The Waynesburg Republican. [volume] (Waynesburg, Pa.) 1867-18??, 1867-09-04
he nation were vindictive and ram

the nation were vindictive and ram
pant.
Such was the condition of public
affairs in the South when Congress
convened in December, 1866. This
nation had solemnly resolved, and vo-
ted, that the Union should be restored
on the basis of loyalty and justice; and
to this end was the Fortieth Congress
elected. Hence were passed the Re
construction laws, in execution of the
recent popular verdict. The Presi-
dent vetoed them, refusing to accept or
abide by the decision of the people, to
whom he had so often and so vaunt-
ingly appealed. Congress re-enacted
them over the vetoes, by more than the
required two-thirds; and they are now
the laws of the land. Under them,
including the amendments Of last scs-
sion, reconstruction is rapidly progress
ing; and would doubtless ere long be
successfully accomplished, but for the
persistent Instructions by the President,
in defiance Of Congress and the popu-
lar will. Justice is being done; loyal
men, white and black, have been pro-
tected from the malice of defeated
rebels; treason, in measure ut least,
has "been made odious," and traitors
have been compelled "to take back
seats"-as Andrew johnson, in lucid
interval, declared they should. Even
the better portion Of the rebels admit
the justice of these reconstruction laws,
and cheerfully acquiesce in their pro-
visions. General James Longstreet, a
distinguished rebel officer, in recent
published letter from New Orleans, en-
presses himself as follows:
81 shall set out by assuming prop
osition that / hold to be self-evident,
viz: The highest of human laws is
the law that is established by appeal
to arms. The great principles that
divided political parties prior to the
war were thoroughly discussed by our
wiscst statesman. When argument
was exhausted resort was had to COM
promise. When compromise was I'M
availing, discussion was renewed and
cxpedients were sought, but none could
be found to suit the emergency. APP
peal was finally made to the sword, to
determine which of the claims was the
true construction of constitutional law.
The sword has decided in favor of the
North; and what they claimed as
principles cease to he principles, and
are become Iaw. The views that ere
hold cease to be principles because
they are opposed to law. II is, there
toye Our dutyto abandon ideas that are
obsolete, and coqtorm to The requirements
Of lar. THE military bill and amend
mcnts are peace offerings. We shouH
accept them as such, and place o'uscyrcs
upon them as the starting point from
mhich to meet future political issues as
they arise"
jeff. Thompson, another rebel Gen
cral, in late letter to George y.
Prentice, Esq, indorsc5 the recon-
struction laws Of Congress thus:
"Ihc confederate government wiped
ont State rights the first year of its
existence, Il bloody war wipcd out
slavery, and wiped out the conlcderacy,
50 they are obsolete IDEAS; and the
plain question now presented is, Will
you accept citizenship under our terms,
us contained in this Iaw?' and / en-
photicol,y ansvcr, ycs"
1t is greatly to be regretted that
terms which are so acceptable to the
fighting rebels Of the South, should
be so distastciul, and cause so much
clamor from their non-combatant SYM
pathizcrs in the North.
The enemies of the United States
having been finally defeated in battle,
united their efforts to elect sympa-
thizcrs from the North, and to pro-
cure the admission Of enough rebels
from the South to enable them, hrough
Congress, to attain what they had lost
in the field. This programme was
frustrated by the loyal people at the
ballot box in the election of the For
ticth Congress. Defeated in open war,
and again in Congress, these bailled
conspirators, as a last resort, are en-
deavOring TO save "thc lost cause"
Arough the courts. They deny that
has been settled by the war !;
and boldly proclaim that "aIl these
grave pending questions" must be de
cided, 'Just IN fact, as they rou'u hare
been decided had they arisen eigLt gears
ago, or hadno~ar taken place." (Phila-
delphia Age, July Sth.) They not
only deny the constitutional power of
Congress to impose terms upon the
rebel States Or people, but deny that
Congress itself is a lawful body, be-
cause the rebel States are unrepresent-
ed. Hence, the recent application to
the Supreme Court of the United
States for injunctions, to nullify the
Reconstruction laws of Congress in
Mississippi, Georgia, and other rebel
states. In the same interest, and of
the same character, is the nomination
of George Sharswood, a well known
and life long State rights man, for the
Supreme Court of Pennsylvania. He
judicially denies the power of Congress
to issue paper money, or to give it