Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1865-1869, 1865-10-14
RICHMOND WING.
SATURDAY MoRNING....,OCT. IA, 1865.
THE BETTER WAY.

which As freemen and the descendants oil
r,aemsn they were born. The assumption
of the political parsons and other fanatics OF
the North, that because he stood out against
the South in its effort to tear loose from the
Union. he must necessarily hate his native
section as they hated it, was the delusion OF
a spirit Of malice with which ANDREW JOHN
son has nothing in common. As wise man
who lad studied human nature calmly and
deeply, he comprehended the fact that as
the catastrophe had been brought about by
the indulgence Of passion and the inhictlon oil
injuries, the remedy lay in going back upon
the past and substituting kindness in the
place Of cruelty, and Cancellation for insult
and wrath. From policy that had led up to
the employment Of brute force he deter
mined to lead the people back 20 reason and
affection. The Louisville J0lTRa! IS not mis-
taken in SAYING that this course appeals to
the best feelings of the Southern people
II addresses The judgment. It believes IN the
existence of common sense in the South u
thinks that whatever old love Of country 10
roptberners may have been deyoured by the
fierce flames Of war, it can be revived again
in all OF its original yigor, aud made as strong
~ ever by a generous policy, and that this
can be done in no other way.
This theory is founded upon correct in-
sight into the principles OF human nature
and BELTS the magnitude OF the work that Is
before the Countrywide work of restoring
frate1ual relations to half continent that
had been swept by hurricane Of civil
strife. The practical results Of the eX-
pertinent thus far have abundantly demon
strated its sagacity, and must commend 1t
powerfully to all lovers of their country. It
is a philosophy whose wisdom all history at
tests aud yet how often have governments
failed to act upon it in meeting the practical
difficulties that 50 often spring up in their
pathways In kingly governments brute
force is the first and usual reliance. To
strike terror into the hearts Of the people Is
supposed By the advocates Of military sys-
TENS to be the best way to keep them peace
full. An appeal 10 fear is thought more po
tent in paralyzing the arms Of mslcontents
than any victory over their hearts achieved
through the sublime principles of generosity
and Justice can ever be, and hence revolution,
and blood and vengeance have constituted
the chief elements in the histories of Eiugly
systems. Hating and hated, standing armies
with all their abuses and cruclties, and the
grinding taxes necessary to support them,
are their cOncomitants. There is no conf
dence repoSed 10 the populace, for the very
good reason that the rulers know too well
that there is no ground for any. They know
themselves hated because they know they
deserve to be. They trust not the people,
and the people know 1t. The rulers hate the
people, aud the latter in turn hate their
rulers.
1t we'll COMFORTS with the genius Of peo-
pies Government that contrary feeling
should prevail and different system epur
sued. THIS Government claims to be founded
on the consent Of the governed. Its ma
chiuery is . part Of the civil life of the
ueop!e. and they have as much interest in
maintaining it as they have in maintaining
sDy other part OF their own prosperity
They can't hate the Government without, in
fact, hating their own interests. It is q part
OF themselves-it is their property. They
own il. Bat let the other theory prevail,
and from being its masters they becOme its
slaves, aud at once learn to hate 1t. II no
longer belongs to them, and they no longer
feel any interest in its welfare or existence.
They are subjects, rot citizens; and when
ever they can strike blow at the engine OF
their oppression, will they not do it p! Strike
Poland TO the earth, manacle and torture
her, MAKE her bleed from every pore, yet
when occasion offers, she will rise again, she
will strike back desperately at her tormen-
tors when she can. She will watch her OPP
portuuity. She will DO Sleepless, and her
oppressors must likewise be, or in an un-
guarded moment her rivers will run blood
and her plains resouud with the clangOr OF
battle. oar late struggle was extraordinary
both for the numbers engaged in it, its sud-
denuess, snd the desperate bravery with
which they fought Tie reconciliation thus
would it have been, could i; have been, if
the policy which has always underlain kingly,
military governments in such emergencies
prevaied' Such \ policy might have pro-
duced for the time being passive obedience,
might have created a solitude and called it
peace. But could there have been, under
such theory and practice as we mean, any
exhibition Of the least returning loyalty,
could there have been heard anywhere in the
South those frank and honest expressions of
= determination to return in good faith to
tbair allegiance to the Government that have
bssp heard SO often under the policy that
has preyaild
The supposition is utterly absurd. And
these pt ofvssious have been followed up by
act, Of such a character as to leave no doubt
=, 10 their sincerity and value. II the old
world philosophy had been adopted, and the
sibbet had been put TO work; ifwhite slave
~ had been established, and contiscation and
the dungeon, insult and coutumely had been
the portion Of the vanquished, what smOth-
cred volcano Of hate and vengeance would
the South this day have presented What
future, black with interminable and mex
tinguishable wrath, would have been before
US Do the fippant men who talk Of ruling
the South as a conquered province know
what they propose Are they serious, in
earnest : Do they actually mean what they
write 1t seems to Us they have no concep-
ton Of what their language implies, or that