Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1866-04-26
Reconstruction.

The Nev York Observer has been of
that class of papers who favored and
"strenuously urged the speediest posi-
bic restoration of the insurgent States
to their old status in the Union," believ-
ing thereby that peace and unity would
be better subserved than in any other
way. But, in late number, it says
1--WE are panied by the necessity of say
ing that the information we get from
the South does not encourage us to
labor in this direction" and furnishes
some facts from its own correspondence,
and other well authenticated sources,
showing that the state of feeling, in the
South, does not justify immediate resto-
ration-that so much of the war spirit
still prevails that the people cannot send
Union men to Congress. 1t says
A pastor in one of the Southern
States writes as follows:
"It is fact that the ministers of the
Gospel in the South, who have gene
rally returned to their parishes, are al
most without exception bitterly op-
posed to-the Government, and are ex-
erting all their influence against loyalty
and reconstruction. 1t is the opinion
of candid loyal men, that they are ex-
erting a stronger influence in that direc-
ton than any other class of men in the
South"
After remarking that I'VE have many
other letters of the same purport," it
copies the following item:-
At celebration in Mobile, on the
10th, Mayor Withers being called on
for sentiment, said: 81 rise, Mr..
Chairman, to propose a sentiment
which, l think should not be omitted
on any occasion of this kind. mean
no treason, nor do mean to revive any
memories of the past which ought to
be dead and buried. 1 simply offer the
health of distinguished gentleman.
l give you, therefore, sir:
president Davis, soldier, states
man, patriot, prisoner. Our tongues
may be mute, but our hearts are with
him."
In view of these, and other like ut
terances, the Observer justly remarks,
to-wit:
Such sentiment given by the mayor
of a city. at public celebration, and
of course approved by the people, is a
sufficient explicit declaration of the
amount of loyalty prevailing. Here is
an act of homage to man as President,
who is the representative Of the entire
rebellion, and who cannot now be rec
ognized as President by any man who
is not thoroughly disloyal to the Gov
ernment of the United States.
Of what use, then, is it that we at the
North advocate the restoration of the
South to her status in the Union, when
the clergy still preach hostility to the
Government, and the Mayor of Mobile,
with the appreciation of his fellow
citizens, pays public honors to "Presi
dent'' Davisl To us it seems wonder
full that men can expect to have the
confidence, support and material aid
of the North, while they thus continue
to nurture and spread feeling of dis
loyalty and positive hostility to the
government, under which they live.
If the Observer, whose tendencies are
wholly conservative, as wellin politics
as religion, sees cause for hesitancy in
the work of restoring the late rebel
lious States to full and equal political
power with the loyal ones, surely Con-
gress cannot be censured for wishing
to 'swork slow"-for desiring to under
stand the temper Of the Southern peo-
pie, before asking them back to seats
and power.
The truth is, the South has been too
leniently dealt with--instead of making
her better, loving and serving the Gov
ernment and people thus merciful to-
wards her, it has rather made her
worse, and to-day that same vile spirit
of secession, rebellion, and all the other
damnable crimes associated with them,
has still control of the mind of the
South, and is workingitself out in abuse
Of the Government and its friends. So !
long as this unfriendliness to the Gov |