Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1866-04-19
A Silver Lining.

| The political clouds look dark. The storm
which has been gathering within the National
Capitol seems about to discharge its collected
wrath over the defenceless South. The expulsion
of Mr. Stockton from the Senate, and Messrs
Voorhees, and Brooks from the House of Represent
atives. by which means the Radicals have now
rendered powerless the veto of the President and
the endorsement of these outIages by the people
of Connecticut at their recent election, consum'
mate all the worst anticipations of the Southern
people. and are fruitful sources of gloom and
| despondency. '..-
| Yet our people have much to hope Tor III the
| future and have reason to be thankful to the
Giver of all good for his many mercies to us. One
wear ago we surrendered as o conquered people,
subject to the terms of the conqueror Many OF
our cities were burned large districts of country
plum cred and left desolate, currency destroy
ed, our system of labor suddenly and violently
revolutonized, and our whole political and social
government uprooted.
Who could have supposed that III one year so
much would have been accomplished i'll the work
of restoration Our cities, PheniX-like, have
risen from their ashes commerce and trade, to
very great extent IS restored agriculture under
many difficulties, is revived; and people gen
e1ally,with an energy nerved by necessity, have
resumed their business pursuits Capital from a
distance. has TO an extent beyond our most hope
full expectation, sought investment here-and VIC
need but good crop and the ordinary recompense
to industry. to1nal1e the convalesence, which now
marks our social condition, permanent and the
precursor of continued health and vigor.
Our political situation is hopeful, so long as the
President is firm III his course of justice and mer-
CIV. which has thus far characterized him. One
wear ago we had no political rights, but what were
granted by capricious and arbitrary military all
thoritv First amnesty, with few necessary ex-
ceptions, and then within the year, proclama-
ton announcing that the instruction which here
tofore existed in the Southern States is at an end
and is henceforth So to be regarded has restored
us, so far as the Executive power extends. to our
rights under the civil government
We have much to hope for, The Presidents
work of reconstruction will yet be brought to q
full and happy completion. So deeply is it plant
ed in the hearts OF the conservative and lawabld-
ing people of the country, founded as it is upon
the Constitution of the United States and the
rights of the States, that, though its success may
be DELAYED by the temporary power of the enc
mics of the Governmet, its progress will be up
ward and onward until it will overthrow those,
whose dangerous temerity CAN hardly be entirely
attributable to an honest fanaticism. The Ship of
State under charge of the wise and bold helms
man, will survive the storm which is now spend
ing its strength, in mad fury, against her sides,
and the day Will soon come when the honest masses
will throw off the spell of dangerous inactivity or
misguided opposition, which now marks their
course towards the General Government and rush,
4I,~ of 41cI
country.
We should not despond We can by cheerful
and contented discharge of duties, add strength
to the President and his friends at the North, and
by close attention and industry to our business
destroy the financial and commercial
depression, at present existing We can aid those
friends who are fighting battles for us, by |
proving, by conduct, that the Presidents con-
fdence in our loyalty is not misplaced; that the
is indeed at end.