as friends, we think it proper that the
error, as we conceive it to be, should be cor
reeted.
| Unless, then, we greatly mistake the temper of
the people Of the Cotton States, there is only
remote and shadowy probability of their ever
agreeing to reconstruction of the Union. We
believe that there is large party in the Gulf
States, if not an absolute majority opposed to
4 any future union with the North under any cir
cumstances whatever. They believe that it is i'm
possible for the two sections to get along together
4 in peace and harmony-that if there did not exist
the disturbing element Of slavery, some other
1 issue would be made which would keep the Sec
tons in perpetual conflict. They believe the in
nate ideas and sentiments Of Northern society are
| go much in opposition to the innate ideas and
sentiments of the South, upon almost every point
that anything like fraternity between them is i'm
possible OF existence. People 50 dissinlilar in SO
many respects cannot well live together under the
same government. This, we think, is the opinion
Of many Of the Southern people, and it is one
which Is rapidly gaining ground.
But that South Carolina, to say nothing of the
other Gulf States, is gone forever out of the
Union. we suppose nobody will deny. Whether
the other States go back or not-and we do not
believe they Wilt is hardly within the range Of
possibility that South Carolina ever will. She has
been anxious to get out of the Union years. and
once ont she will stay out. Her absence alone |
renders the reconstruction Of The Union impossible
Unless they oil go back it useless for any one to
do so--bnt we believe that if the vote were taken
to morrow, in all the seeding States, upon the
question of returning to the Union il would be de-
eided IN the negative, in almost every of them,
BY the nearly unanimous voice of the people,
1t is useless to talk about compromises. The
people Of the South are tired of compromises, and
never want to hear the subject mentioned again
II y useless to talk about the Crittenden resou-
tons The Northern people have contemptuousy
rejected them, notwithstanding they are far from
coming mp to the mark of the requirements of the
South. This, alone, shows how wide apart are the
two sections in their views. Equally useless is it
hold Peace Conventions in Washington, or to send
monster petitions to Congress, wrapped up in the
American flag. The people of the South are not
children to be deceived BY appearances fair words,
humbug and fiummery. They are grown men. with
boards upon their faces, and they don't want any
They don't want even their rights,
those rights are to be grudgingly and reluctantly
,ranted Unless Justice comes from the heart of
he North and not from its pocket, we prefer to
lepaFt and go our ways separately. J
we are very confident, then, that we express the
GENERAL sentiment of the Gulf States when we say
nat II the border States are remaining in the .
Union with the expectation of bringing US back, !
hey are committing fatal error of policy. The {
5uif States are pleading for United South, and it
emalns Tor those of the border TO elect whether
hey will he associated with the Abolitionists, where
hey will be in perpetual minority and will be
Numbered at pleasure, whether they will unite
With us in Union in which they will be equals.
The prospect of reconstruction of the Union is SO
emote that such a thing may well be declared an !
npossibility. /