The Norfolk post. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 1865-1866, 1865-12-09
THE MESSAGE AND THE cRrTlcs

| hS0"i"ihS W Tue correspondent of tn,
New York Doiiy Neaos, the message o
resident Johhson excites a great degret
OF surprise, in Washington both fo1
what it contains and what it omits. ano
Tile southern members of Congress arc
disappointed, because their claims tt
their sealsare not plainly and unequiyo.
cally stated.p The correspondent
thinks it a hardship that "the m essage
leaves the whole matter to Congress,
ana It's regarded, therefore, as virtual
acquiescence in the Sumner and Ste
VEINS programme for the permanent ex-
cluslon OF the southern members. y
Such is the statement.of the correspond
ent OF ajournaI, the highest aspiration
OF which 1t seems to be, to misrepresent
tho Intentions of the government and
the purposes of the northern people to
the South. 1t is all unfair deduction of
The message and a false Interpretation of
MIR. Johnson's future motives. In orr
Judgment, the President is ex plicit upon
every subject In the message, and can be
easily understood by all fair-minded
critics. He recounts the advances that
have been made to induce The south
ern people to return to their allegiance,
and then says. 1t is not too much to
ask, in the name of the whole people,
that, - the one side, the plan of restor-
alton shall proceed in conformity with
Willingness tocast the disorder of the
past int0 oblivion; and that, on the
other, the evidence of since rity in tho
future maintenance of the Union shall
be put beyond any doubt by the ratif-
cation of the proposed amendment to
the Constitution, which provides for the
abolition Of slavery forever within the
limits OF, our country. 50 long as the
adoption Of this amendment is DELAYED.
so tong wiU doubt and .jealousy. and
uncertainty prcvaH. This is the measure
which will effate the sad memory of the
past this is the measure which will
most certainly call population, and cap
ltal, and security to those parts of
The Union ~fhat need them most.n
This, of itself, should be sufficient ex-
Danation to those southern members
IF Congress y alluded to. But the Pres
dent goes on, asif anticipating just such
and after observing that tits
lot too much to ask of the States which
re now resuming their places i'm the
imily of the Union to give their pledge
perpetual loyalty and peace, asserts
a sentence full of meaning, that "un-
i it is done, the past, however much
70 may desire it, will not be forgotten
10 man could have addressed the south
I'm feeling, the southern pride, or paid {
lore Difference to the natural sem
bilities of a defeated party, with
lore consideration than the Presi- 4
snt has done, and it is unjust to deny ]
MS merit in his message. We have no
'ubt. that "the southern members of +
ongress are Disappointed" but we are
ot induced to this belief because the e
e'ns says so; for it is the habit of that :
urnal to create southern grievances f
hen none exist, and magnify common u
'lltieal hardships of the South into I
is of wilful and studied tyranny. The q
mission Of gentlemen from the South h
to Congress is not the thing she needs G
Dst. She needs capital and labor Just
w, to develope her resources, much !
IRE than she does the elevation or pre- Il
ment of a parcel Of bankrupt politi- il
ms. 1t would have been more digni- l
d in the South to have been patient, "
= not to have struggled for the seats
y vacated. n
llpi ron -------- al