Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1864-01-14
THE POLICY OF RESTORATION.

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THE POLICY OF RESTORATION s
The New York Times, in recently Offering some
observations on the policy that should be adopted
with regard to "subdued rebels" expressed the
hope that the committees in Congress which have in
charge the business Of celebrating "plans" for the
restoration Of loyal Government in the South, when
military force has done its work, will be in hurry
to report Our contemporary expresses this hope
under the conviction that Ga prime element in the
problem is still uncertain, and must remain until
our armies take possession, in which it refers to
the disposition Of the Southern people themselves,
and proceeds to inquire as follows:
Who yet say whether they will remain sulIsn and
stubborn aud refractory after defeat return with asc
rty aud enthusiasm to their old allegiance The Ameri-
nature has yet been tested this kind Of
rienca. We know how it was with tho English the
Restoration of The seventeenth century Monk had
marched upon London and declared for free Par
lament aud the restoration Of the exiIed ROyal family
than, Macauay says, the whole nation wild with
delight Whereyerh appeared th0usands thrged around
him. shouting and blessing his The bells of all Eng
land rang Oyously the CUTTERS with ale and night
after Night the sky five miles round London Redeemed
by iunumerable bon6res In France, the reaction vas
even violent the restoration of Louis XVIII la
current set against the fallen Emperor ard Tor
the restored dynasty, with perfect Juror All classes
Joined in it all heads were swept away BY the torrent
"Wl there be any such reaction this among tbs
of the South Will they, in the extremity Of
their dsaser turn against the slave power the Of
all their the vaDquished French peop. turned
sgainst Napoleon Nobocy yet predict All that 10
known that in those p0r.ions OF the Couedelacy we
have reclaimed Missouri TenDessee Arkansas and Lous
ana the Upon feeling which has manifested itself is
marked with great vehemence, and 10 setting in agsnst
the slave power with wrath AID radcalsm that go be-
yoDd any thing find here at the North and that almost
sstouds 1t 10 undenisble that there 10 principle in
human nature that impes men, both individually and
Masses when great humiliation has been inflicted to seek
for scapegoat which to cast their reproach Pside
the last feeling which DO conquered 10 human hearts
aud tho tendency always to impute calamity when il
comes something else than their weakness Jolly
The people Of the South infatuated 10 allow
ing themselves TO be deceived and sed they by
the but it would be in perfect analogy with
what has again and sgain occurred history they
make The memory of that nfatuaton sting Of self
rep olch ought 10 be, but maddenng goad against
the E,wcr which they weak a. ~ trust aud If
thus they we're to rally the old Dig with all the
iervor because Of the antsavery pr0camations which
have been cent in advance Of it
Now il any such feeling this takes possession Of the
common people OF the South the policy to be adopted to
ward them Of course ought To be very different from what
would be necessary IL they shoud Family plant them
selves in attitude Of orcble resistance ia the case OF
prompt popular reaction sganst The rebel leaders, there
would be- ia fact good reasOn Tor not ptng the
proposition submitted to the House by Mr. Yeaman, OF
Kentucky admitting the people Of the entire South to the
establishment of the status quo ante beilaw mi
tary resistance should On the other hand if the
rebel spirit shall stll REMAIN unbroken among the
after The rebel military power has been crushed will DO
impossible to public safety aud tranquility only
through the most rigid restrictions
Manifesty, then it s the true policy to avoid AZ long
possible ali decision Of the method to be adopted to-
ward the conquered rebels The general outlines shadow
cd forth the amnesty proclamation quite sufficient
and these the President wisely reserved tie power
Of changing circumstances should in his Judgment make
pQN QaiE at tha m
ltary power OF the Conlederacy"
So true is this, and so patent to the common
observation are the facts of the case that the mind
of every reader invountsrily Turns to one element
which is, of itself, insuperable barrier to any
intelligent Representation with regard to the pro-
bable disposition Of "subdued rebels" We al
Jude to the attitude maintained for the last two
years By the army Of Gen. Lee, which still stands
as the ADVANCE guard Of the insurrection, and
which has thus far held In check the most for
midable Of our armies. 1t is quite idle 70 talk
about the probable disposition Of "subdued re-
bells" as long as this army remains unsubdued; for
what reason have the people Of Virginia, or North
Carolina, or Of any other State held by the iusur
gent forces to indicate what their feelings may be
while this state of things is allowed to continue 2
The nsurrection lives and moves and has its being
in the military power which de6es the Govern
ment; and Of this military power the army Of Gen.
Let is To the other organizations of the Confederate
forces what the head is among the members Of the
body. Until this army is defeated oil plans Of re
construction must necessarily have very limited
field Of usefulness, md such, must fail 10 point
Of breadth and funess to meet the requirements
Of any political policy which looks to solution of
the problem on q scale commensurate with the
Union But this consideration should not prevent
discussion Of the principles on which any future
plans should be formed, and the principles pro-
pounded ia the resolutions recently submitted by
Mr. YEAMAs in the House of Representatives have
the merit Of being in harmony with the true theory
Of the war, and with that republican government
which is recognised by the Constitution Of the
United States, and which is indispensable to the
true lite Of the States as integral parts Of our po
litcal system.