Holmes County farmer. [volume] (Millersburg, Ohio) 1857-1926, 1866-01-04
From the y. y. Times, Dec. H.
hostility To RecOnstruCtiOn--A
Had spirit.

indicate a settled purpose of obstruction -
There is no end to the requirements and
conditions they would impose. They are
captious, exacting, implacable, not 50 much
from devotion to any principle as from
original bent They deal with the whole
business in the Shylock mood. Their main
study seems to be to feed fat the ancient
grudge." This spirit ought to be marked
well. 1t is the spirit of evil. 1t is without
wisdom, and can work mischief only. lfit
shall prevail, as certainly as fate the late war
viii have for its SEQUEL reign of sectional
hute and strife that will he iraught with
financial calamity and with disgrace to the
republican name. .s.B az
Enough lihs transpirod since the war to
prove that the Southern people are sincere
! " desrous Of genuine reconciliation.
They have with one accord acknowledged
themselves utterly vanquished. They be-
4 gan by accepting the broad amnesty oath
o. President johnson without hesitation or
reserve. They continued by putting them
selves promptly into the path which he in
dicated would take them back into the
Union. They received the leaders he as
signed them a. Provisional Governors, and
treated them with all respect and conli-
dencc, though many Of them had never be-
fore been the men of their choice. They
elected conventions, composed for the most
part of men in full sympathy with the
Government, and these conventions remOd-
eled the State Constitutions in substantial
accordance with the suggestions Of Presi-
dent johnson Their Legislatures have
been animated with similar anxiety to
sati,fythe Government at Washington. We
believe that there has not been an instance
ofa persistent holding out 10y any Southern
Convention or Legislature against any
solicitation of President johnson for the
adoption of any measure that in his Wow
would facilitate the work of reconstruction.
1t is true that the elections for State officers
and for Congressman have been in many
+, cases unsatisfactory. Yet there is no evi-
dencc that such elections were inspired by
opposition to the Government There is
reason to believe that such elections were
Influenced by personal predictions and
preiudices rather that by political mOtiv, s.
At all events, taking the action Of the South
ern people since the close Of the war as q
Uhotc it has been cmncntly reasonable and
proper History might be searched with
out finding another instance Off vanquiShed
people submitting with so good grace. No
body would have venturcd to predict 1t Il
year ago. 1t is opposed to every old con
ception of the proud and impracticable
character OF the southern people.
The great question Of the day is, now
that we have this display OF good sense and
good feeling in the southern people, wheth
cr we shall encourage it, and make the best
of it, or meet it with distrust and aversion
a 1t is shame that there should be such
!, question. The duty of the Government
and Of the Northern people in the premise,
ought to be plain enough to every man tt
. exclude all question. As victors in the war
wc are bound hg every manly scntimenSt'
n generous policy of reconciliation. A
mon men, in consistent devotion to tha
cause in the name Of which the tcrribl,
struggle was maintained, We are morally
' obliged, in consistency, to do our utmost tt
g have the Union fully restored Just so soon IA.
i it can be done safely, and without sacrifice
e of principle All sacrifice of principle it Is
= true, ought to be opposed. The time oI
| sacrificing principle to the South for tho
T. sake of cancellation and peace has passed
forever. There will never be another com
promise Of right with the South, and W,
thank heaven for it, Bit nothing of the
Kind is asked Tor now. The only sacrltjc,
that is called for is Il sacrifice of feeling.
- That ought to le made to the last title. -
= Every old animosity and resentment shoul,
e he utterly cleared from our souls Ever.
# memory Of former wong should be eIacoc
: forever. The tavorablr disposition of tn
u Southern people should be met with Il tru
C brotherly spirit, and the way should be mad
u clear for their early return to the cnjoymcn
Il of the common hirthright, They are sui
:, icring people. The war has left thcm de>
II olatc Poverty broods from the Atlantic {
's the Rio Grandc No change ispos,ible NJ
IT til the securities aud blessings Of the Cor
II stiution are restored The political an
T. social system of the South must be relieve
. from all uncertainty, and receive that Stn
tc uluu, that can come only from particip;
ip ton in all the tullncss of American htc
~ This speedy consummntion is lust ~ nee,
vi l'ul for the nation at large rs for the Sou'I
is The national finances, rs all admit are b
t. set with peril They rest on foundation
le irredeenable paper, which never has be,
Il and never can be a safe basis. W hat
le more necessary than all else to stay up Il
i national credit, and TO restore souudncss
to all the business operations OF the cOuntr
II is II rcgalning of something like the o.
h equilibrium of trade between this and i0
clgn lands. But the preponderance mu
continue to be scores of millions against
q. until the great Southern staples are rcpr,
rs duccd aud supplied for export. AS II pr
"a requisite to that, the South must AGAIN
OFF yitaliAcd with the life blood of our instit
of tons Keep her under the iron heel OF
en- military government and there will be
of more chance of her acquiring energy al
thrift than there is in the ease of McXic
NJ Treat her with harshness and she viii yie
TX to Encouragement, or what would be 81
Us worse, to rancor and yinlictivenGs3, III
a South would be worse, even, than pa
ed alyzed limb upon our body polite.
rr would be an ncurable ulcer, cankering a
he consuming the very life OF our nation
m system
m OF any specific measures Of reconstrr
of ton, we do not now speak, We do not /
4, gard it as question of measures SO mu
he as of spirit let truly liberal spirit pi
Iot vail in Congress, and it would very cas-
,d shape all the measures neediul t0rjust, "a
og and quick reconstruction, Having "a
spirit, President johnson has carried |
ire construction to its present stage in Il wo
on deriul short time, lie has made no GO
IA cession of principle, and yet he has inspir
up the Southern people with such conlidcn
M, in his good win and fairness, that there
be- nothing he asks of them which they do 4
led cheeriully accord. Noman, to-day is nc
nd popular with the South then he. Conrr,
by has but to complete the work ofreconStrl
I'VE ton in the same generous spirit to bind I
zen South to it and to its present Northe
lis constituents with the hooks oisteel. Ii |