The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1865-11-03
Friday Morning, Nov. Q, 1865.
Our ofher Weapons.

Another "invaSion" Of the South is neces
sary: we must overwhem it with Northern
ideas. II is not our purpose alone to make a
union of states, league of force half The
states sullen and backward in all proqress.-
We have secured the Union by arms W,
have no fear of another armed rebellion in
this generation. But now begins the second
part Of the struggle, the renewal of tie wal
of ideas. The North win find it has need Of
all its manhood and all its energy.
Mr.. Wendell Phillips, with his passion fol
startling announcements, declares the "South
victorious" When we consider the immense
progress in freedom in this country since 1850,
freedom of speech and the press, the abolition
of slavery, and the real advance ia democracy
progress the most sanguine would not have
dared to hope for in 1S80-we feel that Mr.
Phillips is not talking common sense. And
yet We could wish that tn administration had
given such direction to reconstruction, that
even the grumbling orators could not have
made such assertions.
A writer in the Nation, who has just travel
ed through the South, thinks that the rebels
are playing game of deep duplicity; that
their ready acceptance of the situation is on
ly a smart political game, and they expect to
get speedy control OF the government, and rule
it as aioretime, in the interest OF the wealthy
class, and with a sort of seridom for the blacks,
that even the purpose Of disunion is not aban-
doned, but the youth are trained to hate the
Yankees and to regard us as q foreign nation
the South being merely held in unjust con-
quest, as Hungary is held by Austria. (The
parallel, by the way, has some resemblance,
since the revolt Of Hungary was not a demo-
cratic movement, but a rebellion of nobes in
the interest of aristocracy.) The writer in
the Nation, it seems to us, is not warranted
in assuming any such deep and secret purpose
of continued rebellion among the southern
leaders. Yet it IS doubtless true that they in
tend to grasp the government and rule the
country in the interest of their class, if posi-
bic.
If reconstruction goes on to its consunlma-
ton as rapidly as it is now proceeding, there
will be no time for probation. There win be
no time for the development and organiza-
tion OF liberal party in the South, composed
of such men as John H. Reagan seems to be,
judging him by his letter TO the Texans. With
the Southern States in the hands of Wade
Hampton, Humphreys, etc., and the freedmen
handed over to them with no right of testi-
mony in the courts, or of suffrage, the condi-
ton OF Southern society will not be promiS-
ing
Yet this is what we have to look in the face
And the North has to grid up it's loins for
new conflict, great civilizing mission to the
late rebel states. We pass by now any con-
SlutIdtlou VI WndbT SOlSrCSS may 40 IN Jne
way of improving the appearance of the re-
construction problem. Whatever it does,
there will remain the great task of educating
and civilizing the masses of the South, white
and black.
The field is ready; never was ground better
prepared. The South has been subjected to a
fearful agriculture. Tho whole of society has
been upheayed, and ideas will ind much easi-
er entrance than they would have had through
the old lethargy and stupidity. The war has
really been Of immense benefit to the poor
whites, who viii return to their homes with a
thousand new ideas. They viii not hereafter
be impervious to education. Indeed, one of
the most cheering signs at the South is the
disposition exhibited in many places among
the poorer classes, to learn to read and write
And then there the blacks who have the spell
ing book fever from Virginia to Texas. In
short, the South is ready to be enlighrened.
The North has therefore, to pour its ideas
into theSouth, establish schools, print newspa-
pers, inaugurate business on the liberal plan.
There is opportunity for the most active bust
ness ambition, and for beneYolence. If we ed
ucate the South we can defy its politicians
An Illustration of the policy that may be pur-
sued occurs to US A wealthy gentleman of
New York is about establishing a iree school
for the whites in Richmond; only nominal
tuition being required, to make the pupil feel
an interest in his advantages 1t viii, in eff
feet, be open to the poorest 1t will be sustain
ed for some years, if necessary, by the gentle
man who has conceived the idea, until the day
comes when Richmond viii itself sustain free
public schools. These an similar enterprises
the North viii have to carry on It has TO
show itself as able in the propagation Of its
educational ideas as it has been in arms
Hartford Press.