Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1865-1869, 1865-10-12

i
his wounds, takes off his tattered uniform,
burns his Confederate colors, and walks to
the polling booth to put in his ballot as he
would have done before secession. The only
true philosophy is to look upon the past as
something with which We have no more to
do, and to treat the present moment as the
hrSt OF 4 new existence. The Southerners
appear to be anxious to draw pen through
The history Of the last five years, and to take
up the Union where they LETT it. This is not
entirely possible, since during this time
great revoution--the emancipation OF the
negroes-has broken the framework Of So
ciety. But this the SoutherneTs accept with
a readiness remarkable even in Americans,
and ask almost with unanimity that the
Union shall be restored on its old footing.
They profess loyalty to it, and declare,
doubtless with sincerity, that they have no
reasonable afterthought in demanding res
titution Of their civil rights.
Whether these rights should be restored;
how far the Southern States should be per-
mitted selfgovernment what should be the
interference of the Federal Government in
the relations between the white and black;
whether some organic law on negro suffrage
should be passed and enforced over the
whole Union when the military force which
now main !ains order should le,ySthdrawn-
are questions on which men widely differ al
the North, and they will be for some time to
come the chief subjects Of party strife. But
we think Mr.. Johnson, in his liberal treat
ment OF the South in all these matters,
shows political wisdom and a true apprecia-
ton Of the differences which have divided
the two sections of the Republic. The
principles which he eaOunced in his speech
to the Southern delegation at Washington
the other day are consistent both with his
former acts and his present policy. They
are simply that the Union must be main
tanned at all hazards, by any means, and
against any man or party, but that, the
Union once secured, the rights and political
independence of the States arr the best
guarantees Of national prosperity. Slavery
is gone and the Rebellion is over. This be-
ing the case, the restoration Of all the States
to their former relations with each other and
with the Federal Government is desirable.-
" While ! dreaded and feared dIsintegration
OF the States" say the President, 81 am
equally opposed o consolidation or concentfa-
tion OF power here, under whatever gulso or
name they bear; ana fthe issue is forced upon
US shall endeayOr to pursue the same efforts
to dissuade from this doctrine running to ex-
tremes, but say let the same rules be ap.
piled. Let the Constitution bc our guide
Let the preservation Of that and the union
of States be our principal AIM This theory
undoubtedly tends to give the South an
earlier and larger possession of political
power than is thought safe even by moderate
men of the Republican party. But We think
that the confidence of HE President, and the
bold libeTafity o: his policy, are not likely
to be in vain. The secession OF the southern
States was the natural termination oHa cou-
dition OF things which had its origin in the
very foundation of the tepublic. ne jea-
lousy between North and South, , which
deepened at last into hatred on the part Of
| the latter, had several causes, the chief
| being the existence of slavery in one region
aud the attack upon it in another, II fur
thermore, the anger with which thY atlthern
States found THAR proportionale ts. suce
EeaFT s Aimaisnnss.aa b. the hHsoaSdSs STdsSsfm n s
temperate regions of the North. u OF
these causes exist no longer andno, y the
second, the South must every yessgrs scome
more powerless to give effect TO an hagrin
it may cause. The chief grounds 'eP larrel
are removed, aHd those that relhaIi are
henceforth innoauous. The worst Dill the
Federal Government can fear is $sat the
| Southerners, in their political Intercourse
with the North, may become tactiOus and
perverse. This, indeed, is not unlikely
| but ii is an inconvenience which can well be
| borne, and which is sure to decrease with
| them. All the better instincts Of the people
will be against carrying on a war OF words OF
| of votes when the war Of weapons ha; failed,
| and they will surely find their interest in
| submitting cheerlully TO the destiny which
has linked them forever TO the Northern
States. After ali, it is no grievOus doom TO
form part OF the American Union, even
though State patriotism may be vsxed by
the insignificant part which Virginia and
| South Carolina must play in comparison
with the time when they were leading re
Dublics in The Union. President Johnson
| probably sees that both necessity and in-
terest bid the conquered States to lie loyal,
and for this reason he restores to each OF
them its institutions, and to its citizens their
| liberties and property.
|