New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1866-09-21
TAKING THINGS FOR GRANTED.

Gen. Dix is a man for whom we sincerely desire to
retain our respect, Notwithstanding his gross blunder
of falling into bad company but while he is content
TO remain in the same boat with Copperheads I'M
blushngly unrepentant, and with semi-repentant
Rebels he must Of necessity resort to sophstry Tor
which we can have no respect at all Or this,
at the Union.square meeting, he gave US specimen
brick, which does not convey favorable notion Of his
idea of reconstructed edifce. He complained that
the Republican party still keeps up war OF passion
and of prejudice with unmidgated bitterness al
though all resistance to the public authority has long
since ceased" This accusation puts large majority
of Gen. Dixs fellowcitizens upon the defensive, and
compels discussion, however willing they may be to
avoid it. The comfortable theory Of Gen. Dig
finds no warrant in the facts. The murders
of Memphis and of New-Orleans throw over
his millennal fancies an air of grim and I'M
timely playfuness. There is fresh blood upon his
olive branches, and the goans of prosecuted men
mingle with his lively congratulations Treason, it
is true has changed It's tactics and beaten in public
war; is now fam to content itself with private hoStl-
tiles; but Gen. Dix, as statesman, must know that
it was in this way the Rebellion began, and that
in this way it may begin again. A gentleman who
undertakes his fellow citizens upon the du-
ties of moderation, should at least read the news.
papers; and we take it for granted that Gen. Dix is
cognizant of the fact that resistance to the public
authority has not ceased" we will say in Platte
County, Missouri, nor in the somewhat important
State of Texas; that dsaection, wherever dares 10
display itself has lost nothing Of its bitterness aud
intcnsy that the practical dsoyay Of the South is
still encouraged by that theoretical disloyalty Of
the North, of which Gen. Dix's new associates are
the earnest champions; and that, even in this city,
newspapers calling themselves respectable are not
ashamed to hint at cO Congresses and at the anarchy
which the desperate measures Of desperate men would
assuredly entail for longer or shorter period upon
the nation. II is to this unsatisfactory and dangerous
condition OF affairs while the President of the United
States is, every day prOclaiming his unrestrained
hostility to the Representatives Of the people, that
Gen. Dix would have the Republican party blinded.
Those who desire the absolute safety Of the Republic
are passionate" Those who would make areasona-
bic provision for the future "preudiced.' Those
who decline to trust their lives and fortunes to the
mercy Of ayowed enemies are guilty Of "uumitigated
bitterness" We are not to be Christian patriots with
a sufficient degree Of foresight aud prudence, but
Christian idiots fawning upon lloc-hcartod traitors,
and afiectonatey kissing the hands OF murde-ers anI
inccndares. religion commanding such liinit-
less faulty would forbid the exercise of any human
government whatever. 1t would have kept Gen.
Dix out of the army or at least reduced him to the
position of a nurse in the hospitals.
1t is worse than useless TO confound the reasonable
expectations of the nation with their partial and
satisfactory fulfllment. Il is dangerous to pretend
that the cessation Of hostltes has been followed by
perfect and raternal accord 1t is childish to urge
that We have nothing to DO but ia slide simply
back to old relations, remembering nothing, learning
nothing, and changing nothing. This would be TO
make the war as purposeess and as proftless the
duels Of schoo-bOys or the rcncounters Of village
scods; it would be 70 take ont of the contest all its
historic dignity and to reduce it to the level Of wide
spread waste and meaningless murder. We shall
think the Union fully restored when ALL Of whatever
complexion, who owe to it allegiance shall be sure Of
its protection; when man in South Carolina shall
have no more political weight than a man in New
York; when those who have forfeited their public
rights shall sink into the public insigufcance which
they have merted, and shall cease to disturb the
peace of the land by nsolent threats or by claims
once puere and impertnent;- and when the States
lately in ayowed rebellion shall sensbly acquiesce Gas
they have not yet done) in what Gen. Dix calls the
altered condition of their domestic relations"
-