Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1865-06-10
CONSTRUCTION-NEGRO SUFFRAGE.
The nHnhlam of the times is the disc0voIy VI

ECONSTRUCTION-NEGR SUFFRAGE.
The problem Of the times is the disoosoiy "a
the speediest and easiest way OF tnolouemy
re-sstabiishing the authority OF tue oeneaai
Government over the Soutn-'no' iS' IA INC
minds and hearts of the people oi the Sou'u.
Nobody who pays a fair snare Oh the enor-
mons taxation which this war mas necessarily
brought on us, or who mas cniloreh 10 ieaVe
hahind. is anxious to perpetuate military rule
apywhere in our land, unless he be shoddy-
tie: person who fattens and battens on the
opportunities for plumber incident to the I'M
settled state Of society which civil war engen-
ders. There are thousands such people un-
fortunately, some seeking plumber threugh phi
lanthrophic professions, and the rest through
the inf uence of their claims to excessive Union
patriotism. Together, they constitute almost
the only remaining bar to the restoration OF the
Onion. They are the lain advocates Of negro
suffrage, in the belief that the votes of the ne
xroes can be SO Influenced as to remit the po-
litical affairs of the South int the custody of
parties who will aid them in perpetuating the
war by keeping the South governed by the
force of bayonets only. They maintain that
the only trustworthy people south of the Po-
tomac are the freed blacks. This is the drift
of all they utter on the subject. 1t is sweep
ingIy untrue.
We hold, on the contrary, to the theory Of
President johnson, as prom ulged through
out his administration as Military Governor
~ Tanrn~-~s, IA IaUe Address to the negroes
OF Washington, and In his decision with refer.
ence to the provisional government of North
Carolina, that there are loyal white men enough
in the South to speedily reassure that section
in It's riehtful allegiance, now that the despot-
Ism fJef Davis, Billy Smith, w ade Hampton,
Judah p. Benjamin & Co., has been obliterated
from the face of the earth.
The Stars usual readers know well that it
has steadily maintained that the mass of the
people of the South needed but to be assured
that they were to be no longer at the mercy of
that despotism, to take their stand eagerly in
favor OF the re.establishment OF the authority
of the United States Government over them,
with any changes that the war might render
necessary. Everything that has transpired in
that section since the fall OF Richmond has
gone to prove the correctness OF this opinion
We recognize and heartily approve the pro-
priety of the regulations laid down in Presi.
dent Johnson's late proclamation OF amnesty,
by which men who may possibly be still az
fscted with dsloyalty are to be debarred from
the rights of citizenship in the South until they
may individually purge themselves OF that
suspicion; his reservation of the right to par
don any men of the excluded classes being de.
signed to that end. We also recognize in the
nessee the true key to the reconstruction OF
State governments and society at the South
npon o thorough and reliable Union basis: the
plan OF DISTINGUISHING all who cannot Gem.
Pletely substantiate their loyal intentions, tor
term of years; in the course OF which they will
certainly cease to be dangerous to society," as
citizens, In any respect whatever. To remit
the civil affairs OF the South into the keeping OF
its negroes will be but to put those affairs In
the hands of demagoguss The shoddyites and
bogus philan thropists OF the North who urge
that policy on the Government would find
themselves beaten in single month in the
earne of controlling the negro vote, by the more
adroit denna gogues Of secession proclivities.
The time is rapidly approaching when all the
appliances of civil war must cease everywhere
throu ghof,t the land, and all things be RENTED
70 the practices OF peaceful times and the sole
fentroI Of civil cGgr,s aH ,,,ueai and so.
cfaI equality will be swept away as by whirl.
wind, because it is utterly repugnant to the
sentiments of nine. tenths Of the white race OF
the land, North, as Well as South. President
johnson knows human nature too we'll to run
counter TO that sem iment, as is evident in all
he writes, says, and does upon the subject
He is earnest in doing his best for the future of
the negroes Of the United States: In assuring to
them freedom. and the fullest opportunities for
Improvement as all sensible men are. But he
evinces no disposition, whatever, to place the
race In q position that would sooner or later
insure the occurrence Of a Conflict Of races that
must (if 1t occurs) inevitably result in the loss
to the negro of much OF substantial ad vantage
60 him, which has so far grown out of the war
made to perpetuate and strengthen the slavery
that " ~ not long since upon him.