Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1867-04-23
RRooNsTRuoTIoN.

luere afo many Signs Oh progress
looking towards an early restoration Of
the blessings of civil government to the
people Of the Southern States. Many of
their leading public men, even including
some Of those who arc disfrauchised by
the Reconstruction Act, have published
strong and urgent appeals to the people
to look the actual condition of things
in the face, and go to work in earnest
and in good faith under the acts recent
ly passed by Congress. The meetings
held at Columbia, South Carolina, and
at Selma, in Alabama, were very signi-
icant. II was an important point to
find 50 considerable . man and so sturdy
an ex-rebel as General Wade Hampton
advising the people, both white and
black, to cooperate in the work Of re-
construction upon the perfect level es-
tablished in the recent laws. The same
course Of conduct formed the basis of
action at the Selma meeting. Since
then, General Longstreet has given
similar advice to the people Of New Or
leans and that vicinity. General Lee,
too, has authorized a statement that the
people Of Virginia, of all c%olors, should
cooperate with each other in choosing
q convention Of men capable Of acting
properly in such a crisis with them as
the present. But the most elaborate
paper We have yet seen upon the subject
10 that from Governor Patton, Of Ala
bama. 1t is a letter, dated at Montgo-
merry, or the 10th Of last month. After
stating eoncisely the provisions Of the
Reconstruction Act, he says that the
requirements Of said act should be ac-
cepted as conclusive upon the question
Of negro suffrage, and that to contend
against it now is simply to contend
against the inevitable. He regrets that
the classes disfranchised by the act will
take from them the talents and expert
ence Of many men who would be OF ser
vice in the conventions, but that not
w~ithstanding this there need be no fear
but that a wise and patriotic convention
may be chosen from those who are
eligible.
As there has been considerable talk in
the South Of q character calculated to
keep persons from the polls, Governor
Patton seems to have thought it aeces-
sary to urge everybody entitled to vote
to exercise the privilege, and to appeal
to those VINO are d~isfranchised 10 use
their influence toward accomplishing
the same end. With respect to the ne
groes, he calls attention to the fact that
they are now to vote for the first time,
and that there is every reason why q
good feeling should be cherished toward
them. They should be encouraged to
exercise the franchise, and to do il in
their W way, without any effort to
control their votes or to interfere with
them, except to help them vote intelli-
gently. Every attempt to generate an
tagonism between the white and the
colored voters should be discouraged.
The fact that Congress asserts and
exercises full power over the whole
question Of reconstruction is fully recog-
mixed as an important fact in Governor
Patton's letter, and he presses upon
the people of Alabama the urgent
necessity, as well as the policy, Of
realizing that such is the case. He
further says that it has been a very mis-
ehievous thing that too little considera-
ton has been given heretofore to that
important point, and that such a vital
error should be continued no longer, as
the crisis is q very important n for the
people. He is of the opinion, and e1-
presses his confidence, that if prudence
and moderation are observed, coupled
with decisive action, the great question
of reconstruction will soon be settled so
far as Alabama is concerned.
There il much more Of similar tenor
in Governor Patton's letter, and the
document is throughout so sensible and
dispassionate thrt we deem it worthy Of
special commentator. If such coun-
sells as those given in this letter, and
those expressed by Hampton, Long
street, Lee and others. who have here
tofore been leading men in the South,
shall reach the hearts Of the great ma
jority Of the people there, so as to be
observed by them properly and in good
faith, there can be no reason why there
should not be a general restoration be-
fore another twelvemonth shall have
'olled around.