Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1866-09-03
Letter from Henry Ward 8eecher.

veption Of Sailors and Soldiers about to con.
vene at Cleveland. | cannot attend It, but /
| heartily wish it and all other conventions. OF
what party soe7er, success, whose object Is the
restoration of all the States late in rebellion to
their Federal relations.
Our theory of Government has no p ace tor
a State except nthe Union. 1t is justly taken
for granted that the duties and responsibilities
| of State in Federal relations tend to It's point
ical health, and to that OF the whole nation.
Even Territories are hastily brought in, often
before the prescribed conditions are fulfilled, as
if it were dangerous to leave community out
| side of the great body polite.
Had the loyal Senators and Representatives
of Tennessee been admitted at once on the as
sembling of Congress, and, in moderate sue
cession, Arkansas, Georgia, Alabama, North
| Carolina, and Virginia, the public mind Of the
| South would have been more healthy than it
| is, and those States which fingered on pr0ba
ton to the last would have been under more
salutary influence to good conduct than It
dozen armies watched over them.
| Every month that We delay this hcathtui
step complexities the case The excluded pop
ulation, enough unsettled before, grow more IT.
ritablc; the army becomes Indispensable to To-
cal government, and supersedcs it the GoY-
eminent at Washington is called to interfere in
one and another difficulty, and this will &c done
| inaptly. and sometimes with great INJUSTICE
for our Government, wisely adapted to its own
proper functions, is utterly devoid Of those
habits and uncQuipped with the instruments
which fit centralized government to exercise
authority in remote States, over local AFFAIRS
| Every attempt to perform such duties has re-
suited in mistakes which have excited the ma
| ton But whatever imprudence there may be
- 10 ooS +bo no
against the requisition of such duties OF the
General Government.
| The Federal Government is unfit TO exercise
| minor police and local government, and will IN
| cuitabiy blundcr when it attempts it. 20 keep
a half score of States under Federal authority,
! but without national ties and responsibilities;
to obige the central authority 10 govern bali
| the territory Of the Union by Federal civil Off
GERS and By the army, is policy not only un-
cougenal to our ideas and principles, but pre-
enlinently dangerous to the spirit OF cur Gov.
cmmenr However humane the ends sought
and the motives, it is, in fact, q course OF in
| struction, preparing our Government to be des-
spotic, and familiarzing the people to a stretch
Of authority which can never be ether than
| dangerous 70 liberty.
I am aware that good men are withheld from
advocating the prompt and Successive admlS-
sion Of the ezied States by the fear, chiefly, OF
| it's effect upon parties and upon freedmen.
1t is said that if admitted to Congress, The
! Southern Senators and Representatives will CO.
a!csce with Northern Democrats and rule the
| country. Is this nation, then, to remain dis
! ulcmbcred to serve the ends Of parties? Have
| we learned no vision by the history Of the last
ten years, in which just this course Of sacrtic
ing the nation 70 the cXigencles OF parties
minced us into rebellion and war?
| Even admit that the power would pass INTO
| the hands OF party made up OF Southern men,
and the hitherto diShonered and msled De
| mocracy Of the North. that power could not be
used Just as they pleased. The war has chang
! ed, not alone institutions, but ideas The whole
country has advanced Pubic sentiment is cx-
allied far beyond what it has been al any former
period 4 new party would, like 3 river, he
obliged to seek It's channels in the already ox
listing slopes and forms CT the continent.
We have entered a new era OF liberty. The
| style of thought is frecr and more noble. The
young men Of our times are regeneratcd. The
great army has been school, and hundreds OF
| thousands OF men are gone home to preach
| trucr and nObier view ct human rights All
| the industrial interests OF society are moving
with increased wisdom toward intelligence and
| liberty Everywhere in churches, IL litcEa-
in social questions, as well as in politics, the IA
ton feels that the winter is over and 4 new
spring hangs in the horizon and works through
all the elements. In this happily changed and
advanced condition Of things no party Of the
rctYcgade can maintain itself. Everything
marches and parties must march.
hear with wonder and shame and scorn the
fear OF few that the South once more in ad-
justmeut with the Federal Government will
rule the nation! The North is rich-never so
rich the South is poor-never before SO poo:.
The population Of the North is nearly double
that of the South. The industry CT the North,
ia diversity, in 1orwardness and produc,iyercss,
il all the machinery and education required
for manufacturing ishalt centuary in advance
Of the South. Churches in the North crown
every hi!l and schools swarm in every neigh
boyhcod; while the South has but scattered
| lights, at long distances, like light houses
twinkting along the edge Of continent OF
darkness. In the presence of such Z contrast,
| how mean and craven is the fear that the South
will rule the policy Of the land That it will
have an influence that it will contribute, in
time most important influences or restraints,
VIC arc glad to believe. But if 1t rise; at once
to the control of the Governments it will be
lccauso the North demoralizod by prosperity,
and bcsottcd by er0velIing interests, refuses to
discharge its share of political duty. In such
case the South not only will control the Gov
crnmcnt, but it ought to do it.
1t is feared, with more reason, that the
restoration Of the South to her full indcpond-
encc will be detrimental to the freedmen. The
sooner VIC dismiss from our minds the idea that
freedmen can DC classified, and separated from
the white population, and nursed and defended
by themselves, the better it will be for than
and Us The negro is part and parcel of South
crn society. He cannot be prosperous while
it is unprospcred. Its evils wi Il rebound upon
him. Its happiness and reinyigoration cannot
be kept from his participation. The restora-
ton OF the South to amicable relations with the
North, the reorganization Of its industry, the
Transportation of its enterprise and thrift will al
rebound to the freedman benefit. Nothing is
so dangerous to the freedman as an unsettled
-; -, IL s,tl, On ,;,a,