The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1866-02-07
THE SOUTH IN CONGRESS-

l1L NOU LII LIN OV@sNf
At last accounts Congress was still dis
,ussing thsrelatioAs which the Southern
81. ss bear towards the Federal govern
nsnt, and endeaypring to come t Z. some !
conclusion as to the proper disposition to
make of those who were recently aiming at
The overthrow of the government OF the
United States. This question seems to be
difficult to solve by those who have control
Of the Legislation of the country. On the
one hand the President, with small band
faithful supporters, seems to be convinced
that the South has already suffered enough
that the Southern people may now be safe
" entrusted with the administration otl
their own affairs, and thatit is time forsthe
Southern States to- resume thelr.plases IN
the Federal Union. On the other hand
the Radical Republican members, burning
with hatred towards thsiSouthern people,
and anxious still further to wreak their
vengeance on them fortheir supposed SINS 9
in the past four years, seem to have set
their faces against the readmissio" ofthe
Southern States, unless they shall come
clothed with the badge Of dishonor, and
|hampered by conditions which will forever
keep them under the control ofthe Northern Ort
! Radical majority. The Radicals evidently
l|have the numerical majority, and, as they
have the power, there can be little douo'
that they will carry all their measures into
execution. We must not be surprised
{ therefore, if their policy should succeed, tn
j Southern members be kept indefinitely gu
f Of their seats, and negro suffrage finally en-
tailed upon the Southern States as cond'
ton precedent to their admission into til
e Union. ~
g Knowing the sentiments Of the ruin !,
! party at the North, we have ceased
IS look with the slightest interest upon tn
n deliberations Of the National Legislature
is We scarcely ever take the trouble to rea
Is the accounts of its proceedings, confdel
Il that nothing that the people Of the sou'
is can do would have the slightest intiuen'
r on the legislation intended for their bench A
We feel that itmatters little what Congre
may do or say, that our condition W
70 hardly be altered by any results that G
De be hoped for from the body as it is g.. nc
II. constituted. Ifthey wish to impose t
er ritorial government on the South we $
'rs but little difference between such COVE
TO ment and government, which, under
e name of a State, is ruled at Washlngt
-, and administered by the hands OF mlllt'
officers at the point Of the bayonet. !,
,.s they desire to keep us out OF the on
~, Altogether, we shall certainly be no wo
tha off than we should be in Union OF WI
d we cannot be equal members. m
vet For our own part, therefore, we are
!. 7. favor Of letting the Black Republican p'
alone, and leaving it to waste its vel
L Il
our and fury on the South in itsown good y
no. Instead Of begging favors at its hands
the would have the South devote itsel
in its own material welfare regardless Of
will nature Of the government under which
ends live, and careless whether we live u
any government all. If those of the n
who are disposed to give US our rights
turn remain firm, their ranks will soon be
Jerks up by other Conservative men, and
race, time is not far distant when they will
lit ID their power to supplant the dom
IA party, which is now using its power 1t
pular destruction of the rights Of the Sou
him. States. When thai nme spali 'o"e
vii when the influence Of the Southern
Ware shall be needed to strengthen the ]. han g
d will the Conservative Northern masses,
,orage be time enough lot ooa'neln men "
an interest in National politics.
81 s1g&s 1L,lSE - - ti4st T9ss