The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1867-10-02
~ = z5zEE
al s-=-@-

the people Of the South The Trienne has long advo
Gated the same policy The principle Involved Is oht
of the most interesting moral attributes OF tue huma!
] mind We have gone thTergh 4 fierce struggle witt
the Southern people for the maintenance of the Gov
eminent Of the Federal Constitution. That compae
the organic law Of cur being; and we INSISTED
that it the supreme law Of all the States OF TIT
Union. It is unquestonabg true that ether portion
of the country than the South maintained the right
one State to withdraw at will from the national gov
eminent. This it aas insisted by SUCH was the com
mon understanding when the constitution was adopt
ed 1t Is also true, in practical sense, that thls view
OF things had for many years before the late feheo'
was organised been thrust into great prominence II
nearly all the political discussions of the old slave
States In this way that which was not expressed
became of far greater effect than that which EN-
bodied in the constitution itself The understanding
became the rule, even the positive covenants
the parties to the compact. The right to DO tina
which plainly forbidden justified on the prln
cpe that any State of the Union might, by the exer
else OF its sovereign power revoke its assent to sucE
Union, and thereby abrogae and annul the law By
which its action had been confessedy governed ante
rlor to such revocation.
We need not say that this doctrine of essential dis
integratiOn though unquestionablY honestly enter
tanned by most Southern politicians was ever de-
| nOunced by the National 1nteigencer This paper
has uniformly treated the Union Of the States as the
only great experiment Of free government, ana has
regarded that Union the last safeguard of the people
against the encroachments of oigarchic systems It
is nevertheless, true that considerable portions OF our
countrymen have acted on the theory OF the right OF
secession; and caudor compels US TO admit that the
late war Involved, in fact almost exclusively as a
! purely legal issue this single point
Two and half years have closed upon US since the
termination of that war. The events of the terrible
struggle are seen in the utter prosrut0n, poverty,
misery, and destitution Of the great States of the
South. We not go beyond these facts IN eff
forts to find what ought to do with our erring
BRETHREN who PROSTATE and poweress before
That which brought Us into collision political
question which co4ld be solved only by the sword.
The struggle was all political. We so declared it
through Mr.. Lincoln declared it by act OF Con-
gress; announced it to the governments OF the
world pleaded it against Confederate recognition
in London and Paris; talked it over among
ourselves sent it to the men in agaut US ;
proclaimed it to the enemy in hopes that it might
break his stubborn ranks; and so declared it
at the last moment, at Hampton Roads.
Mr.. Clay used to say the American people re-
markabe for nothing much forgetting the past.
This obliyiousness OF things behind us gives
deriul facility for abandoning Old and taking up
positions in matters Of politics. We venture to say,
that when Lee surrendered and Grant liked upon the
liberal parole which sent home to fields OF labor the
Confederate men at arms, not man. with heart in
his body in the whole country, dreamed Of the i'm
organisation Of destructives now urging on op-
presSve measures against the Southern people, Mr..
stevens says, OUTSIDE the tO1lSutllO0 IN logical
sense the destrucves occupy exactly the position of
the Confederate government before the surrender of
Lee.
Now, there is purpose in all this. Impeachment
military government in the South crippling and de-
grading the EXecuIre subordinating his military
authority infant the public mind against the
Southern people, their prescription, the extension of
the franchise to the ignorant negroes All these mat
tiers constitute grand revolutionary movement
looking to the dispositions of the President confsca-
ton, the subyerson of the government and the
ton OF exclusive Radical olgarchy to be fed by
the Treasury which is to be the handspring Of the
machine. The active principle which underes this
wonderful combination is the simple passion of enmity
created by the rcyoluonists against the South That
passion is carefully nursed and intamed by the most
adrolt and cunning management ever conceived by |
man. The scheme of military dcspotism put upon the |
Southern people intended to produce general |
burst Of Indignation the part of the prescribed |
whites, which it supposed could be passed off upon
the ncredulOus North fresh evidence that the spirit
of rebellion survived the overthrow of Southern arms
In this the conspraors have sgnay failed; for never
has people shown prompt and universal ac-
1ncsccnce i'll the authority Of the United States than
the discounted Confederates. In point of fact the
scheme OF dcSqotsm in operation in the five districts
las conclusively established the sound policy of am
nesty There is not sing e feature of that scheme
that does not give evidence that the great struggle
through which we have passed was altogether politi-
'a in its nature The penalties which the evoked
he cHlanltlcs it brought upon the entire South its
all its dreadful consequences to fani-
les, to cities, to everybody, followed by prescription
IF political rights dcgradaton and even suborlina-
lon to negroes have failed to the body of the
Great sufferers to act of hostility against the au-
hority of the United States. Never were exactions
reater never submission and christian patience more
complete.
We have no warrant in the history of the past that
he fearful passions which have kindcd and lei these
OF deadly DprSpcutinn ran
hey have swept over the country like an avalanche
or thirty long months. The evidence accuunlates
very hour that their dominion is giving way; giving
way, we would hope to those noble sympathies which
ever tail IN the end to attach to the wronged and the
ersecutcd /
The great fact should he everywhere proclaimed
hat the end of the the highway to the final
etement OF the political questions which gave rise
. it, The end Of the war, by every fair expression,
hOuld have led under the LincolnJ ohnson policy to
ne early restoration of the Union. By inhamng
he passions Of the triumphant party againt the '
outh, we become ASSISTANTS Of the constitution t
ecry step We have taken in the way of excluding /
lie latter from representation i'll Congress has carried
further and still further outside that great com a
act. +
Now, what is the remedy for all these political az
lotions? Unqustonably, We answer, a returning a
ense OF JUSTICE accue and pungent sensibilitF
sUttcrings magnantDity towards the defence b
ss-a rober, higher, and christian conduct in u
ie hour OF triumph and III the presence OF PROSTATE
re. Let us proclaim amnesty-let US extend the hand 81
frcndshp-ct us call our recent enemies brothers. Y
I'd aid, what may be in power, to raise them up
I'd fill their hearts with hope and sympathy What tc
all this but amnesty? We survive to govern, and Ia
us all seek to govern in obedience to the constit ci
Oh. If we make that our law it is amnesty already tt
I the end of the rebellion implied the duty Of allie I,
ance to the constitution by all the people of the in in
rgent States. They gave up their arms and in do NJ
they not ony acknowledged the oneness of the Ia
'vcrnmcnt, but they put in a position, in all r
ith to maintain its authority. No man can now cl
eson this and it calls for amnesty for restoration ba
friendship, for brotherhood. We want no military =,
nd to put together the broken fragments of sun of
red Union; let the hands be caspcd-thst is am tn
sty. ho
The great Of the people in the late rebellion or
oud never be held responsible for the acts of lead of
5 Upon the litter falls the great weight of wrong.
them be judged by the law while the people, oD- Pr
7ssed by losses bereayements, and poverty shall II
lifted up by generous dispensaton of mercy and CT
er of friendship. TN
Let the future speak for ITSELF The fountains of Of
rcy are always openened by just government to
itical offenders; but they win its dspcnsa- II
DIS by fidelity to that constitution against which a
y have 50 much offended pr
For the information of all whom it nav concern We
dish the following general order: 70,
HEADQUARTERS FIFTH MILITARY DTsTRICT of