The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1867-03-23
The Policy of the South.

4AC 4 OAASJ VI OAAC OOuJAA'--
g The argument, says the louisville Courier,
of those who are endeavoring to persuade
the people of the South to reOrganlze their
State governments in accordance with the
terms of the military bill Is, that they will
be subject to military rule Until they yield
This does not necessarily follow The mil
itary government of the South will be found
in practice to be a very expensive luxury,
and it is likely that the South can stand it
quite as long as the Government can bear
the outlay. But even. if the argument we're
true, it does not amount to a reason why the
South should voluntarily cover herself with
the shame which assent to the conditions of
the bill would fix upon her. And, outside
of the question of voluntary degradation, the
choice of evils is, In our judgment, on the
side of the military rule. That must, in the
very nature of things, be temporary. The
expense and. disadvantages OF keeping it up
viii soon weary the entire nation, and cause
its withdrawal But if the people of the
South, in apprehension of the evils of the
military system, adopt the programme laid
down in the military bill, in what position
do they place themselves That bill requires
that they shall place their State governments
in the hands of their late slaves, and the few
unworthy white men who are now willing to
come up and swear that they never sympa-
thised with the rebellion, or gave 1t aid or
comfort That system, once fixed upon them,
will be permanent, and the large negro pop
ulation win inevitably control the State gov-
ernments. Certainly there is nothing sufi-
cienJly attractive In such an alternative to
justify any people in seeking to eyade mill
tarY rule by TesOrtlng to 1t. The one can
only be of short duration, while the other
becomes an. established policy which can
never be shaken off The one, though des-
potic, is a government of white men, as a
general thing intelligent, and having char
acters to maintain; while the other is the
government of an inferior race, Ignorant,
! semi-barbarOus and brutal. f.r
The frenzy which now has possession of
the Northern mind will, in time, exhaust
itself; the reyengefuI feelings which are now
exhibited must sgbside, and the Northern
people viii discover that it is not profitable
to give their passions such full sway at the
| expense of their pockets Common sense
will then be allowed a chance, and a more
generous, statesmanlike policy viii be adopt
ed. In the meantime, the people of the
South can devote themselves to the restora-
ton of their fortunes, and the repair of the
waste of the war, leaving politics to take care
of itself There is no way to compel them
| to sign their own depreciation no power to
make them subscribe to their own infamy !;
no authority to force them to prescribe
! themselves or others from the exercise of
political rights in common with other citi-
zens. They haYe, therefore, only to stand
still, making neither demands nor. conces-
sions, and time viii bring them relief
The threat of confscation which is held
over their heads to make them accept the
provisions of the military bin amounts to
nothing. If their enemies are disposed to
adopt this nefarious pIaadering scheme they
/ viii do 1t, and no concessions on the part OF
the Southern people viii avertit 1t would as
| certainly come after the adoption OF the
| terms now offered as in the event of their re-
| lection. There Is no pledge or promise in
/ the bill that the acceptance Of these terms is
( to bar further demands, or that pains and
| penalties and coniscations VIII not follow
] and cowardly submission win assuredly tend
! to excite still higher the spirit of aggression.
That the situation Is a lamentable and IN
fortunate one is very true, but it cannot be
| improved By the abject and cowardly sur
render of constitutional rights, or cringing
| and fawning at the footstool Of power Dig
nifed protest against oppression and refusal
i to assist in their own degradation Is the true
i policy of the South, and only thus can thai
| downtrodden and prosecuted people retain
their self-respeet. OF escape the fortunes which
their enemies have prepared for their humili
alton.