Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1867-03-22

pursue the right course and act in conform
tv with the dictates of reason. To leave
he colored race to the mercy OF designing
md mercenary men would be unjust and
will affect us in no little degree.
The World says
"Of Senator Wilson's bill wo have little
to say beyond explaining what will be lis
effect, If it passes. As VIC estimate II, 1t is
of next to 40 practical Importance whetner
it passes or not. There is nothing which
If directs to be done, which might not
equally be done by the military comman-
1ers under the authority conferred by the
Sherman law. Under that law the simple
will of military officers is the supreme law ;
no State constitution, State law, State func-
tionary, or State authority of any kind, be-
ing of any force, or capable of performing
any act, except by the permission or sui
ferance of the General in command. Gen
eral Sheridan has already assumed supe-
riority to State laws, by ordering the post
ponement of the New Orleans election,
which the law Of Louisiana required to be
held Yesterday, having issued the order, as
is stated. on the failure Of the Legislature
to pass an act to the same effect.
zone of the arguments of Wilson's bill
is, that it will preclude any conflict of au-
thority between the provisional Legislatures
and the military commanders in fixing the
time and prescribing the prelimlnarles OF
the State conventions. But there can DC
no such conflict. any more than there can
between the military commanders and their
sub-oficers. The very pillar and pivot OF
the Sherman Law is, that the military arl-
thority is supreme ; that no State action 81
anv kind can prevail if it be not according
to military pleasure. II Legislature
orders an election on day which the Gen
eral in command disl4kes, he will annu! the
order, and declare that no election shall be
held on that day. If Legislature refuses
to provide for a State Convention, ana post
nones the whole subject, the military OIL
car will himself appoint day for the cleo
+ion of delegates and make arrangements
for opening the polls. If (which seems to
be contingency which Wilson's bill seeks
to provide against the Legislature pre-
scribes one day and makes one set OF ar
rangements, and the military officer pre-,
scri6es and makes another, the General
would be likely to settle such difficulty IN
sbort order without the aid Of Congress.
:But although the bill, if passed, will
cause nothing to be done which would not
equally be done without it, it may perhaps
be better to have uniform rule, and TO
trust as itt,o as possible tomere discretion.
By fixing time within which State Con
ventions shall be called, determining who
shall call them, prescribing the registration
of voters and the regulations for the polls,
the whole thing is put at the outset, and
once for all. III the definite shape III which
theaSouthern people will be called to acl
mon it. Let it be fully display ed Ill all it,
bideous nakedness By the necessary OPP
Grafton of Sherman's bill, it will ultimately
come into the shape of compulsory reor
eanization. The people may as well be
cured of any flattering deluslon on thai
subject. first as last. True, nobody will be
compelled to go to the polls unless he
chooses to 60 and the concocters OF this
iniouity will be by nothing SO much graft
| fed as by the stubborn staying away of TIT
white majority. The compulsion will con
sist in their being compelled to submit af
| forwards to State government which the.
had no hand in framing, and which, if the.
stand aloof and permit it, will disfranchis'
them forever, after the Missouri and Ten
nessee models.
s'The only question or choice for tn
Southern whites is, whether they will b.
horse or rider-whether they will contro
their States by participation, or surrende
them to the control of the Radicals by ab
stention. Elections will certainly be held
and held early Ii the majority Of tn
Southern whites stay away from the frs
poll by choice, they will be kept away fron
all future polls by disfranchisement. Ih1
was the design of Sherman's bill and til
object of Wilson's is to hurry the schem
through to its consummatlOn