The Montana post., 1867-03-02
PARTISAN HOSTILITY.

--io, occupies more prominent
:, the public mind than any other.
rirht it should be so. There are
states remaining unrepresented
Congress-. whose people pay taxes
-. - i an expressed desire by both
:. leading parties of the country,
10 such measures adopted as will
,-.Jto the reconstruction of the govern
..,s of these States, and return their
- accredited REPRESENTATIVES to seats
.bs national councils, 1t is right and
---,nsr that all persons should think and
-n-sss their opinions on this matter.
That diverse opinions, as to the proper
inner of restoring them TO representa-
-, should be INDUCED in, is to be ex-
,.-ad And that the Congress of tie
I-,fted States should entertain and
.h,rouohlv consider all the points and
mos involved, with due a regard to
.ra interests of all loyal inhabitants of
-bc United States, is equally true. The
r.,c-tb of time that has been consumed
IN legislating upon the question. the
,.,Dsideration that has been given the
ssven different plans of reconstruction,
..r,snarfnc from loyal and disloyal
..,grres is. in our mind, indubitable evil
.lsprr that it is the honest, earnest de-
sire of the large proportion of that Con
-rsss to decide upon the best means to
occonplish that end, and give full pro
-.ction 10 the Union element in the
Sourb. without dealing harshly with
those who have really no claims even
rpon the Ieniency of the government
We have, however, in the North an ele-
pant of hatred and antagonism to every
action of the Legislative branch of gov
eminent: that denounces unsparingly
-befr every act; that condemns the rep
resentatives of the States which remain
d Ioval through the conflict; with the
most traitorOus intentions, and can see
ootbfng but evil in their legislation.
We believe this cannot he the prompt
fncs of their better naturesF There is.
bevond doubt, men in the Union party,
whose opinions are more radical and
progressive than the people would sus-
tain. or than they are prepared to re-
refvr. But the backbone and body of
the Union party, do not exact these
ultra measures. or believe they are yet
necessary 10 the welfare OF the country.
The Democratic party do not appear to
thoroughly appreciate the many difficult
ties that surround the reconstruction
measure, and the actual necessity that
exists for action on the part of Congress,
to remove the disability that now exists
with the Southern people to maintain
State organizations, or represent them
selves in the general government. They
seem to ignore the fact. that, by treason
and rebellion, the people of every State
that indulged in the game of secession,
have broken up their civil governments
and disfranchised themselves as much
as would any single individual Of the
government, who would withdraw his
allegiance from it. They do this under
the plea that the Republican party is
cxacting harsh and partial conditions
from the Southern people, and they step
forward as their champions. They can
not believe this OF, it is the callous of
partisanism which has scared over their
true perceptions, and blinded them to
the real state of the case. BY this inju-
dicious hostility TO the acts of Congress,
thcy are initiating against the interests
of the Southern people, and prolonging
lheir days of probation; even as the
sympathy of n class in the North during
the war, buoyed up their hopes, and
heightened out the hopeless struggle
against the armies of the. Union. If
they are really the friends of the South
ern rebels, as their actions indicate and
'heiv words express, can they not learn
from the experience of the past, the les
SON it so plainly teaches that their hos
ttlity TO the Union party is the surest
means of Iengthening out the contro-
yersy which must inevitably end, as the
war did, in the full and complete
triumph of freedom and justice, over all
opposing elements?
--1l-zslzzHaHlEsEal1A