The Black Republican., 1865-04-22
BLACk REPUBLICAN.
,FroYa tae New YORK Times, Aprii 7tn-l
THE NEXT STEP.

1;o,, lraYoaimed nnbroken, We opposed, as uI-
,sriea and unnecessary, any pr0iIers III peae
M the rebel leaders. Or amy osteAIalious ten
Al III terms \ To the ra6el army. eo loii5k
AZ the rebel government neld lIa nike ilt S+1
cani+al. and WAS backed mp by the colllpac
e,,ii r1oyye1ful ar1nv of Gen. Lee, Lnt 4Ieas I
n,ass of the rebels had something at Glce N
1nan nnon ana to fear They were Nl4l1l1l9
II. .In,1illina,lv subjects of that governments
and anv step they might tahe toWaIu ,1i plet'f III
ING AWAY from their allegiance lo III "qtt1" Il
e,Ricct +heYn to such punishment M ag1o- Z
FIJI 1 i1,1onsihle nower driven to Ges-
71nra+ion of necessity infict9. ln6 olIe IN
disnensable condition for their return M snf
Trnfon Was the destruction VI tIc A9pSiS 9pSIiiS
army. until that was accOmpli9htu' III
nrOffers Of peace from us se6ihsd Nh ' tlli
fike mockerv. and ali tenders Nj HleI
were far more likely W slIi5a .tlla tl.1 ,,ea
nerate than to win over r0 tAe cnlolI e@u9Ii
Rut Nav tile case is very dlferelt' La "A
ha.ci7,c11mstanccs Of it are changed. 1hek
rebel army has been substantially aeslRyel
II NAV still be formidable tor locitl lnlscille
Int Al 4 bulWark of the reDeI ToVefillhelt
has ceased to exist. It nO Longer aaofusE
shelter for the rebel authorities. IEOses
authorities themselves are fugitives. IheE
rehel President ana Cabinet have tied pe-i
forn oI1r troops. They have no longer "A
canital-they have no practical power orI
authority. The rebel Government Ne Jact0l
is extinct. Our army is now III condltloil
practically, To release the great mass q IneHl
ne0ple from the abjact allegiance ~ WhcnI
fhev have hitherto been held. Ana, there-
fore We think the time has come ior dOlng|
IT. Unless we are mistaken IN oVeIfaung
+hn marpjtude OF Grants recent victory.
AHA the importance Of the rebel tight
from Richmond, our authority is sO far
restored over all the rebel territory as to
iustifv its assertion ana its practical eXer-
no fam
issuing prOclamations which we nave no
power to enforce, ce,-With making promises
which we have no power to keep. We aIe
no longer offering mercy to men VINO neither
ask nor need it, and to whom, therefore
tinction between the army and the people
between the leaders Of the rebellion anC
those whom they have betrayed. and tht
sooner We draw that line, and make it tht
basis Of our policy i'm dealing with TINS ques
ton, the sooner shall we make beginning
in that great work Of social and political re
construction which lies before III.
we should now, therefore, welcome
proclamation from the President to IN
Southern people as earnestly as We sAonl'
have deprecated it a month ago. II lssuet
then it could only nave reached the South
ern leaders; now it can reach every toWl
and every neighb0rhOod in the SoutheTl
States. we 40 not think the time has ya
come, nor are we certain that it WllI com
hereafter, when a complete amnesty, HI
cluding restoration to All the rights ot clt
Zenship, may wisely be PROMISED w III
leaders Of the rebellion. But 70 the grea
mass Of the Southern people, to the ran
and file of the rebel army, to all except thos
who have made themselves directly an
personally responsible for the giganti
crimes and sutfering9 o1 this War, \
assurances of pardon and a prote'
tion can be too earnest of NJ
~ no
DeOple is not simply obedience, aclWe
cence. submission to the power ot our an
tional Government: We want their conf
dence in its Justice, their pride IN its Iia;
their faith i'll its devotion to the repuDllca
principles Oh which it rests. WE have co1
WINGED them of its strength: We want no
Ia convince them Of it's benefcencs "
have proved that it is useless for them 70 I
sist its authority-We want now TO sho
them that it is for their best and highest i
terests to stand by and sustain it to the ca
Of their days. The Oniy lrGy t9 ming an
about ts t0 re5tete htetr Aenrts JfOnl tte te,
Au.gs nj rear and dPpTehenstoh 1tttct 4
NeRUttes then hare incurred a1dy treI e1age
Ner, Giad Hel h Ope3t promptly aHd lrodd
M H,er Use THE channels Qt trdAe and sndt
tAby ichich ttet1 old prosperity mAy le
after all IT is bv :s.ss,as ass.asssgther tht
sI&ss<S thqt EEa4 s.fe-t2 ~ 4 -sasi m lill Mo4.A
FqrDnSrTUcblDn Ill Lllt ACObt4lN 4 A f-NN11 --7 4,
+ha snoner we can lift the heavy hand
military powef trom aoataern I'll towns Bay, a,1 Il
The GqyemInent especially shaould Io5:
tine Ill waving all those rigld. re9ulatlo
which, fall with crushing Weights 3n t
helnle.s families of tho4e hitherto enga9
m rhe rehei seryice. While they fail to tou
the Offenders them4elyes- H III anwi5f ;Sn
WOMEN and children, wA0m the arm
haye lett behind, atter these allI
haye been routed and destroyed. M
nanimitv III always the bc9t pohcy
nations anl great communities. even M'
than for individuals. Nothing so degIa'
the character ana l.ms THE glory ot I
government as needless crnelties MAlc
upon the helpless ana unreaistlng.
while even NOW nothing should De done
our Government inconsistent with lts ul1
tv anu permanent security, the tlme
certainly come when II cam consult OF
necessities than those which are pul
military and aim ut other objects than hi
which war alone can accomplish.