Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1865-1869, 1865-12-28
RICHMOND WING.
General Carl Schurz's Report.

General SCHURZs report, without the accom-
panying documents, fills sixteen closely-print-
ed columns of the Tribune Zine type,) while
General GRANTS report occupies but little
over half column Of the Wig. General
GRANTS is clear, compact, brief and pointed;
General ScHURz's prolix, confused, contradic-
tory aud pointless. General GRANT states his
impressions with as much mOdeSty as breyity.
The ambitious Dutch missionary undertakes
more. He aspires to direct the Presidents
policy, and suggests what he ought to do. In
the commencement of his report he reminds
the President, in a very pointed manner, that
"vou informed me that your policy Of recon-
struction' was merely experimental, and that
YOU would change it, if the experiment did not
lead to satisfactory results" Speaking OF the
freedmen, aud the development Of free labor,
he says
"This desirable result will be FASTENED by
firm declaration on the part of the Government
that national control in the South willnot cease
until such results are secured" Again says he
10 the President-'I would respectfully Sug-
gest that you advise Congress to send one or
more investigating committees into the
Southern States to enquire for themselves into
the actual condition of things before final ac
ton is taken upon the re-admiSSion Of such
States to their representation in the legislative
branch Of the Government, and the withdrawal
of all national control from that secton."-
This is modest, truly 1t is somewhat sur
prising that he did not offer his services to
II.
passages IRE marked by insolent audacity. In
one he appears to try to insult the President.
When he speaks OfthOse Southerners who, in or
der to gain immediate restoration, are willing to
make any oSteIlSible concessions that will not
prevent them from arranging things to nit them
selves, as soon as restoration is gained, ne says,
reproachfully-"Thsy are LOUD IN THEIR
PRAISE OF THE PRESIDENTS RECONSTRUCTION
POLICY, and ClqmorouS for the lcithdrdrd! Of
the Federal troops, and The abolition OF the
FrsedmsR'S Bureau" He complains Of what
he calls the cutter absence Of national feeling"
in the Southern SAL in the next breath
proposes to keep them fte STATE participation IN
national functions and priNln les. He eX-
poets extravagant displays Of natiC~,sa, feeling
from those whom he denies all national rights.
BY every sentiment and sympathy, as weB
as bv all the motives Of interest and his hopes
of advancement, identified with the extreme
Radicals, it was to have been expected that
General ScurRz would say and do all that he
could to aid in carrying out Radical policy,
and that he would fill his report with Radical
ideas and impressions. But with all these pro
clivities and with all his prepoSsesSions against
the Southern people, he was compelled 10
make the admission that " whatever their diff
ferences may be, on one point they are agreed
further resistance TO the National Govern
ment is useless, and submission to its authority
n matter of necessity" He represents the
original secessionists in South Carolina, and
those who, though in the first instance were
opposed to secession, but afterwards joined in
the movement, as saying to him, Owe ac-
knowledge ourselves beaten, and we are ready
10 submit to the results Of the war. The war
has practically decided that no State shall Sc
cede and that the slaves are emancipated. We
cannot be expected at once to give up our
principles and convictions of right, but we ac-
cept facts as they are, and desire to be rein
stated as soon as possible in the enjoyment
and exercise of our political rights"
After presenting this satisfactory exhibition
of Southern feeling, one would suppose that
General SCHURz would himself have been con-
tent. Not so, however. He wants to force
sentiments that cannot, in the nature Of things,
be developed under compulsion, and to create
an enthusiasm that nothing but the enjoyment
of liberty and constitutional rights can give
birth to. He forgets that the secret thoughts
and wishes of the heart are not to be judged
by men, or punished by human laws. ready
obedience satisfies the law. We do not mean,
in saving this, to be understood rs favOring the
hypOcritical policy Of rendering to the Govern
ment mere external and enforced obedience,
while the heart is the nursery of diScOntents
and evil wishes. Content and good wishes
will soon follow obedience, and obedience will
not be compulsory, but spontaneous, when the
counsels of two such men as President JOIN
son and General GRANT prevail. II men like
THAppEUs STEVENS, CHARLES SUMNER aud
CARL ScHURz should bear sway, they would
scarcely expect, as they certainly would not
receive q CuCSAAuA NNNuANuNN anu ASAAk ~ SNou
wishes. Obedience would then be the Gu
forced exactiOn of an imperiOus necessity.
The testimony borne by General GRANT in
behalf of the South is the testimony, not of a
foreign adventurer, too little acquainted with
American character and American affairs to
Judge correctly, nor the testimony Of Euro
pean Red Republican and extreme Radical, who
has ever hated the Southerners because they
were slave holders, nor the testimony of a
dreaming enthusiast, who would see constitu-
lions wrecked, and systems shattered, rather
than see his theory of universal equality i'm
perilled.
General GRANTS testimony is that Of brave
and able soldier, who knows how to respect the
rights and feelings Of the conquered of a clear
headed, sensible, practical man, who can not
he misled BY a false show of a native Ameri-
can. who knows his coUntrymen of both sec
tons. and desires TO see them living together
in harmony of q patriot general, who conquer
ed a peace with his sword, and will not consent
to be cheated of the fruits of that peace ~ sell
fish politicians and Radical agitatOrs.
If the merits and value of G eneral SCHURz's
report are to be measured by the induebce it
exerted on the President, then those merits
and that value may be expressed by a cyphST.
He seems to have had his Southern tour TO no
purpose. The Presidents views are not only
not in sympathy with his views, his recommen-
dations are not only not in accordance with his
suggestions, but they are in direct opposition
TO them.
General SCHURz's friend, Senator SUMNER,
essayed to rescue his report from oblivion-in-
deed, to give it precedence over that OF Gen
eral GRANT, and to use it against the President
and General GRANT, but it was a vain attempt.
The report fell still-bOrn in the Senate. Too
long to be published in the newspapers, too
tedious and dull to be generally read, it will be