Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1866-06-05
STANTON, VA, TUESDAY, JUNE 5, 1866.
Reconstruction,

Kec0nStructlon.
It is singular how repeatedly and persstently
human folly will overreach itself. The mo-
ment OF It's triumph is invariably the precursor
OF It's ruin; and the measures which it adopts
to insure the fruits Of victory are always such
as inevitably lead to its overthrow. Let us look
a little into the past it will teach US what we
are to expect from the present.
What triumph could have been more COM
plete than that Of the Puritans led by Crom-
well over the Royalists and aristocratic forces
In the Great Rebellion in England? Yet In
less than fifteen years afterwards, Puritanism
was dead, Royalty more firmly established than
ever; and all because men had become utterly
dlsgusted with the can't and hypocrisy of the
late dominant party, In 1915, a Congress OF
European Sovereigns and their ministers met
at Vienna. The Corsican Titan, who had sha
ken and shivered their thrones, who had led
France from victory to victory, from the Pyra-
mlds to Moscow, had sunk at last beneath their
overwhelming numbers and European Abso-
lutlsm was triumphant. The map Of Europe
was then rearranged to suit the victorious spoil
ers; the Holy Alliance was established; no
fears were entertained OF the resurrection OF
Bonapartism, and at all events, the most strin-
gent measures were adopted to prevent the
possibility OF It's resuscitatlon. Yet scarcely III
ty years have passed, and the treaties of Y Jenna
OF Europe a Bonaparte rules France andwe
can scarcely realize how the great revolution has
been effected. So examples might be multlph-
ed to any extent.
Where is the application? Our war is ended;
the party OF Capitalization and consolidation
now Wlelds the power Of government; it is using
Its victory as others have done before 1T. 1t Is
no prophecy-lt is only the simple application
OF the lessons Of the past-to say, that even the
before it witnesses the reaction. For reaction
is the logical and inevitable consequence OF ex-
cess. 1t would not be surprising If the posterl-
ty OF the conquerors adopted the principles OF
the conquered and should wonder why their ia
theirs had been so obstinately blind. Such are
the strange yicissitudes OF human opinions and
! human history.
There are grand occasions in the lives of ma
| tlOns, as III those OF individuals, when acts OF
magnanlmlty constitute the turning point to
greatness, when the failure to perform them re-
dIce5 to the level ct i,1tamy. Such an occasion
was offered, when bleeding and broken, borne
down at last by numbers, army after army OF
the Southern Contederacy yielded the useless
conflict, and the Southern Contederacy itself
vanished into thin air such an occasion was
then offered to the vlctors as, rightly used,
would render them memorable tor all time and
rebound to the permanent security OF the cOun-
try for which they struggled and the cause
which they fought to uphold. And here let US
render justice to some OF the gallant soldiers
who participated in the conflict they saw the
opportunity and would have embraced it. An
other, too, there is, whom accident has raised
to power, who has postponed the dictates Of
vengeance to the true policy for the occasion,
and to whom a disinterested and approaching
world already awards the need of praise. But,
With these exceptions, the party in power has
acted as, we must acknowledge, most parties
and most men would have acted. Nothing
more was expected of it. 1t might have said
to the South year ago, Or six months ago -.
We are brothers; let us be brethren still. -
That would have been grand, heroic, sublime;
1t aoould haze been statesmanship; but we must
acknowledge that it is not human nature.
Such q course would have soothed irritation
it would have cemented friendship; it would
have done more than the bloodiest victories to
establish the success OF the Union and the great
ness and harmony of our common country
Thus 1t Was Augustus turned CHINA from con-
splrator into friend, and effectually prevented
all further conspiracies during his reign. Thus
Rlcheeu made De Mauprat from sworn ene-
my his avenger. But here the occasion was
lost forever. The rulers of the hour will revel
IN their Saturnalla Of victory; but they will per-
lsh and be despised. Fifty years hence, and
We are fully persuaded that, if a magnani-
NOUS course had been adopted towards the
Southern States, they would have yielded, in
the impulsiveness of their gratitude, all ormore
than all that Northern justice or policy could
exact Now they are patient and passive their
foes have become their prosecutors; and these
prosecutors, IN their short-sighted zeal for the
perpetuatlon OF their own power, have taken
the surest steps to insure the realization of the
evils which they pretend to dread. They
eylnce a dlstrust ct the South, because among
other alleged reasons, they fear lest the South
ern people should join the enemies of the Uni
ted States In the event OF a foreign war. five
are to have a few years more of such rule in
Congress, as We have had, these fears will real
! ly have a good foundation. Mephistopheles
could not have inspired the action of the domi-
nant faction better for the accomplishment of
such a result than has been DONE Perhaps,
this will be q source of consolation to some Of
/ the restless spirits who, defeated and baffied,
have not abandoned the idea Of yet making Sc
cession a reality; but it inspires no consolatory
| feelings In the true friends of peace and union,
in those who prefer the common welfare to the
success of partisans and factionists.
We have no schemes of reconstruction to put
| forward, no amendments to propose to the Con-
stitution. ali we have to urge is kindly feel
ing and kindly action. Kindness was never
yet lost, either on individuals, or on communi-
ties and nations. = Washington Weekly N,sitor
For the Spectator.
For the County Court.
Mr.. Editor: AS the county levy will be laid
| at the next term Of the June Court, I think it