Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1866-05-31
Bradford geporter.
Towanda, Thursday, May 81, 1866.
NEurRALs ON RECONSTRUCTION. e

/
met our eyes, in both of which an argus
ment is attempted infavor Of the inmediatel
admission of the rebel States, and full
restoration of all civil rights to the people
thereof These are leAing editorials in pa
pers protesting to be neutral in poletics or
perhaps, as they would-rather have it. IN
dependent of partizan organizations and
as both are moderate in tone, and generally
the day, we propose to point out some OF
the errors they have fallen into in the pro
ductons referred to. a.. o.. ..s-....lg. ii "a
1t is held in one Of these articles, that
the rebel States are doing wrong to- the
blacks in Withholding from them the right
of voting, and wronging the Free States in
claiming representation for their whole
popuation thus securing OOngressmen and
Presidential electors, in many cases, with
half the votes required in the Free States j;
| but that it is better on the part of the I'm
ion men, TO allow the rebels to inflict these
wrongs, than attempt to correct them. The
reason assigned for this is, that this wrong
doing of the rebels, in these particulars,
will be standing condemnation to them,
and that they never can succeed in elec-
tions while the charge of these wrongs
rests against them This is singular
doctrine for paper Of character to advo-
cate, and is strongly refuted by the recent
cxper fence of the country.
When the southern people, as was the
case up to the hour Of the rebellion, were
in the constant practice of the wrongs here
referred to. they never failed in their elec-
tions. Indeed, in later years. none other
than the most violent propagandists of
these wrongs could succeed at the cleo
tions. All ought to know this fact and
in the face OF this, we are now told that
that the southern people cannot succeed at
elections so long as they withhold from the
blacks the right of suffrage, and hold rep
resentation on non-voting population
Marvellously sagacious that. Then the
same paper tells US, that the republicans
can succeed in politics, and carry the cleo
tions, by having these wrongs to charge
upon the rebels, while if the Union men, by
national legislation, do away with these
wrongs, they will lose this advantage, and
be inevitably ruined as political organ
ization. In 1886, the Republicans had
these, and many more and greater wrongs
to chargc upon the South, and still failed.
What does the Post say to this ? 1t can
not have forgotten shat important election.
Besides, whoever before heard, that doing
right hurt man or a party? According
to this theory, the putting away of slavery
will work ruin to the Republicans. Some
school boy in experience must have written
this article The moral power of doing
right is of no avail in politics, tested by
this standard Out upon such moonshine
For ourselves, we like the standard Of
right, and desire that our party be guided
by no other If, as the Posi- says, it is a
great wrong to deny to the blacks the right
of voting lot the republicans legslate the
wrong out of existence as speedily az pos
sible so too, of representation on non
} voting population ; and SO of all other
regulations of the slave code. The recti-
tude and moral sense of the people will
sustain such action. As party, we had
rather go before the voters of the nation,
having bad the power, and corrected these
wrongs, than having refused, or neglected
to do 50, merely for the sake of having
these charges to array against our polit
, ical opponents and with what kind OF
consistency, and effect, could the Republi
cans charge these as wrongs upon the op
position, after they had the power, and did
= not correct them? Surely some neutrals
are wiseacrcs il politics.
: The other article referred to in the be-
ginning of this notice, appeared in the Err
aa1iner and Chronicle, the New York City
Baptist paper, which has been publishing
popular essays under the head of Thoughts
on Current Events" and under which this
appeared This production is the more
e plausible, and is penncd by clearer head
t 1t sets out by asserting that the country is
impatient for a settlement of the recon
t strnction question and, that the people
r. North and South, are suffering in their bus
mess affairs by its continued agitation II
making this assertion this papee is prob
: ably guided by what is known of the sen
timents Of those engaged in commercial
r pursuits, OF those Immediately influenced
by them but this is only small portion
of the people of the country-perhaps one
seventh--and we do know that away from
these marts, and among the great mass OF
voters, no such feelings prevail, except
among those who sympathise with the
,, South. In addition to this, it is only fe "
months since the writer this article con
tended that there was no necessity for hur.
: ry in this matter--indeed, that haste would
) be fatal in settling such grave questions as
are involved in the re-adjustment of the
country after such terrible conflict, and
such sweeping away of old landmarks