Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1867-05-29
AMERICAN RECoNsTRUCTIoN.
English Views OF the Radical Policy
i'm COMPENSATION the south is Cow


-I'[FrOm the London Herald DERBY organ) Nav IA j.
The present state of affairs in that vast
part of the continent of North America
(which has its center in w Washington must be
/ an interesting subject of contemplation to
every thoughtful man., To the student of
history, to the political theorist,e to the par =
ltisans of democratic or arstocratic forms of
government, to the practical philanthropist,
to optimists and peacemistS 10 such ques-I
j tions as the future OF America and the de-
Eyelopment of our race, TO. philosophers, in
tact, of every shade and hue, this crisis o.
Tiers spectacle as strange as it is, novel
disappointing, if not unexpected; paradox
zeal, if not altogether unnatural. The faith \
-ers of the republic. when7they cast off their
doconuection with Great Britain and her
1'ihoharehical' traditions, established their.
commonwealth on the broadest basis of in
4 JdiYidual liberty that had ever, yet been as
1 serted or claimed by men! All men, they
1said, were free and equal. The several
communities into which this country was,
already divided were to govern themselves
Ifreely and absolutely by the independent
tVOte of all their citiZens.l fTheFederal Com
jgress and the Federal Government at Wash
1ington represented the Union of States in
its, foreign, relations, but at home was as
lmucha restrained in its authority as the
]eXecutiFe8 ofo the most limited mon
archy known in Europe. - - =
The .Rump Congress which now governs
1.-THE American people has brought matters
Ito something very, much like a redaecti01 Gd
dbsud.in. Either the ten Southern States
are part of the Union, or they are not.
If then are not, Congress has no pOaceT to make
ld.oS for them any more than it has for Can
ada OF Mexico. If they are, they have a
fright to representation in both houses,
granted by the original Constitution of the
Union, aottch has fleUer yet been dbTOgdted, and
cannot. indeed, be set aside aotttOat their con-
Seat.g- The Northern Congress, however,
Ehas its army, which the South has no long
er, and the power to make just what terms
it pleases.s The use which it makes of its
power is to deny to the Southern States all
share in the governments, to question even
their right to consider themselves as States.
EIt depriyes the six millions of Southern
men of all political and civil rights, treat
ing them like red Indians, except in this,
that the latter have the advantage in not
1being taxed. Allthis has been strenuously
I lopposed by the President, but to no puf-
pose, as the Radicals in both houses have
passed the bills over his veto by majorities
of more than two-shirds. The last act and
climax of this injurious system of oppressr
ion has been what is called the Reconstruct
tion act, which places the South under mar
tial law, and assigns to it five military gov
ternors, with special departments. foT@5 Il.
r. The South is now under a military des-
.
! abeyance!d The soldiers in command are
! men of character, gentlemen and Chris
/ Etians, and we believe them incapable OF
/ the ferocious unfairness displayed towards
the South by the notorious radicals Sum
rer, Butler and Stevens, who seem to car
J Try all before them in the Washington Par
I lament. Acts of petty oppression have
! been committed Which Illustrate the dan
! ger of contiding in irresponsible authori-
ty.s Gen. Sickles insists that the firemen of
Washington shall defile before federal
flag, and make solemn obeisance to it.
General Pope admonishes and reprimands
the civil, Governor of Georgia for having
ventured to express an opinion on the Re-
iEeonstEuetion act. General Sehofield threat
liens to suspend the Richmond Times for
Ifhaying alluded with some pride TO the
lIprowess Of the defenders of Virginia. All
ibthis is mild in comparison with. the atti-
iItude taken up by the triumphant politicians
I.of Ne,o England. The avowed intention OF
the eAsReconstruction act, was that as soon
as the people of the South had made up
their minds to grant the suffrage to the ne
groes, to repudiate thelrde and disown
ltheir late leaders, they might organize
State conventions, re-establish State gov
lernnients and return Representatives to Con-
gress. The radicals, however, finding that
they have tall their own way, begin tothink
ofiasistiBg on still harder terms. Senator
Wilson, haran gaing whites and blacks, at
f1ampCon, III Virginia, lellS tue people bnal
they wall be readmitted to State rights il
they will only promise toa"return Onion
men. Even this is too much for the old
demagog1e, Stevens, of Philadelphia. He
writes letter, in which he solemnly de-
, nounces Mr. Wilson for having promised
so much. What right has he to promise il
when there is no such State as Virginia
and no one has authority to say when OF
how it will be recognized? There mus
first be punishment for the guilty and con-
tiscation of the property of disloyal men
By this man, and such as he,T the restora-
ton of the Union is indefinitely postponed
1t is by his fault, and ithat1of his fellows
that the prosperity of the Union issat
stand still, that the Southern fields are re-
lapsing into primitive wilderness, and th,
Southern people are starving or emigratins
from their homes America has been fitted
by nature to be a Paradise on earth-whl
will her sons do. their best to make her /;
he'll? /? d. =. '5-fils .yirso5 81 3.,l =. - =iisf..