The Norfolk post. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 1865-1866, 1865-09-23
THE NEW YORK EVENING POST,


The Post is one of the fairest and mos
friendly among the Republican journal
OF New York in its views on the South
ern question. 1t supports the recon
struction policy of President johnson
and, we believe, sincerely desires To Sc
the Southern question settled and til
South restored tothe Union as speedily
and on as liberal terms, as is consisten
with the good OF the whole country. TIL,
Post publishes u number of letters from
different points in Virginia TO show tina
there is n healthy and determined feel
ing of loyalty that can lie trusted tia
the people profess the strongest desire Il
live at peace, to obey the laws, TO RESUME
their industries, and to be hencetortl
loyal citizens OF the United States. AnC
it asks: Can we do lass than trust
them Is it not wise to throw the re.
spons'bility upon them to say to them
You premise to do right-now do it,
II then they do not if they violate their
promises and prove themselves untrust-
worthy, it is time enough to interpose
the supreme authority. But, to use the
words of the President, We must trust
the people; and, for our part, though
we ioresee that some abuses will occur
in the Southern States, and many preju-
dices must be footed out, and much ill.,
formation scattered broadcast there, and
a new spirit of tolerance and patience
aroused, before those States can take
their places alongside of Massachusetts,
we believe, too, that this work can best
De done when the people are governing
themselves, for their very errors and
blunders, the fruits of their prejudice
will teach thenl.o
The Port is right. The people can be
trusted, and had they been trusted more
than they have been it would have been
much better with us now. There are
some things that have not been consid-
cred outside of Virginia, which have
been the cause of much delay in the
growth of loyalty here. We can tell the
Ieening Post and Others who sympa-
thize with us in the North, that recon-
struction and reconciliation have been
greatly retarded in Virginia by tile way
things were mixed up at the commence
ment. We made u wrong beginning, and
like Dickens old friend, have been in /:
"muddlep eve since-groping in the
dark, and clutching ut something, bul
cannot exactly say what. In the firs1
placew e We're saddled with State
Government, which was offensive ever
in the nostrils of the small minority II
represented, and with n Governor who,
so far from commanding respect, was
and is despised and treated with een-
tempt, by n%ine-tentlls OF the people OF
the State. 1t is not Mr.. Pierpoint's f;.ul|
if the people do not regard lam as
proper representative of Virginia's rep
resentative men ; but still he might hav'
simplilied matters by resi- ,1ling, whei
he became aware that he W asobnoXious
and thus have given tie President al
opportunity to appoin6 Il PROVISIONS
Governor, whose character and standing
in the State would have been s~atisfac
tory to the mass Of the people one II
whom they woul d have had confidence
and who couleA have commanded thei
respect, at J east. Such q man for in
stance as J'yln Minor Bolts, or anyothe
good and true statesman, of whom tn
State Could be justly proud. Had thi
been done, and had the Alexandra;
shr.m been declared a nullity-legisla
lure, constitution, and ali-and the PEG
Dle allowed TO begin at the beginning a
was the case in Mississippi, North Caro-
lima. and elsewhere, underagood and pop
ular Governor, selected by the Presi
dent we do not hesitate to say that GU
eitizensw would now be better satisfied an,
the work of reconstruction would hay
progressed much more rapidly. Lik
Mississippi, we would have called a co,
vention, representing the entire peopl
to abolish slavery and frame a lie
constitution, which would have bee
the 1lOTc Satisfactorily " lhS. pSoPiS iioi
the fact that they would have had
voice in it, and it could not have be-
sneered at, as is the ease with the prese
one. because it was merely the action
the town council of Alexandria. vi
.ginia certainly is entitled to ms mu'
favor as Mississippi has received. 81
should be allowed the same privilege
But instead of this her territory has II
only been disnembered, but she h
been forced to accept laws and Office
which her people had no part in frau
ing and no voice in selecting. 1t has I
quired all the e%loquence and influence
the leading mel of the State, and occt
pied all their time, to defend PeirpoinI
and induce the people to trust hint
exhort them to confide in one whom
they have been disposed to look upol
with suspicion and distrust, and whom
they had during the past five year,
been taught to dislike and even hold il
contempt. Things have thus been yer,
bad with us in Virginia. 1t has beer
an uphill business all the while and il
we are not so far advanced, give fewer
evidenceso of returning loyalty. and mani.
fest less enthusiasm for the Union than
some of u sister States, it must be at
tributed to his chaotic condition =