Cleveland daily leader. [volume] ([Cleveland, Ohio]) 1865-1873, 1866-01-19
~e~e- e1d Reoonstruetion.

The Lone Star State is the last to wheel
into the line Of the Union after the recent
aglorious but unsuccessful attempt to es-
tabIish its Independence as it was the last
to succumb to Federal arms. Governor
Hamilton has called a convention to ar
range preliminariez, and ere long this last
of the erring sisters will be received to
fun communion at the national board.
This delay in calling 8 convention should
not be attributed to a besitancy on the
part Of the Governor or people Of Texas
to return to the Union. Instead of rushing
the State back into the Union on the heels
Of the overthrow of the Confederacy, and
before the people had recovered from the
shock, Governor Hamilton prudently
waited until the excitement was allayed
and the people had time for consideration.
Meanwhile, with a Provisional Governor,
the State was almost directly under the
control of the General Government and
thus able to be moulded to its will.
Governor Hamilton's proclamation,
made upon assuming the duties of Previs-
ional Governor, was bold and firm. 1t
clearly calculated the knotty points in the
policy Of the administration on the
slavery question, points so hard to be
eomprehended by the wilfully obtuse
Southern intellect. It was regarded as a
fnality by the people, and calmly accepted
as fate. The code was stern, as became a
determined ruler, and honorable, as be-
came a generous one. Public sentiment
regarded it favorably. Had the military
authorities subsequently acted upon the
principles set forth In that proclamation,
Texas would be to-day a more loyal State
than she is. A change has come Ver the
people. The great mistake was made in
not discriminating between the loyal and
disloyal element. The design was to con-
c~iliate, and favors were dealt out with
prodigal hand to the secession leaders.
Was a fat contract to be let, a prominent
rebel, the more bitter the better, was sure
to have the preference. He must bs con-
conciliated, convinced that the psternal
hand and purse were open to him as OF
old. A revolution in sentiment was the
inevitable result. Union men, who had
been compelled to exile themselves from
their homes during the war, and who had
looked forward to the advent Of Federal
armies as the time when they could re-
turn to their homes with the satisfaction
of knowing and feeling that they had been
in the right, and with the reasonable ex-
pectation of enjoying the fruits Of their
suffering, became discouraged when those
who had prosecuted them under the Con-
federacy were now elevated over them to
places of power and competency On the
other hand, the disloyal element which
expected nothing but stern and honorable
dictation at first grew confident and bold
under this heaping Of honors, cast off the
appearance of all real or simulated loyalty
as being nc longer expected or required,
and Haunted their sedition in open day.
Such a state of things exists at present.
and unless a different policy prevails,
Texas will at least continue in a state of
chaos which may eventually terminate
the seeds Of serious trouble. This con-
ciliating policy is the glittering humbug
Of the day. Instead of facilitating recon-
struction it is an almost in~surmountsble
obstacle in the way. It fosters the old
spirit Of iusoienr dictation which has al
ways characterized the South, and upon
which the glorious opportunity of putting
an everlasting quietus, so recently offered,
is thus being lost forever. The fact that
there is such an article of merchandise as
hemp should not be lost sight of. The
South must be made to know and feel that
their conduct is a stencil and an sbomina-
tion in the nostrils of every loyal man,
and that insolence and hauteur are neither
becoming nor admissible for them. This
idea once prevalent. reconstruction will be
but the work of a day. Without it, it be-
q farce.