Dallas herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1849-1873, 1867-07-06
Reaction,

As IN indication Of returning sense OF
justice and obligati"l to law and Constitu-
ton, We take pleasure in giving prominence
to the following, which we take from the
Richmond (Va.,) Enquirer, and commend
to our people the advice therein given
Our only hope lies in a healthy reaction Of
public sentiment in the north. This seems
to have commenced, and though the cloud
is "no larger than mans hand"-as the
first CLEAN of hope-as the first indication
Of returning reason, we should encourage
and foster it. How to do this is the ques-
ton. We can think Of no better plan than
that recommended by the Enquirer to be
quiet, calm and patient Careful to give to
Congress no further pretext for oppressive
action, and to the Northern press no furth-
or food with which to influence and preju.
dice the Mort hern mind against us. A calm,
quiet, patient, and digni6cd obedience to
the ''powers that be-" should characterize
our people. To complain is folly, to resist
is madness, and is just the course that nine
tenths of those who are now in power would
delight to See adopted in the South. There
fore, be calm, quiet and patient, and "nev-
er despair Of the Republic" all will yet be
we'll:
The laws Of gravity are as fixed
in the moral aud intellectual world,
as in the world OF matter. Weight
will always be felt. 1t is impossi-
Bile to establish the sway of the
weak and unworthy over the gifted
and the strong. Governmental pro-
scription may create the form of
such supremacy but no more. The
intellect and worth Of communi-
ty uiN tell, and cannot be debarrcd
from the rule,-and especially in
elective governments.
We have had an illustration in
Maryland. The most stringent pro-
visions were devised, and were most
stringently enforced, to make Of the
elective body q chosen few, who
might be trusted to prescribe the
wealth and the intellect of the State,
from the public councils. But the
scheme broke down, and the lately
prescribed now hold the reins.-
Brownlow is engaged in similar
struggle in Tennessee, with simi-
lar failure in the prospective. He
can not organize a body of voters
that will not sooner or later, yield
10 the irresistible moral pressure Of
the mass of the community, includ-
ing almost every citizen of charac-
ter and talent.
West Virginia too is playing the
same role. Foreman and his fellows,
alarmed at their waning supremacy
have felt the necessity of increasing
their prescriptions and narrowing
their circle, hoping thus to prolong
their sway. But their downfall is a
certainty, beyond the power of reg
istry laws and test oaths to prevent
it. 1t is as impossible TO surbordi-
nate the strength of community
to its weakness, as TO settlea pyra-
mid on its apex. We see in our
West Virginia exchanges many ev-
licences of the reaction which has
already set in, and have accounts Of
election victories which are harbin-
gers of the speedy advent of the
coming restoration.
The Clarksburg Conservative e
tells us Of triumphs in Harrison
county, which prove that the sway
of the proscriptionists has exhaust
ed its lease in that large county; and
Of Marion county, 1t speaks as fol
lows
ave are informed that IN Marion
county which has heretofore been
entirely radical with the exception
Of two townships, the Radical ticket
has been defeated in I've cot Of the
seven OF the townships, Botwith-
standing the Board Of Registration
sirack Of. % they Thought enough