The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1866-01-05
OARL sCHURZs REPORT.

Carl Schurz thus sums up the conclusion OF his
Southern tour: .....t t..
may sum up all I have said in n few words.
II nothing were necessary but to restore the ma
chnery of Government In the States lately in re.
bcliou IN point Ut furm. the movement made to
that end by the people ot the South might he con-
silered satisfactory.
But If il is required that the Southern people
should also Accommodate themselves To the result
of the war in point Of spirit, these movements
fal. far short Of what must he insisted upon.
The loyalty 0f the masses an,l most Of the lead.
crs of the Southern people consist in submission
To necessity. There Is, except in in,iiSidu duai ln
stances, an entire absence of that national spirit
which forms the basis oftrLe loyalty aud patriot.
ism.
The emancipation of slaves is submitted Ia only
in 50 far rs chattel slavery In the old form could
not be kept up. But. although the freedman IL
no longer considered the property Of the indiyid
ual master. he Is considered the slave Of society,
and all independent State legislation will show
the tendency to make him such. The ordinance
ab0shing slavery, passed by the convention un-
der the pressure Of circumstances. will not be
looked upon rs barring the establishment Of q
new form of servitude. Practical attempts on
the part of the Southern people TO deprive the
negro Of his rights as freedman, may result in
bloody collisions, and will certainly plunge South.
ern society into restless fluctuations and anarch
ical confusion.
Such evils can DC prevented only by continuing
the control Of the National Government 10 the
States lately In rebellion until free labor Is fully
developed and firmly established, and the advan.
| tages and blessings Of the new order of things
have disclosed themselves. This desirable result
will be hastened by q firm declaration on the part
| Of the Government that national control In the
South will not cease until such results secur-
ed. Only In this way can that security be estah.
L .I.nlt sl...S
immigration possible, and such immigration
would materially aid o favorable development Of
things. The solution Of the problem will be very
much facilitated by enabling NIL the loyal and free
labor elements Of the South to exercise healthy
influence upon legislation It will hardly be pos.
sible TO secure the freedman against oppressive
class legislation and private persecution unless he
be endowed with o certain measure Of political
power.
As to the future peace and harmony Of the Un
ion IL is of the highest Importance that the people
of the States lately in rebellion be not permitted
| TO build up another peculiar institution" whose
spirit is in conflict with the fundamental princi.
Piles OF our political system; for as long as they
cherish interests peculiar To them IN preference To
those they have IN common with the rest Of the
American people, their loyalty to the Union will
| always be sustained.
| desire not To be understood rs saying that
there were no well meaning men among those who
we've comprised in the rebellion. There are many, +,
but neither their number nor their influence IL
strong enough to control the manifest tendency
Of the popular spirit
There are good reasons To hope that deter.
mined policy an the part OF the national Govern
ment will produce innumerable and valuable con
versions. This consideration counsels lenity rs t0
persons, such as is demanded by the humane and
enlightened spirit OF our times, and yigor and
hrmness in the carrying out Of principles, such as
| Is demanded by the national sense of justice and
the exigencies of our situation.
In submitting this report desire to say that !
have consciencously endeavored TO see things rs
they were, and to represent them rs saw them.
have been careful not to use language stronger
than was warranted by the thoughts intended to
express.
| A comparison Of the tenor Of the annexed doc
uments with that of my report will convince you
that I have studiously avoided oversta,ements.
Certain legislative attempts at present made In
south Carolina, seem to be more than Justiiying
the apprehensiOns have expressed.
Conscious though am of having used my best
cndeavOrs to draw from what | saw aud learned
correct general conclusions, yet | am far from
placing TOO great n trust in my own Judgment,
when interests OF such magnitude arc ut stake.
know that this report Is IA complete as an obser
vation OF u few months would enable me to make
IL. Additional facts might be elected, calculated
| to throw new light upon the subject. Although
see no reason for believing that things have
changed for the better since left the South, yet
such may be the case Admitting then, all these
possibilities. still would entreat you to take no
irretraceable step towards relieving the States
lately in rebellion from oil national control. until
such favorable changes are clearly and unmistak-
ably ascrrtaned.
TO that end, and by virtue of the permission
you honored me with when sending me out, to
communicate to you my views rs to measures OF
policy proper to be adopted, would now respect.
fully suggest that you advise Congress to send
me or more Investigating committee into the
Southern States, to inquire for themselves into
the actual condition of things before final action
is taken upon the readmissOn of such States to
their representation in the legislative branch OF
the Government and the withdrawal Of all ma
tional control from that section Of the country.