Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1865-08-31


ers as they would have followed the Conser
vatives, had they been able to obtain q res
control in the Government. The close O
msnts, and it remains to be seen in wha
direction The opinions and purposes Of th'
different classes Of society will tend.
THE PRESIDENTS POLICY.
The experimental policy Of reconstruc
! The time has not yet come when we can af
| firm with certainty what will be the result
! From personal acquaintance with some o
those into whose hands the work Of reor
ganizaton has been given, | incline to thu
belief that the conservative party, Sc. called
in the South, will gradually collect about i
enough Of the floating mass Of people e
whom have referred to give them the sub
stantial control, and enable them, for somt
time, at least, to guide the destinies Of thes,
States. believe that this pa rty, in sever
al Of the States will be found dssirous O
coming into cordial rapport with the Unior
party OF the North-that the antagcnism
between them aud those secessisnists who
were dominant during the war will increase
rather than diminish, and that if thoso
States can be brought into proper relations
to their sister States of the North, and into
a cordial acceptance of the real results Of
the war, under the guidance Of any party
formed OUT Of the white population now re
sidiug in the South, it will be through the
influence and under the guidance Of these
men. That they have the prejudices COM
mon to their class, and false opinions with
reference to the system of slavery, no one
can question: but [ think it will be found
that in their midst are all those men who
have rany willingness to do justice to
the freedman, who seek the real advance
ment and prosperity of both races, and to
bring matters to such an ultimate condition
as would be in any degree satisfactory to tho
Union party 10 these States. They are
those who are most willing to receive with
cut opposition, the educational effect Of the
war upon themselves, to listen with some
degree of candor to the suggestions Of our
Northern people, and to weigh, as well as
their prejudices and circumstances will per-
init, all the reasons which we of the North
may urge, In reference to our theories of
tue true, ultimate condition Of society in
the South. This approach toward US is by
NO means as complete or as rapid as we
could desire; it may even totally fail of &C.
compllshlng any thing Of real value; but
what wish to be understood as asserting
ls, that In the class to which | have refer
red Is contained whatever there is ir South
ern white society which can be made really
available in the loyal reorganization of the
Government.
THE PRESIDENTS EXPERIMENT.
In his experimental policy therefore, the
President was forced to find an instrument
tor the work OF reconstruction among these
men, or not at all. 1t was simply question
whether the Southern whites should have
any hand in affairs there, orwhether direct
and immediate government by the Federal
authorities, either military or civil, should
be exercised. As Union party in this
State, we have expressed our appreciation of
the course pursued by President johnson;
and in SO doing, l believe we have done
wisely, for whether the experiment should
succeed or fail, we were under the necessity
OF testing the question whether there were
any elements in that section of the country,
among the white population, which could
be trusted.
DEVELOPMENTS IN VIRGINIA.
The recent course of affairs in Virginia
has done much to break down the faith of
Northern men, that any where il the South
will there be found body Of men suffi-
centy in earnest in theirrentwed allegince,
and sufficiently strong in numbers, to con-
duct successfully any healthy system of
re organization. 1t should, however, in
fairness be remembered, that the condition
of Virginia has been such as to embitter the
local quarrels of the people to q muchlgreat.
er extent than in any other State, and we
have still reason to hope better things from
the Carolinas and the Gulf States. Should
only two or three of these States perfect
their organization and accept the Censti-
tutional Amendment abslishing slavery, the
Administration plan would not be ataiure,
Tor the complete and lawful extinction of
the accursed system would well repay the
delays and yexations attendant upon the
experiment. But if all our hopes fail, the
question is only remanded to the considera-
ton and action Of Congress and the Exc
cutive, and military occupation ofthe coun-
try gives them tull power to provide tor all
the necessities Of the case.
THE COL0RED PEOPLE OF THE SOUTH.
The colored population OF the South,
which has been freed by the success of our
armies, is also an element whose interest we
are bound to consider with righteous care,
whose rights we are bound to protect with
scrupulous justice. Although ignorant and
degraded by very long subsection in slavery,
they instinetively knew that the only hope
of freedom for them, or Of advancement in
happiness and prosperity, was to be found
in the success Of the Federal Government
They had learned that the war had been
begun for the purpose of riveting their
chains. They knew that the establishment
of the southern confederacy was the estab-
lishment of their bondage, and they never
hesitated or faltered in their attachment to
our cause, or in their faith in its ultimate
triumph. 1t was with them religious be-
lief. Their ignorance prevented them from
knowing precisely how it woald result in
blessings to them, but they were confident
in their faith that in some way Gods pro-
vidence was bringing good to them out of
the struggle between their masters and the
Government. Hence they have been loyal.
To have been dislsyal would have bssn to
prefer chains aud slavery to freedom.
OUR DUTY TO TIE FREEDMEN.
Our obligation to them grows not merely
out of the fact that we have liberated them,
but out of the other fact that we have used
their services as soldiers in the field, and
that they have there borne arms under the
same flag which our white soldiers have
fought for, and by their fidelity and bravery
have established their claim to our gratitude.
We, therefore, must recognize our duty to
make their freedom thing valuable to
them. The hopes which they have cherished
must not be disappointed, if we have the
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