Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1865-1869, 1866-03-30
Financial Influence Begins to Enlist Under
the Policy Of Restoration.

N-@N%AA'N@'N3
cess or defeat Of such measures, as the case
may be, will surely sooner or later be accom-
plished by these potent agencies. In a contest
between money-between the vital business in-
terests of country, and mere politics, sooner
OF later, the former will prevail. To this we
have looked for months past as the source of
relief fromthe extreme and pernicious measures
Of the present dominant party. 1t has been
slow in coming, and has not come yet. Men
have been blinded by passion, and it requires
time to dissolve the film that obscured their
vision. For four years they lived and prospered
without commerce with the South. The war
that cut off this trade generated profitable
and extensive business Of its own. Petroleum
suddenly became an imposing element of COM
mercial wealth. "Jeshuran waXed fat and
kicked" The North had for four years SO
prospered without Southern trade that it began
TO think that it was entirely independent Of
Southern production. Pride was gratifed BY
the thought, and the passion of revenge solaced
itself with the reflection that it would punish
the South without injuring itself Under the
influence Of this passion plan Of humiations
and punishments for the South has been devised,
not to awaken loyalty nor stimulate penitence,
but cause despair, degradatiOnand pauperism.
There was one man (from whom all the wis
dom in this country seems to prOceed) who
soon saw not only the wanton malevolence,
but the selEpunishing folly of this plan, and
threw himself in the way of its execution
That man was President JOHNSON. Leaving
out Of view his various utterances in regard to
the political aspects of the subject, he has, on
frequent occasions, .adverted to it in its fnan-
cial aspects, and exhibited the importance OF
Southern restoration and the establishment
of Southern industry as two conditions of fnan-
cial prosperity that cannot be dispensed with.
His clear mind, aided by his correct intorma-
ton as to the wants and the true condition of
the country, enabled him 10 reach and develop
this conclusion in advance even Of its fnan-
cial minds Of the North. One cause, too, that
contributed to this was, that placed by his
high office above the passions and tumults Of
ordinary political circles, and with an eye
single to the welfare of the whole country, he
could see objects to which the passions, prejU-
dices, ambitions aud selfish interests of others
blinded them. There are periods Of excite
ment when men see nothing save through
distorted medium. The nearest and most i'm
portant objects to them are thus viewed, and it
is only upon the recovery of right reason, and
often when too late, that they realize their
folly. Such will be the condition OF those eX-
tremists at the North, land their name is le-
gion,) who, from two diScreditable motives
revenge and lust for power-haye fomented
sectional discOrd, delayed restoration, para
lyzed Southern industry, annihilated Southern
trade, and left the North, almost unaided, to
bear all the pecuniary burdens Of the Govern
ment. This revenge and lust for power have
not only crushed the South, but have cost the
taxpayers of the North hundreds Of millions
of dollars.
In this connection it affords us pleasure to
refer to to the leading article in that influential
commercial organ, Hunts Merchants Magazine,
for April The opinions of so well informed
and able a financial organ cannot fail to attract
attention and to impress themselves upon the
commercial mind of the North.
The article we refer to is on " The Rehabili-
tation of the South" The prominent ideas in
culcated in this able and we'll considered arti-
Gle are that the South must be trusted that it
has, in good faith, accepted all the issues ad-
Indicated by the arbitriment of armS-that last
resort of States-and that the restoration of the
Southern States to the Union is not only de-
handed by considerations referring to our in
ternational relations, but is " necessary to the
prosperity of the country"
Speaking of those in the North who advo-
cate restrictive measures and the policy of de-
lay, this magazine says; "They apprehend
a. the renewal, under some form, Of the doc
'strine of secession, and the continuance of
laws oppressive to the race that the war
ss has enfranchised. We are convinced,
81 however, that such fears are groundleSs.
a. The South staked their all on the issue
of the war. They lost and now the here
sizes which gave rise TO il no power on earth
&" could vitalize. The constitutional amend
ment has also denationalized slavery, and
ss the people and the States are showing,
through their legislatures, and through
AZ private contracts with the freedmen, the good
&c faith with which they accept the situation.-
The time for peace has
" come. The DUTY OF THE HOUR Is REsroRA-
" TIoN The basis of this restoration must be
" mutual confidence, as the President has 50
" clearly indicated. The Southern States
" must invite this by assuming political atti-
1" tude before the nation the North by cordial
" acceptance of their assurances.
" We cannot safely permit colonial system to
- grow up among Us, tending, as it does, TO
" concentrate power in the hands of the execu-
" tive, and to enlarge it even to the dimen-
.. sionv OF imperialism. This lraS the real issue
.. upon ,ehich our fathers fought IN the rerolH-
90 ton; and It IS tangibly expressed IN their
90 lratcRloord- the reason lehy John HamPden
1" refused to pay ShiP-m0nsy-'RO taxation Nth
4. ont repreSentation' Till Our Southern States
&C ore Dermitted to hare their Senator's and Rep
% yesentativeS in Congress they are bit colonies
oftheiy sister cOHmoHOealthS, and can hare
" no Joint interest in our great national system
The lLIgasine speaks OF the South as " the
Garden of the Republic" which, before the
war furnished to the export trade Of the cOun-
try those staples which created American pre-
,onderance in the markets Of the world. Val
nable tables are published, illustrating the eN-
tent and value Of these staples. The opinion
:. expressed that the settlement Of all disturb
ing political questions can only be ell
fscted BY restoring the States Of the
South and re-estabIshing Southern IN
dnstrial pursuits and avocatiOns. The day will
NOT he distant when the United States will
throw into the commerce Of the world cotton
and tobacco to the value of s25O,OOO,OOO or
s9OO 900 900 when American bonds would no
longer be quoted in Europe at two-thirds Of
.beir mar value. This interesting article thus
oonclndes " Hence we see that every eOnsid-
" sration of national interest and public policy
90 REQUIRES the earlyrehabilitatiOn OF the South
4. arm Statas and restoration to the family oil
3. the Union and the Presidents eagerness 10
which the