American citizen. [volume] (Butler, Butler County, Pa.) 1863-1872, 1865-11-08
VOLUME 2.
ra;lnre of immediate Reconstruction

nrObatIOn and were nut ieuuJ ava
mission to the Union, the old, rebelilous
feeling being as predominant as ever
The Union State Convention, when
Nominated Hartranft and Campbell, took
,roc;se,v the same view, and upon this
issue the canvass was carried to a suceeSs'
ful conclusion.
There were many, however, who were
desirous of giving the rebel States fuiI
cbance'to show a returning sense oil 10y
alty, before consentins to shut them out;
and these have waited, and waited anx-
iously. for the evidence of that repent
ance and renewed security which was ez-
peeted from those to whom the Govern
ment had been so generous. This waiting
and watching they have kept up until
now; but gradually, one by one, they give
it up, and admit that the confidence re
posed in these unrepentant rebels has been
sadly misplaced.
The course of Gov Perry, OF South
Carolina. III denouncing the Congresslon-
al Test Oath and demanding Black
Code for his State; TIE election Of Wade
Hampton, a conquered but unsubdued
rebel, to succeed him the election OF
Humphreys and Alcorn in Mlssissipplj
the choice of such men as II. h. ii. Stu
art 10 Congress in Virginia; the hesitation
about repudiating the rebel debt-ali
these have contributed to bring about
this feeling. The people of large faith
begin to see that it is idle to expect grapes
from thorns. or to look for figs from thistles
A bad tree, it is now plain, cannot bring
forth good fruit.
Last June says Roger A. Pryor
sthe South was willing to conce9e every
thing-abolition taxation, universal suit-
rage. and whatever else the Government
chose to demand; but now we feel as II
we stood on different ground" Why !!
Simply because the confidence in them
to believe that they need not eoncede
anything and could get back into the
Union upon the old basis. Hence, the
politicians of the South, from being hum
BILE suppieants, have become iusolent in
their threats and dictate the terms Of
their return instead of accepting them.
1t is time, therefore, to wake up to the
fact that there is.no real loyalty in the
South, and that, instead of admitting the
rebel States back into the Union they
must be remitted to a territorial condl-
tion, until their people can be educated
into a proper conception OF their condi-
tion and duties.
AS an evidence of the changed feel
ing among these who were so hopeful for
the better, we cite the following from the
Albany Egeaiag JomnaL Referring to
Gov. Perry's denunciation Of the test oath
it says;
"Thc test oath vas enacted by Cong
ross as safeguard, and is designed to be
held as a rod over the South, to compel it
to confirm its policy to that Of the Fed
eral Government. During its discussion
it was contended that, without some such
process, the Rebels when beaten might
merely lay down their arms, and without
changing the spirit of Southern laws,
come back into the Union, and control
the policy Of the Government. Precise,
ly the condition Of affairs apprehended
has arisen. South Carolina, North Car
oliua ana Alabama, have all taken meas.
ures in their so-called work of organiza.
ti)n, which arc opposed to Federal policy
Until these are abrogated, their recon.
struction cannot be considered complete
and their members will not be recognized
upon the floor of Congress.
General Howard warned the Charles.
tonians of this in an address delivered
before them the other day, when he told
them that while the President is extremely
anxious for the restoration of civil law in
So 18th Carolina, he cannot consent to
abandon the rtial control of the State
until substantial guarantees have been Civ.
en- that the freedmen will be secured in
all the rights to which he is entitled un-
der his changed condition. Gov Perry
and the other statesmen of the late insur.
gent Commonwealths, are very much mis-.
taken if they suppose the test oath will
be rescinded, until the South has given
security for future good behavior. We
feel entirely safe in predicting that not a
member from South Carolina will secure
admission upon the floor of Congress, SC
long as the laws now in existence remain
upon her statute books"
Referring to the election of Wade
Hampton, it further says:
His election is disagreeabiy signif-
cant, as showing that the rebel spirit still