The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-01-19
A New Reconstruction Argument.

From the Tribune.
Neglect of general causesis a common mistake
in political discussions. A writer in the North
american ReUielo for January has seen this
defect, and undertakes to point out the "Climatic
Influences as bearing upon Secession and Recon-
structon." The celebrated development hypo-
thesis of Darwin is herein made to do good SER
vice by an application OF its principles to the
problem OF Reunion we are all trying to solve
For, obviously, the first thing we need to be
sure OF is What broke up the Union that is to
be reconstructed?
The causes commonly assigned are insuffi-
cient or, at any rate, imperiectly stated.
Slavery, we say, was the root Of secession; but
why was it +? The Northern colonies held slaves.
Why did the North abolish the institution, but
the South retain it? Whence came the aristo-
cratic form OF society az the South, and the doc
trine of State Rights? The answer our reviewer
would give TO ~all these questions IS, Climate.
II is climate hich devoted the South to agricul-
ture, and to that form OF ii which employed
slavery, and out OF which grew the planter class,
and at the same time the poor whites. This
exclusive devotion to this form OF agriculture is
further responsible for the adherence of the
South to free trade.
If the Rebellion grew then, not out of slavery
alone, but out of all these causes which them
selves sprang from one antecedent and still
existing cause, the destruction of slavery and
the suppression Of the Rebellion do not const-
tute perfect guarantee for future peace. The
South maintained its peculiar institution against
the opinion of the civilized world; it may renew
il under another form and another name if like
causes are still operative, and are not counter
acted by others. The first remedy suggested is
the general establishment of manufactures
which are democratic in their influence and
would avert the tendency OF questions con-
corning free trade and protection to become
sectional.
The second remedy is equal suffrage, to break
down the control of arStOcraCy lifting nm
the poor white as well as the negro, ana releas-
country" says the author, "whose natural ten
dency to aristocracy is such as has been pointed
out, what danger may not be apprehended from
the presence OF a Pariah caste whose debase.
ment and incapacity for selfprotection invites
10 their subection In the North, there is
always q division into classes rich and poor,
learned and ignorant, high and low: but they
are never permanent They are like The sea and
the clouds the drop which stagnates among the
weeds to-day, tomorrow may reflect the hues of
the rainbow. The constant INTERCHANGE of posi-
ton, preventing settled castes and class spirit.
is one safety. But where in State especially
one OF arstocratc tendencies, there is a class
distinction drawn, permanent and unchange.
able because based upon natures brand setting
off d race prescribed ignorant, and necessitous'
there weight is thrown into the scale on the
side of aristocracv which 1t seems impossible
TO counterbalance." lfitcan be eounterbalanced,
il is only by reconstruction OF society in tact
rs well as in name.
The argument Tor negro suffrage is thus drawn
from the aTtstocIatic tendencies Of the South
and the ballot demanded as means of perma