The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1867-04-09

WHO ARE TO BLAME.-We occasionally
see the charge made by some of our cotempo-
raries in this State that certain persons have de-
serted the Presidents policy of reconstruction
and gone over to the radicals. We don't remem-
Der what particular papers we saw this charge in.
or we would name them, for desire to say
few words in reply and show that the charge is
not true in the sense in which it is made. And
we will remark advance, that what we say on
the subject is not from any bad feeling or for the
purpose of injurng any one; for if others will
permit it, always willing to let by-g cones
be by cones. What little influence we possess
We have used for promoting peace and shielding
Southern men generally from further harm and
difficulty. We intend to assist i'm making one
more ef"rt to save the people from further trou-
BILE ; if that fails shall consider that we have
done duty and will have nothing more TO do
with the matter.
First, will gay that friend of the
Presidents policy and earnestly worked for its
success. Last summer we attended District
Convention at Salisbury for the purpose of assist
ing in promoting that policy then went to
the State Convention at Raleigh and afterwards
to the Philadelphia Convention. We and others
who acted with did every thing possible to pro-
mote reconstruction on the Presidents plan. and
plan and policy was completely ignored and
killed by Congress that there was nothing to de-
sert from After it was ascertaimeG that there
was chance for the relief of the Southern
States by the Presidents policy, we considered
il the duty of every who expected to live in
the South to submit to the best terms he could
get from Congress. Therefore, we advised the
acceptance of the Howard amendment and the
election by our Legislature of such persons to
the u S. Senate could take the oath required
by act of Congress And now advise imme-
dinte compliance with the Reconstruction Laws
as the only means IF preventing further trouble
and difficulty. In pursuing this course. there is
not the slightest ground for hasing charge Of
deserion of the Presidents policy.
We are in no wise responsible for the failure of
the Presidents policy, for did all could to
sustain it until all hope for its success vain.
But we are Justified in saying that those who make
the charge Of de sertion themselves RESPONSE.
bic for crippling and obstructing the Presidents
plan. if not for its total failure. Those who in
angurated opposition to the election of Gov.
Holden 1.-THE Presidents appontee) in 1865 those
who professed to be the peculiar guardians of
Southern honor and denounced Southern men
for participating in the Philadelphia Convention
and voting for acquiescing i'm the platform
sGoptrd; and those who advised and advocated
the rejection Of the Howard amrndment-they
responsible, t. great extent, for the failure
of the Presidents policy and for the bar<her
terms which have been forced upon They
the only persons in the South who to
blame for dfsertion for the failure of the Pres
d-nts policy.
The Philadelphia Convention (Which held
for the purpose of aiding the Presidency had
scarcely adjourned before Southern papers com
mencrd denouncing its action and declaring that
Southern delegates had di>graced their section.
Gov. Orr and the South Carolina delegation were
ridicued for going into the Convention arm and
arm with the Massachusetts delegation; and
North Carolina papers cenSured the North Caro-
lima delegates for asserting to the resolutions
adopted by that Convention. Even Gov. Ora
ham accused of trucking to radicasm
These structures of the Southern press were
copied by the opponents of the President and the
most radical papers at the North evidence that
the Southern people were still rebelliou> and de-
trrmned not to submit to even the mild terms of
the President. In this way President johnson
WAS embarrassed by the very men who now claim
to be his best friends, and his policy weak
ened and finally ignored.
And we feel justified in expressing the opinion.
from past experience. that if the same class of
persons who inaugurated strife in 1865, who ridi-
culed the Southern delegates in the Philadelphia
Convention, and who opposed the Howard amend
ment continue to insist holding the offices
and managing the reconstruction movement [al-
though they may not be prescribed by the Acts
of C"ngress) there will be settlement effected.
the State will be kept out of the Union and the
whole work must be commenced anew at s"mo
future time. probably not until cohhscation is eu-
forced against
COTrOS SEED--Hutc Gibson. Burrou chs & Co..