The Plymouth weekly Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1860-1869, 1865-04-20
Extension OF the Louisiana
Scheme.

Scss3EsAc.
After four years Of bloodshed, in which
the south as been punished for her rebel
lion by desolati9n which has laid waste
her entire territory; the people Of the
North do not wish to visit her further in
vengeance. The people demand that
slavery shall be abolished We do not
join in that demand. but it is useless to
deny the fact that majority ofthe North
crn people make 1t condition in the re
establishment Of the Union They, how
ever, are disposed to make the terms of
emancipation as easy as may be consistent
with the accomplishment Of the object
In all else they are not only wiling, but
they insist, that the insurgent states shall
be permitted to return, with their rights
dignity. and equality unimpaired" This
Is The spirit Of at least tTo-thirds Of
the northern people, and they hoped that
the President IN the hour of victory would
act in harmony with this kindly spirit, and
assure the south that upon her .conceding
enan e;pation, and returning to obedience
70 the constitution, she should again be
reinvested with her oil privileges.
We could here reproduce in proof of
this statement expressions made within the
past few days by the press Of the Admin
istration party and We have been agree
ably surprised at tie unanimity Of such
expressions in that press-whch breat he'd
truly fraterEal regard tor the southern
people and demanded for them in sub
stance, the terms e.nbodisd IN the Cri.-
tonden resolution, save in the protection
when it affords 10 slavery This institu
.ion the South does rot now expect to re-
tain She knows il mas fallen in the pro-
cess ol thc var commenced by herself; she
accepts Tic consequences and the only
question II bc considered in connection
With il are the means by which the eman-
cipaton shall be accomplished The end
determined. there need De. and should be,
no serious difficulty is 70 the methods oI
reaching L.
It is not necessary ia order % reach Il.
that the ;nsareont st,tes should lie visited
with such de2eadation - ..oui>oua ha>
been made 10 undergo ia me establishment
CT the Aiaeoin-BanE, government. II hat
has this FRAUDULENT. corrupt scheme effected
there in The way Of reconciling he people
to the union. and the authority which.
supported bv bavonets. It IS enabled to
exercise We hold" SAYS the leading
administration newspaper, Just 80 much
Of the state rs is covered by the lines Of
our pickets.' Two years of administra
tion under iIahn, Do>tin & Company, sus-
tanned by The bayonets q cur armies. has
but served TO deepen the hatred which the
people Of louisiana felt Tor the union when
they entered into the rebellion has but
scAved to incite them to guerrilla warfare.
in the absence Of regular force TO pro-
tect them. and 10 confirm tnem IL the
opinion that it is better to die in the last
ditch" than become subject to a govern
ment 50 oppressive, corrupt and revolving.
We say The practical working Of the
bogus state government in Louisiana has
produce these results, and VIC hardly
think loyal men Will challenge the proof
we have adGuced to sustain the assertion.
Yet, in the face of these facts. with The
knowledge that the bayonet is in fact the
only government that Is in that state to-
day, and with So long period TO test the
efficacy Of this experiment, the President
proposes to extend it as means Of paci-
fication and reconstruction to all the in
snrecnt states. Truly our victories have
conducted u 10 4 lame and impotent con-
clusion, If he be permitted to carry out
the policy forcshadowcd in his speech.
We cannot well imagine how the seeming
" diving rebellion could be doctored into
renewed life and vigor better than by
making such a proposition to the south
ern people. Perhaps Congress could de-
wise a nostrum that would prove more
cfficscious for the purposo but we think
its ingenuity would be sadly puzzled in
the effort 1t is its privilege to try, soon
or later, and there are many indications
that it is not disposed to resign its pre-
rogatiye. Us neither it nor the President
can lawfully do more than assist the in
surgent states in clearing obstructions
from the path Of return, the latter should
at once take the work into their own
HANDS, and by the election Of senators and
representatives to congress, and of state
officers, sworn to the support Of the con-
stitution, settle the question of reconstruc
ton in the shortest, easiest, only lawful,
and most practical method ChicGyo
Times.