Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1866-03-08

passed its reading aud House adjourned until 10
O'Clock, A. NJ, tomorrow.
The President no longer makes a secret of the
fact that he viii IN very short time issue Off
cial proclamation that the late civil war is ended
When he does this he will have accomplished
the last and highest act which the Executive De-
partment of the government can perform towards
the restoration of peace.
He cannot compel Congress to admit Represen-
tatives from the Southern States, but his procla-
nation will subordinate military to civil authority,
and place all the States composing the Union
upon footing of equality in that respect. -
The privilege of the writ of hobeas corpus will
then be within reach of the humblest citizen of
the South. and our State governments will become
supreme within the limits of the States for the
protection of whose citizens they organized
Martial law which now reigns supreme i'll eleven
States will then only be potent for the control
and punishment of those who are connected with
the army, in the manner defined by the Articles of
War. Every great right guaranteed by that grand
and famous Virginia Bill of Rights, which looks
very sadly out of place in front of the ''Alexan-
dria Constitution, y will then be enjoyed by our
citizens Particularly dear to every honest, fear
less patriotic journalist will be that Article which
declares that 1.-The freedom of the press is of
the great bulwarks of Liberty, and can never be
restrained but by despotic Governments.
The Southern people, after probat On of near
ly twelve months, will hail the proclamation of
peace with great Joy. And yet, as far ress-
tance to the authority of the Constitution and laws
OF the United States is concerned, there has been
peace, the most profound and undisturbed, since
the 1st of May last. The history of civil wars,
cient and modern, furnish more remarkable
and striking instance of the speedy and honest
acquiescence in the result Of q contest than the
people of the South have done since their armies
capitulated. The sun of the Confederacy sunk,
leaving no margin of gradually darkening twilight.
The blackness of darkness fell upon the lost
cause" as rapidly as night follows the setting of
the sun in Eastern countries.
The inexorable logic of the convinced the
people of eleven States with rapdity without
of resistance to the Federal Government kept
single guerrilla in the field an hour after the ca
pitulation of Lee and Johnston. The utter futlity
OF further resistance universally admitted, and
in the heart of Virginia and of North Carolina,
serGeants guard made arrests easily as they
would have done under the guns of Fortress Mon
The good faith Of the people Of the South has
been during the last ten months manifested in
many different ways. A labor system which the
habits, customs and usages Of many generations
had rendered part and parcel of the South, was
annhilated in day, but despite the terrible tenn
porary annoyances which It's destructions visited
upon our people, they bore the change with Won
derful fortitude and eqanimity.
Indeed, in all infinite variety of ways we have
demonstrated to all impartial, unprecedented per-
sons, fitness for the udcious exercise of those
great civil rights which soon to be restored
to us by the President. His forthcoming procla-
nation of peace will be recognized by all co1iser
vltive Northern men, and by all christendom, q
most wise and statesnanlike exercise of the most
important functions of his high otiice.-Ricbmon0
Times.