The Conservative. (M'connelsville, Ohio) 1866-1871, 1866-09-14

Georgia Alabama, North Carolina and
Virginia, the public mind of the South
would have been far more healthy than
it is and those States which fingered
on probation to the last would have
been under a more salutary influence to
good conduct than if a dozen armies
watched over them.
Every month that we delay this
healthiul step complicates the case
The excluded populati IN, enough un-
settled before, grows more erratic; the
army becomes Indispensable to local
government, and supercedes il. The
Government at Washington is called
upon to interfere in one and another
difficulty, and this will be done inaptly,
and sometimes with great injustice !;
for our Government wisely adapted to
it's own proper functions, is utterly de-
void of those habits and unequipped
with the instruments which fit cen
tralized government to exercise author
| ity in remote States over local affairs.
Every attempt to perform such duties
has resulted in mistakes which havo
excited the nation but, whatever inn
| prudence there be in the method, the
roal criticism should be against the re-
QUESTION of such duties of the General
Government.
The Federal Government is unfit to
exercise minor police and local govern
ment, and will inevitably blunder
when it attempts it. To keep a half
score Of States under Federal authori.
ty, but without national ties and re-
sponsibilities; to obligo the central au-
thority to govern half the territory of
the Union by Federal civil officers apyl
the army, is policy not only uncon-
genial to our ideas and principles, but
pre-eminently dangerous to tho spirit
of our Government to be despotic, and
familiarizing the people to a stretch OF
authority which can never be other
than dangerous to liberty.
am aware that good mon are with
hold from advocating the prompt and
success admission Of the exiled States,
by the fear, chiefly, of its effect upon
tho parties and upon the freedmen.
1t is said that, if admitted TO Con
gress, the Southern Senators and Rep
resentatives will coalesce with North
ern Democrats, and rule tho country
Is this nation, then, to remain dismcm
bored to serve the ends of parties
, Have we learned no wisdom by tn,
! history Of the last ten years, in whicl
, just this course Of sacrificing the natiof
to cXigences of parties plunged US int
rebellion and WARP
Even admit that the power would
pass into the hands of a party made
up of Southern men, and tho hitherto
dishonored and misled Democracy o.
the North, that power could not be
vsed just as they pleased. The wal
has changed, not alone institutions, but
ideas. The whole country has ad
vancec. Public sentiment is exalted
far beyond what il has been Mt any for.
mer period. A new party would, like a
river, be obliged to seek out its chan
nels in the already existing slopes and
forms of the continent. aaII 60.
We have entered new era of liberty
The style of thoughts freer and more
noble. The young men of our times
are regenerated. The great army has
been school, and hundreds of thou
sands of men are gone home. to preach
a truer and noble view of human
rights. An the industrial interests OF
society are moving with increasing
wisdom toward intelligence and liber-
ty. Everywhere, in churches, in liter.
ature, in natural sciences, in physical
industries, in social questions, as vel
as in politics, the nation feels that the
winter is over and new spring hangs
in the horizon, and works through al
the elements, In this happily changed
and advanced condition Of things nc
party of the retrograde can maintair
itself Everything marches, and parties
must march.
hear, with wonder and shame anC
seorn, tho fear of few that the Soutf
once more in adjustment with the Fed
eral Government will rule this nation
Tho North is rich-never so rich the
South is poor-never before so poor
The population Of the North is nearly
double that of tho South. The industry
Of the, North, in diversity, in forward
ness and produotiyeness, in all the ma
chinery, and education required fol
manufacturing is half a century il
advance OF tho South. Churches In the
North crown every hill, and schools
swarm in every neighborhood; while
the South has but scattered lights, a
long distances, like lighthouses twink
! ling along the edge Of continent O
darkness. In the presence of such 1
contrast, how mean and craven the
fear that the South will rule the policy
of the land That it win have. an in
fuenee, that it will contribute, in time
most important influences or restraints
4 we are glad to believe. But, If it rises
at once to the control of, the Govern
ment it will be because the North, de
moralized by prosperity and besotteC
'lby grovelihg interests, refuses to dis