The Democratic advocate., 1866-11-29
THE DEMOCRATIC ADVOCATE,
THURSDAY. NOVEMBER %, 1866.
Thc RadicaIs and the south.

DtdtSo SutoiSihS ehSH
schemes upon the Southern people,
doubtless every Radical is ready to re-
ply--that the South has been conquered
in war; and that it is the right of tie
conquerors to impose what terms they
please upon the vanquished. No mag
nanimous nation would undertake to
treat foreign foe in such manner
whom the fortunes of war had placed at
their mercy. Here, however, the case
is entirely different. Thepeople Of the
South are our fellow citizens; and they
were only irnpelled to the rash act of
rebellion by the well grounded belief
that the people Of the North were con
spring to seize on the machinery Of the
General Government to compel the
Southern people to accept the political
views of the Northern majority. Dis
guise it as we may, there is no wiping
out the fact that the first attempt at
sectionalism in politics came from the
North in the shape Of an anti slavery
party and that the same thing was only
done in the South afterwards by way of
retaliation. We know that Church or
ganizations had previously been divided
into North and South, and that bad
feeling on that question had been in.
crcasing in intensity; but that, SO far
from justifying the mixing of that dan
gcrous question in politics, was a suf-
ficicnt warning against it.
We are not going into discussion
now, as to which section was most to
blame in their ultraism in regard to sla-
very. We are satisfied at all events,
that the overthrow of slavery did not re.
quire of the people of the North to dis
regard the Constitutional compromises
made by our forefathers on the subject,
and to array against the South the con-
pact sectional majority of the North in
the shape of political party. The
South had reason to complain Of the
moral assault; but was il wonderful that
she took fire at the idea of mortal men
like themselves, undertaking to yoke
slavery to politics, aud TO hurl the bolts
of the Almighty. This was the first
great error that destroyed completely |
the political balance of the country, aud |
made the North and South two distinct
peoples, and made war possible from the
least indiscrction on either side.
We have stated thus much TO show
that the North was not blamelcss in
provoking this state Of things. The
South was indiscrect enough TO be
caught in the trap, and the total oger-
throw Of slavery, aud the sudden cman-
cipation of her millions of unprepared
slaves, has preeipitated upon US pew and
still dangerous questions. The Rcpub-
lisan party which helped to provoke
this war may thank their stars for the
imprudence Of the South in striking for
disunion, and thus arraying against
themselves the whole people Of the
North. That alone ensured the fnal
defeat Of the South, and overthrow of
slavery. This very Republican party,
all through the war, jcopardizi the
cause by their Gnatical fury, which Mr..
Lincoln could not always restrain to the
suitable moment. And since the cause {
Of the Union has triumphcd despite
their agency in bringing it into danger {
at first, and keeping it trembling in the
balance all the time, they With unbush.
ing impudence claim all the honors, and
by new and unheard of demands, over. !
riding the noble efforts Of the President 4,
of their own choosing, they continue to
bar the door against all Cancellation.
These Northern Radicals. with Butler
at their head, now threaten to re.invade
the South with fire aud sword, and 10
parcel out their lands among themselves
and the negroes, il tho people there do
not accept their offensive terms. The
South has gladly accepted the honorable
terms of Gen. Grant and President
Johnson-all she can yield with honor
and yet these men talk of trying over
again combat Of arms with people :,
who, before they agreed to surrendc or t,
those arms, often made the combined c
people of the North to tremble for the II
ssue They talk of renewing the war = !,
d force their mischievoul terms, with -
IN almost equal host of Northern Con G
ieryatives to oppose them What alb Il
'urdity Should they try it their lead t'
n might soon find himself corked up as J
lightly as Gen. Butler at Bermuda Hun. :,
lrcd. II
Seriously, to cut short the matter, il
will the sensible people of the North o
consent to be longer led by men who !, p
irst embroiled our eountrymen in war, e,
or purpose that would have come in al
lue time in peace, and who now cannot j
,h,o n.:. o.,,v,l ;,,,,,.oo.;oo,J. Il