Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1866-05-03
The Cost of Radica lisMl.

The Cost of Radfcalfsnl
If The South erred in attempting to secede from
tie Northern States, she felt that the punishment
received had certainly been equal to the crime
committed But even il the dominant party
North thought differently in this matter, the peo-
pie of the South had fondly INDUCED in the hope
that the policy dictated by wisdom, if not of mer-
cy would be adopted. This hope has been crush
ed The uncertainty and doubt which enveloped
our future upon the surrender of arms has
rather increased than diminished. One year has
been lost in the political adjustment necessary for
the restoration of the Union, and it's effects upon
the material prosperity of the South is becoming
more visible every day. years industry has
been frittered away, and its paralyzing influence
is extending to another.
The end of the found the Government sad
died with debt which would almost crush any
other nation, and provision for its ultimate ex-
tinction should be the subject of the careful
sideration of all honest statesmen. And in view
of the immense resources to the Federal Treasury
being lost by the commercial and agricultural
stagnation in the South, a consequence of the
Radical policy, what mistake has been commit
ted. It has been wisely said by great diplomat
list that in politics, blunder worse than a
crime, and certainly no greater one, it seems to
us have ever been committed. The South may be
ruined as the fruits of the Radical policy but the
prosperity of the North will be drawn into the
tex So intimately connected the commercial
relations of the sections that in furnishing the
South, the North is punished also
Had Southern industry been stimulated and
Southern enterprise encouraged, the vast produc
tive wealth of this section would have been rem
dered available to the Government and the peo
pie the South. ere this, would have again become
the great market for Northern labor and capital
But instead of this, political blindness has aimed
at the complete prostration of our entire section,
ard as a consequence has deprived the Govern
ment of vast revenues and the business men of the
North of great channel of trade.
The Northern markets are beginning to feel the
effect of this political folly and doing, and
the newspapers already complain of the gloom and
dizziness which prevail in commercial circles
Large foreign purchases were made in anticipa-
ton of increased trade, but the Southern mer
chants the best customers of the North, have been
compelled to purchase lightly or refrain altogeth
er. The New York Herald very forcibly and truly
sounds the alarm follows:
A crash is impending Imported goods, ordered long
ago, in anticipation of immense Spring trade, pour
ing in upon our merchants, but no goods are sold What
is the of this stoppae in business 1t is the Rad
icalism of Congress. Our merchants counted upon
large influx of buyers from the South the
and the Union restored. The is but
Congress persists i'll keeping the South out of the Union
Consequently there is Southern trade. The Western
merchants here look about business doing
no rivalry, competition and conclude that they will
wait awhile before purchasing, until things get settled
There sale for the goods produced by
ufactories Presently the manufactures will have to stop
work Then shall see thousands of people thrown out
of employment starvation staring them i'll the face, their
children .crying for food Riots will follow and
perhasp a revolution. Why is all this ? Not be-
of the high price of god for gold is lower than
any during the Not because of the tariff for
that has not been changed since the No; it is be-
few dozen radicals i'll Congress have made their
minds to ruin the country, the next Presidential
election by negro votes, by the exclusion Of all votes
from the South 1t is because another rebellion,
wicked than the last Juggling at the vtals of the nation.
1t is because few at Washington prefer their party
to their country Let the people mark them well and
member them i'll the future.
This is the effect of the Radical policy, and yet
it to be the determination of that party to
carry it on to the bitter end. Party success the
object neither the helplessness the
welfare of the country will be permitted to inter-
fere with it's accomplishment. The cost to the
United States of the late may yet be insignif-
can't to the expense to be incurred, and the mis-
cry already suffered may be nothing to that yet
to be entailed upon the country.
str ihwufir it,