New-York tribune., 1867-03-21

TIE WORRINGS or RECONSIhOCifON'
The President has appointed the Commanders
of the five Military Districts into which the
South is divided they are ready to execute
the law; the loyal men, white and black, are
prepared to take part in the work. Ihe basis
of reconstruction is fully laid; the plan OF the
supplementary bill is certain to be enforced,
and it only remains to be seen what action
will be taken by the men who now cohtroi the
Southern States.
We assume that they will accept the law, and,
so far as they are not excluded by 1t, Will
speedily begin to reOrganize their States Ill the
way il requires But they will do this under
protest. Our Southern exchanges, with not
very many exceptions, denounce the law, and
even those which advise the people to
accept it abuse the power which made
il. Consolation is sought in the TACT
that the South was not consulted in the max
ing of it. owe arc not asked 10 become ac-
"complices in our own degradation, as when
" Congress proposed that we should ratify the
"XIVth Amendment to the constitution
"These terms are imposed, and we can
"use without disgrace laws we are power
"less to repeal Men like Robert Ould
and X. II. Daniel of Virginia proclaim, 1t Is trle'
that any Southern man who takes part Ill re-
construction under this bill is trcacherous to
his State and papers like The Houston Ieie-
0yGDb e. aSider that the bill justifles every
crime known in history or possible to human
nature; h { their cOunscls will not he regarded.
The disl,yol men who can take the oath re-
ouired Inv thc law of voters will take it, and for
this excellent reason: The negroes and the
loyal white minority, if they refuse to act, will
form State constitutions without their aid.
Rather than see this effected, the worst OPP
moments of the law will in a few weeks be
organizing q party under its protection. The
members of the Louisiana Legislature who, as
late aS February 81 passed bill over the
Governors veto providing for State cleo
ton by white voters only, and VINO
last week referred to Committee reSo-
lutions declaring the reconstruct ion law
unconstitutional and only to be executed by
the force of the bayonct-shamcful resolutions
which we print elsewhcre-will soon be work
ing to keep the control of their State by the
means the law provides. Other Legislatures
will avoid the mistake of Louisiana, and, as
under the law the officers of the present Pro-
viSional Governments continue to perform Their
duties until their successors shall have been
elected, they will be obliged to take some
action. Ii is understood that Gov. Orr will
soon assemble the Legislature of South Caro-
lima to consider the propriety of calling n Con
vention. In Georgia, Alabama, and Virginia,
the Provisional Governors will probably take
similar steps And in every State the men
who most hate the law will accept the advice
of their shrewdeSt leaders, and try to OBTAIN
all possible power in the ncw governments. IN
the hope of controlling the negro vote here
after.
But this, fortunately, s not the only phase
Of reconstruction. Brighter skies arch above
the South. in which a new light dawns. In
North Carolina the Union Whites and Freedmen
will. on the 9th of this month, hold joint
Convention in Raleigh to organize Union
party and consider new constitution for the
State. In South Carolina there are indications
that the Freedmen will obtain the rights Sc
cured them by the law, without the
oppo.ition of the Rebel leaders, and, if we
may trust recent professions, with thoir aid. IL
is true such aid is not needed, and those who
may give ii do 80 rcgrctting that the negroes
are TO vote, and only hoping TO get their bal
lots, but that matters little. Thcn there are
men in the South who, like Gen. Harley eE-
Lieutenant Governor of South Carolina, are
sincerely willing to accept negro suffrage
rs an act Of justice, especially if universal am
ncsty should follow it, We may hope, too,
that the number il increasing 81 those who
have learned to know not only the might
but the right of freedom, and who hail iS
triumphs "a their own. IT is too mich
to assume that the negroes nro the only
people in the South who have become
more enlightened, and liberal, and just,
since the war. Many of the whites have
also made cheering progress, and it
is not to he denied merely because so little Of
it is revealed 1t must be remembered that such
improvement is so unpopular that it is no
small lisk to acknowledge it. We rejoice that
there are evidences that the restraint to which
they have been subjected is being removed,
and that such ex-Rebel leaders as Gen. lIamp
ton can at least address the negroes as political
equals without being misunderstood. County
meetings are 10 be held in every Southern
State to consider the new method of Recon
struction one was held in Buckingham County,
Virginia, on the nth instant, and at Mont
gOmery, Alabama, a large meeting is called
for the Goth. There is much reason to hope
that they will not be composed only of
negroes and few prescribed loyal whites, but
that even those who believe the law unconsti
tutiOnal and tyrannical will not let such
opinions prevent them from accepting ITS
benefits.
Mr.. d. B. McCreight, of Winnsboro, South
Carolina, sends us the following letter:
"ln your issue of the 9Th of March you make
"the following statement viz we cite the