Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1866-06-07
PURPOSES Of the Radicals.

SO
II Can any mortal man be so under the influence
of party or sectional prejudice, as to see anything
| in the policy of the Radicals, which has for its
object the gooss of the country? Have they yet
proposed or suggested anything at all likely to be
of the slightest public service? Are not all OF
their measures and propositions calculated to pre-
vent the return of the country to the channels OF
prosperity, in which it was so smoothly running
before the war? It would seem that every intelll-
gent man would see this and it is utterly impos-
sible, upon the presumption that the American
people are sane that they should be much longer
deluded by the INSCRIPTIONS fanatics who now
rule as with rod of iron, and disregard the clear
est teachings of common sense and the require
ments of duty
The country is torn and distracted-crippled by
four years of exhaustive warts trade to a great
extent destroyed-a large portion OF its most pro-
ductive soil laid waste-its industry mortgaged
by debt and taxation and its future in too much
| doubt and uncertainty to commence with any de-
gree of earnestness the work of recuperation.
| In this deplorable state of affairs, instead
| of looking to the true interests of the
people with the calm eye of an enllght-
| ened craftsmanship, and amid the dangers
to common country, to sink for moment the
chickering's of party and honestly endeavor to heal
the bleeding wounds from which the life OF the
! Republic is flowing we see these Jacobins doing
all they to keep alive the exasperations and to
aggravate the enmities of the war for the sake OF
the political flesh pots Instead of giving peace
to the country by recognizing the fact that the
war is at an end and the Union restored, they are
legisating as though hostilities were still going
on, and the Confederate armies yet uncon-
quered.
What reasonable excuse can be offered for such
an insane policy Upon what sufficient or even
msey pretext can the refusal to restore the Union
be justified? Disloyalty of the people is the pre-
text party ascendancy the object. This hurtful
and costly uncertainty must be continued and an
honorable people denounced as false to the solemn
obligation of their oaths, for the purpose of main
tanning the control of the Government to be used
for unconstitutional and injurious determinations
against the we ker section.
Even if the people of the South were disloyal,
the fact would be unimportant The question is,
are they capable of harm, and will they be as dan
gerous in the Union out of it. AS matter OF
policy merely, would it not be better to conciliate
the people of the South by admitting them to
equality of rights, and their former positions in
the Union, than to embitter their feelings by adj
ditional INJUSTICE, and by treating them as a con-
quered and subject people? If the mere fact
that the men of the South joined in the war be
an objection, the men and boys of the present
generation will be excluded Test oaths and hos
tile legislation will keep them aloof from the
Government, and the people of this section will
grow, day by day, more hostile to Govern
ment which will hold them only to Cypress them
and has use for them but to levy most onerous
taxes for Government support. Thus used and
abused, no love sympathy can be expected no
community of interests or harmony of feeling
can be fostered, and the Union will remain bro
ken and discovered, with the gap widening with
each succeeding day-the national prostration a
crying curse upon the criminal fanaticsm of the
dominant party.
We utterly fail to see any good reason for hold
ing the people of great section in doubt as to
their ultimate fate, or by partial legislation to
Cypress them with burdens beyond the limits of
reason, and which their impoverished condition
will render them unable to bear. What is meant
as punishment for rebels will, if continued Ill
tmately result in disaster to the country Already
two important departments of the Government
the Treasury and Postotfice Departments--are
languishing throughout the South for want of
proper persons to put them In operation, these
departments at stand still to crafty the NAL
ice of men who have nothing to justify them in
their wicked policy but an intense hatred to the
South and criminal lust for Office.
To crafty such unholy feelings the interests of
the country must be sacrificed the restoration of
the Union postponed the energy of the people
crippled and destroyed and the day of general
and prosperity indefinitely post
poned.