The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1866-03-28
WEDNESDAY, MARCH %. Isss.
The Rehabilitation of The son,t

VIII
H,7sfs Merchants Nsoasins for this
month has 8 very interesting article
upon the rehabilitation of the South
1t assumes the position that the great
issue nov before the nation is the sim
gle idea-"Shal we, or shall We not
trust the South2' In the solution Of
this question, the magazine comedies
with President Johnson. whom if can
trust especially as he is supported in
his opinions by leading military men.
But, aside from the views of the Presi-
dent and others, it believes that every
consideration of national interest and
Of national pride requires the prosecu-
ton OF q generous policy. Without i'm
pugning the motives of those who think
differently, it rejects the idea that il is
necessary to have security against a
repetition Of the controversy-that any
attempt will be made to revive seces.
sion, and the continuance of laws op-
pressiVe to the race that the war has
enfrsnchised. 'The South" it saws.
"stsked their ali on the issue of the
war. They lost and now the heresies
which gave rise to it, no power on earth
could v~italize. The Constitutional
Amendment has also denationalized
slavery, and the people and the States
are showing, through their legislatures,
and through private contracts with the
freedmen, the good faith with which
they accept the situation"
The frank avowAl of President John
son that the people must be trusted
with their Government" it is " persia
ded will be accepted in the same spirit
q which it was made" It continues
1t IS not by the holding Of the conquered
party 10 eXtravagant and humiliaung con-
dItiOus that the UniCn IS 20 be e.tebiished
anew, that civil law is to be maintained in
tEe southern commOnw eslths, and their
prosperity restored 10 / 3 former condition.
tuolgh that the majesty Of the nation has
been asserted and the problem Of secession
mas been determined by the arbitrsmapt Of
war, that the social system Of the South.
wAich many regarded as the original source
ul the mischief, has been overturned. The
Jme Tor peace has come, aud the duty Of
the hour IS restoration. The basis of this
restoration must be mutual confidence. as
the President has So clearly indicated. The
Southern $ ates must invite this by sssum-
lug q political attitude before the nation
the North, by cordial acceptance Of their
assurance.
The most important considerations of
public interest remand this. When the war
brFan, every one felt that the breaking up
Of the Union would involve the general dis
Indignation Of society, and endanCer our
national existence. The same feeling,
nightly applied, must lead 10 the universal
conviction that territorial dependence and
Iui4iisry subsection Of the Southern States,
expose us 10 similar peril. We cannot safely
permit o colonial system 20 grow up amopg
as, tending as II does 10 concentrate power
ia the hands of the Executive, and 10 en-
large DO even 10 the dimensions Of imberial-
Ism. This was the real issue upon which
our fathers fought in the revolution and IL
i- IaHFibly expressed in their w~stchwOrd,
the reason Why John Ilampden refused to
nav ship-money,@-No taxation without
Trureseutauou." Tai our Southern States
are permitted o. have their eenators and
Representatives IA Congress, they are but
colonies Of their sister commonwealth, and
HaN nave Ab INaAA AAkeANo AZ bAA hANeN IA
loual system.
This disorganized condition is liable st
suy moment 20 operate unfavOrably upon
cur foreign relations. We cannot press SO
boldly up IA the Britifh Government the
-sttlemeut of the questions Of International
lass arising out OF the spOlIations upon our
by priyateers fitted out, manned
and chartered Ia British ports nor venture
with proper assurance 20 demand the evac-
"a No.. WNhn General la al aTaEa
existing iu that Republic, aud the weak
ness of the acknowledged Government, az
ford 90 Macmillan ana his Gallican spOn-
aHr O. preteNL Tor the r armed occupation
almost as good as our own for military sub
.aetIHu oi tw0-thiTds Of our own territory.
90 ling as this state Of Affairs remains, the
possession of that territory is a source OF
relative national weakness. Livery i0relgn
statesman knows thus, and the diplomatic
u-lrrrspondeuce Of Me srs. Seward and Ad-
-ms cannot disprove 30 palpaple a fact. u
has bccu the great difficulty IN our iorelgu
intercourse: aud we appreciate the feelings
90 the President when ne declares that
s'Ihe moment IL can be announced
that the Union Of the States IS again com
r..fe, that We have resumed our career oil
.r.s1erlty and greatness, at that very lu-
.ftui almost all our foreign difficulties Will
Doc s.ttIed. For there Is no power ON earth
whIch will care 90 have a controversy or q
rupture with the GBverument OF the United
States, under such circumstances.
Mo wish most earnestly that congress
could take as broad and just q view Oh 'A's
question.
These are very sound and cogent req
sons for the prosecution Of the Presi
deuts policy to a successful consumma-
ton. They are statesmanlike aud
patriotic But the Magazine gives
other reasons based upon commercial
and financial considerations, and the
necessity Of the success of the policy TO
the prosperity of the country. The
vast region, il says, "lstely overrun by
Wat WAS the garden Of the Republic,
and furnished 10 our export trade the
staples ubi-b gaze as oar commercial pre-
rrsfrugcs a. us markets Of The r0Tid
And IN this connection it. publishes d
table compiled from the records oil the
Treasury Department Of Washington
Through the politeness of the Register)
showing the quantity Of cotton export
cd from the United States from 1883
$50 TO lS54-65, and the ports whence 1t
was shipped From this table it appears
that the expectations amounted in
..n .nH raa