The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1864-01-27
THE POLICY OF RECONSruUC.
TTON.

suggestive remarks, which we republisl
for the benefit Of our readers. 1t says
"Who can yet say whether they viii
remain sullen, and stubborn, and refrac
tory after defeat, or return with alac
rity and enthusiasm to their cid allie
glance !? The American nature has neve,
yet been tested in this kind Of experience
We know how it was with the English
in the Restoration OF the seventeenth cen.
tury. Monk had no sooner marched upon
London and declared for afree Parliamen,
aud the restoration of the Royal family,
than, as hiacaulay says, the whole nation
was wild with delight, Wherever be ap.
peared thousands thronged around him,
shouting and blessing his name. The
bells OF all England rang joyously s the
cutters ran with ale; and. night after
night, the sky five miles around London
was reddened by innumerable bonfres.'
In France, the reaction was even more
violent on the restoration Of Louis XVII
In fact, the current set against the fallen
Emperor, and for the restored dynasty,
with perfect furor. All classes Joined
in it all heads were swept away by, the
torrent.
"Will there be any such reaction as
this among the masses of tie South VIII
they, in the extremity of their disaster.
turn against the slave power, the cause OF
all their woes, as the vanquished French
people turned against Napoleon? No
body can yet predict. All tha, is
known is that in those portions of the
: 'Confederacy' We have reclaimed, Mis-
souri, Tennessee, Arkansas and Louisi-
ana, the Union feeling which has mani
tested itself is marked with great vehe-
mence, and is setting in against the slave
power with wrath aud radicalism that
20 beyond anything We end here at the
North, and that almost astounds us. It
is undeniable that there is principle in
human nature that impels men, both in
dividnally and ia masses, when great
humiliation has been inflicted, to seek for
scapegoai on which 10 cas-. their
reproach. Pride is the last feeling which
can be conquered in human hearts; and
the tendency always is TO impute caIani-
t., when it comes, TO something else than
their own weakness or folly. The CON-
mon people Of the South were infatuated
in allowing themselves 10 be decei. ed aud
misled as they were By the slave power
but il would be in perfect analogy with
what has again and again occurred ia his
tory if they were to make the memory of
that infatuation not sting of self-re-
proach, as i, ought to be, but madden
ing goad against the power which, they
were SO weak As TO trust, aud il titus they
were to rally to the old flag with all the
more iervor because of the anti.siayery
proclamations which have been sent in
advance of it.
'Now, ii any such feeling as this takes |
Of the common people Of the |
South, tbs policy to be adopted toward
them. Of course. ought TO DC very differ !
ent from what would be necessary If they
should defansly plant ihemselyeS in an
attitude OF foreib!e Resistance. La The |
case of prompt popular reaction against
the rebel leaders, there would be, in fact,
no good reason for not accepting the prop
osition submitted to the House by Mr.. |
Yeaman, of Kentucky, admi,uss the
people OF the entire South 10 tie full. un-
restricted enjooment of their civil rights,
and re-establishmeat of the stutss quo
aHfe beaium SO soon as military resistance
should cease. On the other hand, ii the |
rebel spirit shall still remain upbroken
among the masses after the rebe military
power has been crushed, j, viii be impos-
sible to secure public safety and tranquil
ity only through the most rigid rsstric-
tons
"Msnlfestly, then, it is the true policy
to avoid as long as possible all decision
Of the method 10 be adopted toward the
rebels. Tho general outlines
sladowed forth in the amnesty proclama-
lion are quite sufficient; and even these
the President wisely reserved the power
Of changing if circumstances should, in
his judgment, make it expedient. Our
present business is now against the mill
tary power Of the Confederacy."
1t has seemed to US that the FIRST thing
to be done IS foundation for Executive
and legislative action in the direction
Of paciGcation and restoration, is
the defeat OF Lees hitherto inyincible
army. So long as that army stands
intact and defiant, the bulwark Of
the Confederacy,, We cannot know how
1'subdued rebels" will be Influenced by |
the complete success of our arms and the |
assure re- establishment of the authority
ofour Government over the South. Let
our loyal people turn out aud fil up our
decimated regiments, till the armies of the
West aud the Army of the Potomac are in
sufficient force to crush the armies OF Bragg
and Of Lee. And let the people a! home
and in the army sustain the AGministra-
sicn and overwhelm the Copperheads Of
the North at the polls, and then we shall
be in position to expect the "subdued
rebels of the South to follow the exam |
pie Of the people of England and Of
France in the historical periods referred
{, BY the Times. A