Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1867-05-22
WEDNESDAY MORN
IFrom the New York Journal of Comm merce j
What TO DO With Them, 80

The fit application of the old story of
winning an elephant in rattle to the case
of Jefferson. Davis has been abundantly
recognized. The common consent of all
sensible minds has been given to the meth
cd of disposing of the prize. But it is inn
possible to stop here The prisoner Davis
has been for two years past a representa-
tive man; and whether SO desired by Gov
ernment or not. he has been looked at in
many minds as sort of embodiment of the
extinct rebellion. It is impossible now to
\ avoid the question whether the course pur-
sued toward the entire people-of the South
is not in danger of making them another
elephant. We are bothered immensely BY
this question what to do with them. -,
The future contains two possibilities in
reference to the South. In one event the
| Union may become more powerful than
ever, its prosperity go on increasing, its in
ternal and external relations become more
forcible and commanding than heretofore,
its wealth grow large, its happiness be the
admiration of ofmahkind. In the other event,
the Union may be only nominal, miserable
bond of life with death, one-half of the
the other half, the liberties of all be endan-
gered and finally lost, the energy of North
and South be paralyzed, and the nation it,
self becomes the derision of mankind. ~
The present poor and suffering condition
of the Southern States is of vastly more inn
portance to the people of the North than
politicians permit them to believe. The re-
action, is felt. everywbere., Nor can any
one over estimate the benefits which would
result co the North and Northwest from q
restoration of business and agricultural
prosperity in the South. The unity of the
State interests, the oneness of the whole
country, the inevitable effect OF poverty
and suffering in one section on all other
sections, must be acknowledged Military
government at the South produces its visi-
Bile evils at the North. New England,
whether she recognizes it or not suffers
to-day from the Military Reconstruction
bill, and the stupidity of men like Sickles in
the South. takes money out of the pockets
and happiness out of the lives of Massachll-
setts people. 1t is a terrible blunder, this
business of governing other people in a
popular Government like ours, and think
ing IL does not hurt US. ...... ,.r..,r
But what is to be done? The question is
urgent. Millions of dollars are needed at
the South to-day for the bare support of
life. We are organizing Southern relief So
cietles, noble charities, and they save thou
sands from starvation; but is it TO be always
so? Are we to go on year after year making
contributions to the poverty of the Southi
Whenis it to end, and aohen soiH hey take
care Of themselves?
The answer is clear as sunlight, neper till
you let them take care Of themselves. 1t is hope
ence on Northern charity until the North
takes off the heavy hand of military gov
ernment. No man who thinks calmly on
this subject will need to ask an explanation.
10 him who has not studied the first ele-
ments of political economy, let us explain
simply this, that capital will not move in the
South, money will not go into agriculture,
credit will not revive between man and
man, until the end of military law. Take
a man in Georgia who has hundred dol
lars to spare to-day. He has no confidence
in lending it to another man. for he has no
conception by what law Georgia will be
governed next month. He only knows
this, that there is no such idea left as that
he was born under, namely, that the people
of Georgia make their own laws and gov
ern themselves in all local matters. No one
is willing to lend money in q country where
there is no written law. So long as the
present state of things continues in the
South, therefore, there can be no credit no
movement of capital in small, or
large sums. 1t is the movement of large,
shms which. divided into the channels of
business and labor, aids in the prosperity
of all classes. If Congress should, by statute
declare the State Governments OF sMassa-s
chusetts and Connecticut illegal, and i'm
pose military governments on those States,
it would not be long before Boston would
be bankrupt the vast banking Interests of
Hartford would go to the wall, and thou
sands of people, the rich as well as the
poor, would be in need of charity.
Let the people of the South take care of
themselves if the North expects to be freed
from the cry of poverty and suffering,
which is now coming up. Whenever they
make their own laws they will begin to be
prosperous. The assured boon of self-gov-
ernment to Southern State this summer,
would be equivalent in its effect to the gift
of millions OF dollars, and would exhibit
that effect in the dollars themselves within
the next year. %.