Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1867-02-22

We, the people of the South, have become
quite Indifferent as to the course the pres
ent Congress may pursue towards u.s.
Hence it is CoIy necessary for rs to
keep quiet and see how far fanaticism will
lead them. But at the same time, it GER
tainly gives pleasure to public Journalist
to copy such articles as the following, which
appears in the National HteLLigencer of the
18th We here can ''await the consumma-
ton of events " at Washington, and ''bear
with fortitude the infections that may be
imposed upon u.s. The HoteNigencer speaks
sensibly, and we copy its article lis Iol-
lows
eve confess to relief from heavy weight of
depression by the action of the Senate yesterday
upon reconstruction. Not that are in favor OF
its bill in the abstract, t. its provisions in de-
tail yet as an alternative to the bloody demon
STATIONS in legislation of the House. goes to the
latter as all admOnitiOn
6 In the respect that it forever consisns, as we
suppose to utter darkness the hde0Es H,r;:sc bill
to establish negro supremacy over whites i'll Lou
siana, which would infallibly nstgate the initia-
ton of St. Domingo horrors, lighting up the urid
| flames of wholesale butchery burning, rapacity,
and all other forms of crime, axe thankful for
the action of the Senate. Nothing less than this
can be said in view Of the horror that seized upon
| all good men Of toerabIe intelligence, reason and
humanity upon the announcement OF he passage,
by almost unanimous party vote, Of a measure
that so thoroughly and shameessly illustrated the
abectness Of servilty to the behests of rancorous
dctators of party, and chilled the very currents OF
heart and soul by its brutal requirements.
&C We will not despair, will not yet cease to hope
for legislative action that may lead to adjust
ment which will bring that reconciliation and resto
ration offraternal and political relations that might
set the ship Of state on the voyage of an
assured prosperity. In It's view we hailed with
pleasure the North Carolina plan of Southern
statesmen. So also we spoke Of General Banks
speech one that looked to the adoption Of some
ameliorating me ASSURE towards the South. Cen
orally upon this point we wrote lately follows:
The unanimous sentiment of the South, in
Guiding the Border States making in ali fifteen
States 1--WE do not speak of West Virginia. in ut
ter repugnance of the mockng doiuslve and
cruelty proscriptive constitutional amendment,
has induced so eminent and so influential states
man and jurist the Chief Justice II the United
States to publicly ask the South to furnish a new
plan for the reconciliation of the sections.
= Mr.. Senator Irumbull has recently said that
the excluded States must sooner or later be res
, tored to the Union Upon test vote i'll Congress
the Radicals in the House barely ca FRIED propo-
stiOn to exclude forever late rebels from tho right
to hold civil offices under the Government. I'm
der these favOrlnS circumstances, not less than
the expressed determination Ui Il large element OF
the Republican party in Congress to oppose to the
bitter end the subverting Of Southern State gov
ernments by terrltoIl allzlng them, statesmen of
the South have, upon approval Of distinguished
officials here and of some leading Republicans OF
the North, determined upon what Is termed the
North Carolina plan.
''The Senate bill is nov before the House, and
there is yet opportunity to improve upon it. To
this end, time should be had for the response OF
the country through the press, and for calm con-
sderaton by every legislator, under the obligation
Of his solemn oath, and his unquestioncd respon-
sibility, in respect to the dire necessity at this
time for acts and duties jn the direction OF an
allied spirit Of selt-sacriticng patriotism. Wheli-
er the national Legislature acts ii this way not
we invoke upon the part OF the south contin-
uance OF disposition to await the contamination
Of events here, and unit then to calmly consider
them in Consstencc with their generally expressed
view to bear with foritude the infections that
may be imposed, and to determine i'll the end in
accordance with full sense of what, all things
sidered, COMFORTS with honor, principle and
policy.
''We see no other course for them to pursue ii
view of the doubt and uncertainty Of correction
of current wrongs by the people of the North.
The Republican party is so much il the leading
strings of politicians that the uniting counsel of
reason, the dictates Of humanity, the continued
depression Of business, the OppressivenCss of an
unequal and grinding taxation, the halt il tinan-
cial movements and even general condition of
bankruptcy itself may be used as pretexts, in
nection with a Thousand and other things
known to the chicanery of politicians, still
IiDfia m ed npOnip IN orr vat q e
ure of woes of the Southern people. COnfsca-
ton, and Heaven only knows what more may be
in the womb of the future Perhaps the sangui-
nary instructions of Messrs. Forney, Butler and
Colfax may take practical shape in the proposed
three armies to march through the South to burn,
kill and possess the land. Sufficient unto the
day is the evil thereof. But in our view 10 effort
should be pretermitted, no time lost, no sacrifc
be cared for on the part of statesmen to retrieve
the utterly destructive tendency of public affairs.
'The Senate action is certainly a step in the
direction right from the condition of thick dark
ness that for time shrouded the land by the ex
traordinary and execrable action Of the House in
the case of the State Of Louisiana.
/ "We arg to Judge of the action Of the Senate
only by the words of the bill that passed. Thpre
were no speeches from the Republican side to
show anything as to the spirit that actuated their
acceptance of the Sherman bill 1t differs for the
better from the House measures finfamy in that
it gives the power Ct appointment of generals to
control in the South to the President. No SEN
tence of death nor imprisonment can be executed
without his approval. In requiring universal suf-
frage for negroes, it does not withhold it from
J white men.
"The present Senate bill needs amendment in
the feature requiring the excluded States to
adopt the constitutional amendment. The re-
quirements of the bill and the amendment are
inconsistent. What of mischief may not result
in respect to private business transactions by the
declaration of the Senate bill that the States of
the South are rebel; and that no legal govern
ments exist there. is recited i tire preamble
Yet the bill recognizes State authority by prohib-
itng its interference with that of the military.
Here is all there is to warrant the supposition
that the machinery OF State government is to go
on and is only to be interfered with by the mill
tary for purposes of preserving peace and main
tanning the rights of persons in what respects