Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1863-02-05
!. Reeoastruetion Ps..lbIe 2

T IRON TIE chicago Z mes
jeff Davis asserts in lis message shat the
reconstruction of tie Union is impossible. Tba
governors Of the seeded States have asserted
the same thing The several legislatures Of
those States sustain the governors the rebel
/ press scout The idea Of reconstruction. and the
I great mass Of the southern people are now BIT
/ terly opposed to the old government and Union
/ Here Is q population of five and q half millions
OF whites, as sagaciCUs, snterprisiug and deter
mined IS any on earth, controlling from tbree
to four millions Of negroes, who with their labor
may justly be counted as effective in defensive
warfare as the whites, making an aggregate Of
nine millions, infsxibly opposed 20 the Federal
government and asserting their Independence.
The government has waged a war upon than
for two years with all its energies, and It is now
as tar from success as AZ the commencement Of
the struggle. Its exhaustion has not been as
great as theirs because of Its supsri0ritY of re-
sources, but it has been equal to theirs when
comparing the means Of the psriie5 at the out
set What Is now to be done
Shall ne grant the Independence they assert,
and consent TO dissolution In the loysl States
none but those who have steadfsstly made war
upon the old government, and prayed FOR its
overthrow, entertain any such idea Shall We
continue the war when the obstacles 90 success
are seemingly insurmOuntabie3 If these obsta-
eies were real instead Of unresl--if the most
formidable Of Them might not be removed bv
change Of policy thst so far from being dish0n-
orsble, is dsmanded alike By Justice and ths
loyal public sentment-then inserestsand hi
mainly would require Instant negotiations for
peace. We believe the rs-e5tabishmeut Of the
government is matter for cur dissemination.
and not that Ct the C0rfederate leaders Re
construction il. the present attitude Of the bel
lgerents eau only Be accomplished By t1s ex-
termination Of The nine millions Of inhabitauts,
white and blsek, in the Southern States Is is
madness 70 dream of ibis result.
But when restoration is offered il such q man
ner tha' the interests of bith parties are ntuf-
testify subserYsd BY it, and the honor Of each
preserved, viii the people Of the South reject
TIE offer, and sacrifice themselves to The anbi-
ton aud maleYolence of party leaders The
answer 70 ths asseveraticn5 0l the Abolition press
that H0 terms Of peacs save those that involrs
dissolution viii be listened to By the S1uth. is
to be found in the simple, practical truth that
If sTHa be the fact-if the South is unalterablv
- to this poSitOn-the wav should instant
Use, as the subjugati0n Of the South is an
Possibility
Bat how is It known that reconstruction upon
any te-ms viii bs rejected By the Colfaderssas.
and war, with its chances, preferred7 Toe
terms now offered by the government we know
they Will not accept. The dsclaTations msda
ey them that none viii be accepted are based
upon the supp0sition that the present poliev
win not and cannot be changed. Davis So as
serts in his message.
One fact is evident The hostility Of the
South toward the Federal government nav
more easily be overcome by offering terms that
preserve their interests aud honor, than by de-
elaratious of policy that, if enforced, viii de-
5trOy their interests, and degrade them before
The world