The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-11-21
Southern Indifference to Restoration
Serious Mistake,
From the Times.

From the Times
One of the worst signs discernible at the
south is the profession Of indifference to the
question OF restoration. The doctrine preached
is that since the Southern States are now
denied admission to Congress, they are content
to remain eXclEded for an indefinite period.
They have done what they consider enough to
Gnttle them to Congressional recognition, and
will do no more, be the consequences of their
refusal what they may. Take them at their
word, and they will not yield another point
They go further than this. Congress, they
insist, must give up the test oath before the
South will care to obtain admission Regarding
Journals like the Richmond EGdnolner as correct
eNponens OIL the feehngs and opinions prevalent
among the southern people, 1t IS plain that they
require not only admission free from all new
conditions. but admission unembarrassed with
test-oath disabilities "Unless we may send
men OF our own choice"-their argument runs
whose right to seats shall pass unchallenged
we Will remain out OF the Union; we will
neither make further concessions nor submit to
oat1s enacted to exclude the very men we
prefer"
These exhibitions of temper are to be re-
GREETED. To the extreme radicals they are as
sweet morsels, to be rolled under the tongue,
tor they afford prlTad fdcte evidence that the
South is still Rebel at heart, and should there
fore, be subjected TO more rigorous discipline
than has yet been enforced. To more moderate
hcpuDlCuUS IuSy are Il source OF serious embar-
rassment, for 1t is idle to plead for concessions
and concilation when they on who's behalf
the plea is urged doggedly refuse to concede
aught IN return. OF what avail is it TO ask for
torbearance when they for whose sake the re.
quest is presented assume the tone of masters
OF the situation" and claim the right of saving
on what terms they shall be reinvesJed with the
privileges of citizenship? If their object be TO
invite sterner and more sweeping measures, as
preteXt tor raising the cry of oppression and
tOT nurturing the FEELINGS and purposes of re-
bellion, their course would be perfectly intelli-
gi6le. On any other hypothesis it is unintelli-
gible.
1t thappens, however, that the journals which
are ioudest in the utterance OF the declarations
VIC nave adverted TO, are earnest in their advo-
cacy OF attention to material interests. They
are cVhiessedly wretchedly poor-their farms
ana plantations are IN a great measure desolate
-thelr laoor system is dsorgani2ed, and IN its
present shape experimental Material wants
press heavily upon them. They REQUIRE capitaI,
which must be obtained irom wlthout-close
attention 10 the labor available at their doors
and the introduction of labor from abrOad-the
patient plodding devotion to home Dursnits
which alone can elevate the South 10 the
standard OF prosperity which obtains al tbe
North. For these reasons the politicians affect
satisfaction with the aspect of public affairs.
They declare that they lind more than cousola-
tion for exclusion from the Union in the IN
creased oppoIt unities which they will have for
developing their material resources, and re.
trieying the disasters Occasioned by the war.
what we lose in political standing they assert
''Will be rs nothing compared to what We shall
gain from attention TO our own concerns." The
argument Of these men, y " nave any meaning,