The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-08-08
Mr.. COlfax at Home-th South and Its
Sins.

Mr.. COlfax at Home-the South and Its
Sins.
From the Times.
Mr.. Speaker Coliax has mounted the stump in
Indiana, and is preaching the doctrine OF re-
pentance and good works as essential TO the
restoration OF the Southern States to their
former places in the Union. He refuses to
believe that the Southern people have repented
Of the heresy of secession and the SINS into
which 1t led them; and denghts in Oaintiug
them as yet Rebels with hands and skirts yer
wet with loyal blood He sees in the Sonth
little beside a spirit of hate; treason ls, in MS
judgment, rampant every where; and he enioin,
upon his hearers the i4ecessltv of keeping it out
of the Union until its people attain to his
standard OF political righteousness.
But although Mr. ColiaX INDUCES in very
sweeping accusations against the South and
what he call, It's unTeI entant disloyaty," he is
not very eXpl cit in his statement OF The grounds
upon winch his charges rest. As we read his
speech at South Bend all his railing may be re
duced to two points. One is, that the Fourth OF
July was not celebrated as enthusiastically rs it
ought to have been by the juthern peOpe thu
other, that not lths an ling the de eat OF their
armies a,d tue overthrow of their cause, theY
persist in maLntar ing that they have rights
which The General Government is bound TO re
speCt. These are in Mr. CollaX's mind heinous
o1enses, TO be repented OF IN sackclotn and
ashes before reganng admission into the Con-
grGssional temple.
The south must acknowledge that, having
been defeated IN var, it has no righG5 wnIcn
the conqueror should be required to recognize,
and that It rs therefore dependent Tor whatever
political status 1t may hereafter enjoy upon the
generosity OF CONGRESS. And hating lost every
thing OF which the Union Is supposed to be
the symbol, having forfeited all title TO shelter
under the Constitution, having been reduced
by the force arms to Il condit on OF vasSal Ige,
the like OF which no civilized conqueror dreams
ofimposing, the south is eXpec ed to be crate
fully ecstatc when independence Day reminds
it OF what II has lost. In other words, Mr..
ColiaX would have our Southern bTethrel
prove their unutness Tor the prerogatlves of
freemen by con essing themselves sers Or slaves,
and hypocrltcaliy blessing the authors OF their
altered lot.
1t does not seem to have occurred to Mr..
CollaX that the proper time Tor the Southern
States to rejoice rs members of the Union
established hy our athers wll be when they
are fully restored to the privileges which mem.
bershp impues. II they hunt thar having been
brought back inIO the Union they have rights
to be regarded, they are gruflly told that IN
stead OF talk ne OF rights they she uld Cring2
and supplcate Ior mercy. II they suggest that
until they are restored t. the position which
throughout the war they we're invited to re-
occupy, they have no cause for sing nc hO-
sanuas 10 the l'nlJn whose doors are closed
AGAINST them, they are scOlded as "unrepen ant
Rebels" How NAV tney satisfy gentlemea like
MIR. ColaX, eXcep by TesOrrng to the hGri.kdri?
Even then they would not please him, for the
grave heeds not he Fourth Of July.
Nor has Mr.. CollaX considered the desirable
ness OF allo wing the South to IP-entcr the Union
with full measure OF sefrespect. D2tesJ its
rebellion as We may, at least 1t proved itself a
toe worthy OF our steel, and there is neither
eXpediency, nor dgnity, nor Christian puncIple
IN the PROPOSAL to treat 1t With harshnesS un-
known TO modern warfare. We may INSIST that
the Southern people shall come back in good
faith 10 uphold the Union Nhlch has a9ser ed us
authority over them but to ask them TO come,
except as equals under the COnstl .utlon, would
be to insult and degrade them.
So Tar as our opportunities of studying South
srn sentiment eX end, we discover nothing to
warrant the opinions expressed by Mr.. Col;ax
in his vnd'Ca'lOn OF Congress. 1t is possible,
no doubt, here and there to tind in the South
newspaper or noisy polite an full OF the nom
sensCal dIslOyqltv which forms the staples of
Vallandlgham's harangues in Ohio. But view
ing the Southern press as whole, and the y IbhC
men OF the South as a class, we trace a spirit
which has no affinity to that OF which Mr.. COlfaX
speaks. There Is degree OF moderation which
should silence slander, and declared re ld'Ness
to abide by the situation and IT'S results, Wulch
should sat ST, every National Union man. There
are complaints about the course OF Congress;
there are allegations affecting the good taIth of
the General Government in ITS treat nent OF the
South; there are alluslons to the orincioles OF
the Constitution and the rights it conters upon
the individual States; but these are presented
tempera'ely, and IN mannet to which none can
fairly object.
Better evidence upon this point cannot be
had than that which has been turni she'd in
COnupC'lOH WIN Ine CnOlCe OF uele9dteS TO Tue
Philadelphia Convention. The list up to thls
time received rom t1e South is not without
flaw or 0lem'sh. 1t EN- braces some names that
will not adj weight to the proceedings. But
as a whole 1t IS emnentlV Credilable to the
good sense and moderation of the Southern
people. The delegates are tor the most part
men OF character and standing in their respPc.
tive localities, and tLere are reasons for belIev-
ing that they will enter the Convention I'M
pressed with the convection that they will best
serve the South by acting dlsCreetly aud Ia a
spirit of torbearance and conclIatIon. Every
where determination appears TO have been
felt 10 leave Gemagogues at home, and to send
prudent conservative delegates. In some ises
deleeates have declined the appointment on
the ground that their presence micut lead 10
misapprehenslon, Governor Brown, of Georgia
being oil the number. We look in vain Tor the
"unTepe ntant dislOyalty" which Mr.. ColiaS
dwells upon by way OF lusthc
The London Reform Demonstration.
From the 1rIOune.
4. II