Cleveland daily leader. [volume] ([Cleveland, Ohio]) 1865-1873, 1865-11-24
m Rbb ana Flow.

Ih The Ebb and Flow.
National affairs have their tides as well
Is the ocean, and thssetidess like those-o
the ocean, have their ebb and flow. OF
the latter truth recent American history
is full of illustrations. During the wal
how often were the hearts of true-hearted
men castdownl how often were their kOpes
buoyant In all such instances the de-
preston or the elation of the patriotic
heart depended upon the direction in
which the current of events were setting
in other words, upon the ebb and Aow
of the tides g@ruaai-E
when the acts of the central authority
indicated a wavering purpose, a doubtful
mind, a feeble will-when it appeared
that the central authority was hating be-
tween the past and the future-yictorie in
the field could not restore the loss of con-
idence such acts oecasioned the brave
hearted citizen. But when executive acts
pointed decisively towards freedom and
Justice, it did not SO much matter what
the military status was, the true Ameri-
can was Joyous and confident.
The eBB and flow did not cease with the
war. We have no reason to suppose they
will before the final settlement of the
great question now before the American
public for adjudication
After the assassination of Mr.. lincoln
brave words came from Washington.
Fhe central mind deciared-"Treason is n
crime, to be treated like other crimes
followed by the equally brave words
"Loyal men alone shall govern the South"
Southern traitors saw in those words their
doom; northern loyalists saw in them
the day-star of their hope The political
atmosphere was invigorating. The tide
of patriotism and loyalty, as indicated by
the tide-guage at Washington, was at its
food. The tidal wave swept from the
seaboard landward.
But soon there came a change. There
is no question but the terms of Mr.. John
sons amnesty proclamation were far more
lenient than the rebels had dared to hope
for. They were both astonished and de-
lighted. The heart of the far-seeing 10y
alist was respondent. He could not re-
concile so much mildness with the brave
words of the President, uttered a few
weeks before. And then when pardons
began to fall among unrepentant rebels as
thick as autumnal leaves in the forest;
when men but little, if any, better, were
appointed Provisional Governors; when
the services of the black man were for
gotten by those who had asked for them,
and his rights were ignored, he was al
most driven to despair. The current had
gone sea-ward and it was e6b-tide. For
weeks and even months he has watched
for its return. There was little to cheer
his heart save an abiding faith in the
American people and in the American
idea. Considering the rapid movement of
events the watch has been a lonely one.
But that the tide is setting shore-ward
again can not now be denied. The indi-
cations arc too strong to be mistaken. 1t
might be difficult to name the moment
when the first was seen butt rising is un-
m~istakable.
Note some of the signs: Henry vii
son has returned to Massachusetts from
Washington saying "the Executive is
stiffening up" We think he is right. 1t
appears hat power has not yet passed
into the hands of the new State Governor
of Mississippi The President has definite
ly refusedto allow it topass from the hands
of the Provisional Governors of North
and South Carolina. His Governors in
those States may be none of the best, but
it is better, for the present, to have Mr..
Perry Governor, and accountable to the
nation, than Mr.. Orr, accountable to South
Carolina.
The elections North and South have had
something to do with this increasing erect
ness of the Executive. Mr.. johnson was
no doubt convinced by the former thai the
nation would tolerate no sham reconstruc-
ton, and by the latter that the South is
not so ready for reconstruction as he had
imagined.
But, last of all, Mr.. Colfax's speech is
without a certain significance. In all
this gentlemen will, on the
opening of Congress, bepromptly selected
to discharge the duties of the third office
the Republic. He will be Speaker of
the House. 1t is cheering to get such
manly words and such clear-cut sentences
from one SO near the place whence laws
emanate.
There are other cheering indications,
out these must suffice. We cannot be mis-
aiken. The tide is risingl When Con-
sress meets we hope to see it sweeping on
its flood.
gIaa