Evansville daily journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1863-1866, 1865-08-04
The Proper Policy.

nv AAOHSA AOAANSs
We have repeatedly urged the impro-
priety Of too speedily attempting the re-
organization of the rebel States. We
have deemed it the wiser course to let
time have an important influence in the
great work Of reconstruction. We
have been satisfied that large majority
of the citizens Of those States are as
intensely rebellious to-day as they have
been at any time during the past four
or six years. Ii freely permitted to ex-
press their feelings asd opinions through
the ballot box they will all be found hos
tile to the Government Any election
that will not permit them TO thus express
them mselves freely is q mocksry and q
farce. We dislike military interference |
with elections. We prefer that no cleo.
tons at ell should be held. This is why
we cannot approve Of the attempt to
hold elections IN the rebel States at this
tine.. They are. not free They are not
indicative of public opinion in the
South. They s1aspsrAte 9 great deal
without deciding snything. Therefore,
Iuasmnch 90 this country 10 to remain
Republican and yHEE, We would control
the rebel States BY military snthority
until by the voluntary action of ama-
jority of their people they Eeorganizs
their civil Governments in conformity
10 the genius and theory of our
institutions In their blind adyo-
cacy of some one Of the numerous
re-construction panaceas which have
been recommended for our national all
msnt, most of our cotenpoEaries have
lost sight Of the great fact that il is best
not to move at oil, until the surroundings
are better understood, lest We move
wrong. We observe that some Of them
are coming back to the true ground
There ia no necessity for the Union
party to split 10 pieces on the question
Of re-orgAnizing the rebel States, or ne
gro suffrage, when delay viii unrAVel the
difisulties which now besst il.
Military Rovernments havs already
been established in al the rebsl States.
Thoas governments should remain in
force until the people Of those States
,, Voluntarily ask Congress to re-ssta blish
! civil government in accordance with .hs
great principles Of right, which the
Govsrnmsnt has successfully vindieated
When . majority Of the people of those
States call State Convention aud Or
daiu Coustitutionu in harmony with our
National Constitution and the EmAnci.
: patton Proclamation, Congress should
hear their petition and try their goot
faith. But until thsy petition for IucE
favor, 1t ought not to bO rendered Il
!, them. ..,..,,
The Chicago Republican adopts ON
. view Of this subject in one respect, whil'
: :, it Coca farther than us in another
" 1t uses the following language: q.
"There Is no use in evading the issus
% or calling it by names not really appro
a, pirate. The people of the Southern State
N must make their institutions conform 4
: the Union sentiment, or they must con
tinue under military rule. There is NJ
o. other policy that is not dangerous in th'
III extreme. Nothing should be taken OF
Do faith. No reliance should be placed OF
=. the fidelity Of men who, still clothes
With tha Uniform Of rshallion and trsa
u son, are, hastening to subscribe 10 oath
D. which are confession Of their un6tnes
al for any political trust CoBgress hs
"a the power OF compelling these nen I
n | make their submission hnal and sbsc
=, lutte, and Congress should not relax i
eo its purpose to have this whole matte
re settled uow. Not one of tkcgu State
of should be admitted unless il makes th
:, freedom Of all It's irhabitants the esssr
~ tial feature of its policy, and that fret
OF dom shoul& not be an inferior one, or {
he a aueetiorahle chafacteF, but Hheuh
he freedom that tolsrstss no discsinin'
\. tion that 10 rot founded on loyalty TO th
/. American pniou.nz NIHM .To~
~ ! The Republican then Insists tha
white and black frssnaR ahodld atan
=. politically in the same eouditiOu and b
- ssao~sd With pFeeisely t6essme Pcwer
= the ballot box; aud that Congress shoul
=. compel an Observance of this priucipl
>. At this poiut We part company With Il
ia Republican. We think Congress has
right to- prescribe The Fuss of safral
in either States or territories, Tn
&c have no right 70 say who shail vote al
-, who shall not vote, if they bad q pow
=. would be lodged in their hands th
- might be used to susvert the iberties
e the people. Bot, as We said before,
do not at this time choose to discuss t
=. question of negro suffrage. "sufKcie
,'s unto the day is the evil thereof" '
lo are dssirous Of witnessing how the free
- men of the South use their suddenly q
-HU quirsd liberty before We would con
upon them the privilege Of the elect
r. franchise. To. argue that thet'Are
80 competent to preserve thsir ibsr
,-o backed BY the whole power Of the @,
,lsd ernnent, unless they are permitted
g. to vote, is, to our minds, to argue q
they are un6t for either priEilegess.T
pe WHAT SoUxH CARoIIEK E1s Losr
riss, The So1t6 CGroEiniGn estimates tha i
;I;tv of South Caroline bvi fKs 5EaF al &If