The day book. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 1857-1867, 1866-01-17
RECONsTRUCTION.

the overwhelming numbers arrayed against
them, it was fondly imagined, by the great
body of the people, North and South, and by
the brave men who had SO often encountered
each other in deadly conflict, that the war was
indeed over; and that, before the commencement
ofanother year, the white wings of Peace would
overspread the land, and that her manifold
and countless blessings would descend like the
dews Of heaven upon our war-worn and battle
SCARED country Such was the ''hattering
JUNCTION" laid to our souls, and such was the
heart-feltprayer and ferventaspiration ofevery
man in whose breast the noblsr attributes Of
our nature found resting place. The Amer
lean people were heartily sick of war, blood
shed, and carnage, and earnestly desired the
return Of the halcyon days of peace. Such
men as Grant and Sherman and the other
great captains, who had borns the heat and
burden Of the day, and had led the Northern
hosts to victory, supposed that the object Of
the war had been accomplished, and that it
would not longer be prosecuted against de-
fenceless and unarrned people But how sadly
have these expectations been disappointed.
There is not in all the land a soldier in arms
against the authority of the United States
Government The brave warriors who sur
vived the contest have furled, in silence and
tears, the flag which they so long followed
through evil and through good report and
have returned to their accustomed avocatons,
prepared to submit as gracefully as possible to
the logic of events. But, Notwithstanding all
the "pride, pornp and circumstance" of war
have disappeared, the war itself is not yet over.
1t is still raging in the brain of those pestient
politicians who live and move and have their
being in agitation. Grant and Sherman, in
their simplicity, may think that the war is
over, but in the estimation of Sumner, Wilson,
Stevens, etid omne genus, it has just commenced.
While the war was sweeping over the land with
dreadful fury, they were safely sheltered from
the storm, and snuffed the battle from affair."
Perhaps during the four years of sanguinary
conflict, they never listened to the whizzing of
q
stroke. Certain it is, the historian of the great
"asbellion" will never record that they have
"sst squadron in the field"
But now, sinces the danger is overpast,
and the real work of the war is finished
sincs the real warriors have taken off their
harness, hung up their armor and returned
their swords to the scabbard, these valiant
carpet knights upon the political arena seem
determined to continue the f sht with words
words, words" They have never yet con.
ceivsd the idea that the hour of triump h is the
hour for magnanimity. They are unwilling
to tract their late adversaries, and cannot be-
lieve that high-minded and honorable peo-
pie, whose bearing during four long years Of
unequal struggle attracted the admiration Of
the civilized world, are in earnest when they
say that they submit in good faith to the
fortunes of war and the requirements of the
conqueror. They are not content that our
State conventions and legislative assemblies
have complied with all the requirements Of
the President in repudiating our war debt, in
repeating our ordinances of secession, and in
ratifying the constitutional amendment abol-
ishing slavery. They are not content thai
the negro has been made free and the equal Of
the white man. They insist upon making
him the superior of the white man in the
Southern States They are not content that
our fields he' been laid waste and desolated
our system of labor destroyed, and our people
impoverished They wish to confscate the
little remnant OF property that is left and
drive our wives aad children houseless and
psnniless into the world. After insisting that
ne had no right to withdraw from our co.
back into association with them, they now
contend that we did withdraw from them, and
that we cannot go back upon any other terms
than those imposed by the conqueror, Not
withstanding we pay our proportion of onerous
and burdensome taxes into the public treasury,
we are denied representation in tie National
Councils, and the credentials of our members
are sent to Committee on Reconstruction
with power to send for persons and papers.
Men may cry peace, peace, but there will be
no peace so long as wild, radical majority
shall be or rule at Washington. We do not
believe that they reflect the sentiments of the
great body of the Northern people, and we
feel certain that they do not reflect the senti-
ments of the Federal army When the terms
of the present incumbents shall have expired,
and the people are called upon to elect repre-
sentatives to new Congress, we cannot per-
NIT ourselves to doubt that they will select
men of more liberal and conservative views
who will be prepared to sustain the recon-
struction policy of the President. In the
meantime the people of the South must en-