Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1867-04-19
FRIDAY MORNING, APRIL 70 1851.

I, We of the South are but lily cognizant Of
the Importance which attaches to us in the
eyes of Northern men at present Parties
fhcrc are looking out to secure success in the
next Presidential campaign. The Northern
elections held since the war, have generally
resulted in favor Of the Radicals, but with
decreasing majorities- just now the tables
seem to be turning and we hear on all sides
of Democratic and Conservative triumphs at
the polls. The DeYsccrlats and Conservatives
are taking courage and are looking wistfully
to the tlic when reconstructed South will
add its vote to theirs and aid in restoring the
Government to its old Constitutional land
marks. The Radicals on the other hand are
trembling lest the power they have swayed
80 long and so numerically will be snatched
from them. They begin to believe that their
hieh-handed measures will not stand the test
of q fair discussion before the people. They
fear that the effort to rcpublicanize' the
South by their " universal manhood suffrage"
scheme is failure, as will cast an al
most united vote in favor Of conservatism.
This fear, from the sigus Of the times, is
likely to induce them to send among us their
Senators and Representatives, and lesser
lights of the Republican household, to stump
every Southern State in the interest of Rad
icalism. The Conservatives want us recon-
structed speedily to accomplish the end they
desire, and rather than fail would have us
reconstruct under any scheme. The Radi-
Gals have gone too far to retreat and will not
change their plan, but hope yet by lecturers,
stump speakers and the like, to carry the
Southern vote in favor of Radicalism. They
hold the power and have completely ignored
the Executive, as they will the Judicial De-
partncnt of Government, if its decision is ad-
verse to their policy. We are, therefore, for
all that we can sec, doomed to have univer-
sal suffrage forced upon us. With this fate
before us, shall we lie idly by, while North
crn canvassers mould to their will the plas-
tic mind of the ignorant freedmen and thus
render permanent Radical predominance in
this country, and more humiliating the con-
dition of the Southern whites, in that their
present condition will be their future one, and
for all time to come? Or shall we essay to
explain, truthfully and candidly to the new
w cnfranchised their condition, which has
been thrust upon them as well as ourselves,
and instruct them in regard to the policy they
should pursue, which will alike conduce to
their interest and ours? We think there can
be no question as to our course Already
the action of prominent Southern men has
shown conclusively that there has ever been
and is now an abiding sympathy between the
Southern whites end blacks, which has made
the Radicals doubtful of the success of their
reconstruction experiment The course we
have indicated and which we have advocated
before can do no possible harm, even should
the Supreme Ceurt decide, and speedily,
against the constitutionality Of the reconstruc-
ton scheme and some unanticipated power
relieve us, and forever, of its disagreeable
onus. We are therefore delighted to learn
that prominent gentlemen Of Richmond, have
accepted an invitation to address the freed
mon and give them solicited counsel and ad-
vice. This should be done at every point,
so that if vote he must he will vote intelligi-
bly, which will be for his own interest and
that of. those who have been his sympathi-
cling friends from early childhood.