New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1865-04-11
"RECONsTRUCTION."

One OF the most d9leiui pioGnOsucS 10 WHICH
our great struggle has tempted the enemies OF
the Republic affirmed the imposslbility OF re-
conciling the Southern People to the Union
they had renowned, deGed. and would iain
have subyerted. "What will you do with your
Poland after you shall have conquered it y tn
umphantly asked Briton Of Unionist, not
anticipating the obvious answer" We will
liberate the Poles" Nothing but Universal
Freedom was needed 10 render the South pre-
pJndermtly loyal when Secession held her
dumb and rigid inits embrace; nothing more was
needed to render even South Carolina decid.
edly Union State. To make any State disloya,
you had to count its ariStocraoy everything, its
working classes nothing; and, though this was
the political status actually existing at the out
break Of the Rebellion, i was az artificial
status, which yielded readily to The rude shock
Of war. From the hour wherein the Presi-
dent issued his first Proclamation Of Freedom,
a preponderance Of the numbers, the sinews, and
the prayers Of the South, ardently adhered to
the side Of the Union, and only liberty Of speech
and act were required to render that preponder-
ance effective. To recognize the hupan'ty and
vindicate the personal rights Of all thc South
ern people was to overthrow tho Rebellion and
restore the Union. And this - The essence OF
" reconstruction"
Hence, we deprecated the adoption by Con-
gress of any elaborate or even definite project
of State restoration: hence we confidently look
for speedy and thorough establishment Of
Pence aud return to the ways OF Industry and
Thrift under the pgis of the Union. The threat
of protracting the war by guerrilla bands hiding
in swamps and mountain Businesses Is idle. IL
might be possible for the Government TO impel
frenzied handful 10 this resort by wholesale
confiscston and cruel rigor; but no such mad.
ness is possible We have had q great Civil
War, wherein blood has flowed like water aud
property been destroyed as though II were
dross; we have fought il out like men, and now
we will all set to work to repair it's ravages as
rapidly and thoroughly as We can. All being
now free, and most Of us poor, we shall all set
to work to rebuild our burned houses, replant
and till ourwasted fields, and repair our disman-
tied canals railroads, &C., at the earliest posi-
bic day, thus occurring work to the idle, bread
to the hungry, and opening vistas to comfort
and independence for all. Our lamented dead
cannot be restored but the wounded will be
nursed, the crippled cared for, with grateful ten
derness, while we multiply the Inventions and
labor-saving machinery whereby the ravages and
losses Of War shall DO speedily efIaced or coun-
tcrbalsnced We have o great Public Debt; !
but moderate tax on the pernicious Injuries
consumed among us viii pay its interest
and soon begin the reduction Of its
amounts; while bounteous crops Of Grain,
Meat, Cotton, &C., with large and steadily
drafts upon our mountains and gleDs
Of precious ore, will combine TO pay off our
foreign creditors and secure balance of trade
in our favor. UNIOS-PEACE-LIBRRTY
these inscribed in light on our banner, we shall
move firmly, proudly on to the fulfllment of
our country's magnificent destiny. May she be
henceforth without exception terror TO op-
pre@ors and eyil-doers and beacon of hope
and cheer to the enslaved and down-trodden
throughout the habtable globe!