Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1867-04-05
Reconciliation Ito"

Admitting that the Radical party, i'll It's
legislation for the past two years, has Ia
bored honestly for what it purport8 10 hnve
done, and that It's efforts viii ultlmatel y rc
cult il the reconstruction Of tbs Govern
mcnt, VIC would ike to inquire what pro
nress has been made towards reconcll1n-
ton Of the sections? TO what extent have the
wounds Of the bitter past been healed?-
We guppoge It would he useless to deny tbs
f4ct, even we're we disposed to do 20. that
the terrible gtruggle from which tbs conn
try has recently emerged las left sad men,
orieG, the obi1teration Of which should
have been one Of The first duties Of the
Government, and q s7lse craftsmanship
would have led, hand ia hand, RccOncilla
ton and Reconciliation. Without the for
MGR, the latter will prove u barren labor
the fhadow without the substances Any
government wanting the support Of the
governed cannot expect long to retain
power and rcspcct-a republic without the
affection Of its citizens must necessarily be
q failure.
We had hoped, as time softcncd the IL:
rimony of the war, that the Government
would shape its legislation SO as to heal its
wounds and obliterate its marks. It is
said that when the Thcbans had conquered
the Incedemonians they proposed to erect
a brazen monument in honor of their vic
tory. The Amphictyonic Council, the
Congress of Greece forbade it, in Il spirit
Of patriotism and wisdom. which has i'm
mortalized their action. They replied to
the proposition, "Let there be nothing
''done to perpetuate the fact that there ever
'swas strife between Greek and Greek" Our
christian Congress might indeed learn q
lesson of true craftsmanship and practical
christianity from this heather council.
One Of the leading elements of Roman
greatness was her clemency to the people she
had conquered, and the more stubborn had
been theirresistancca and the Greaterth cour
age and manhood displayed, the more read
lily were the rights Of citizenship granted,
for complete and honest reconciliation with
the brave and generous was cardinal point
of her craftsmanship and the true secret Of
her success. So soon as arms were laid
down and the supremacy of the republic
acknowledged, not only were their rights
and privileges protected, but their feelings
respected
That our Congress has pursued course
so opposite, must be justified upon q diff
ferent view of national warfare aud the
progress the world has made i'll civilization
and craftsmanship, and not from any ac-
ton of the conquered States. They have
fully and honestly complied with the terms
of their surrender and the subs ,quent lo-
gislation of Congress. II any real progress
has been made towards reconstruction, We
fear tho steps which 1ayo led to it hav
tread SO rudely upon tho sacred memories
of the past as to hinder, rather than pro
mote, reconciliation. Nothing has been
conceded either to the rights or feelings of
the conquered party, the former not ae-
knowledged and the latter not respected
Observation-Disclosures of friendly roconoilation
planted above the closed grave Of our Lost
Cause" by Southern soldiers and watered
by the tears of Southern women, i'll honest
but sad commemoration Of their defeat,
have been violently plucked off 10y their
roots and trodden under foot. This course
may pander to passions excited by the war,
but even there it will not appease, and, We
fear, may prove the death Of all that makes
a country respected and prosperous.
Senator Salisbury, of Delaware, in his
speech in the Senate a few days since, in
trying to inculcate the necessity of recon-
Citation as well as reconstruction to secure
the peace and promote the welfare of the
government, read q most beautiful story
from Spanish history, which we here take
the liberty of repg eatip