Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1867-08-09
THE WILMINGTON JOURNAL
Words and Acts.

expressive world politician now prom1-
nently before the public. He can claim no
reputation for bold aground and lofty
tumbling," like such political acrobats as
BUTLER. LOGAN and KELLEY; but his talent
is versatile, and for the lighter parts he
is the more faithful delineator-a fail
ure possibly in leading characters, but a
most accomplished harlequin.
One who knew nothing Of Senator Will
SON, but what they learned from his own
lips, might regard the following extract
from his speech recently delivered at Sara
topa. as consistent with his feelings /; but
those who are familiar with his political
record know such sentiments are widely at
variance with his acts.
In his Saratoga speech, referring to the
people Of the South, he said:
x"They were more severely conquered than 1
dreamed of. l tell you here tonight that the
Deone of that section OF the country put into the
contest all they had of blood and of treasure ana
f6ewsgere defeated utterly ariidted, their poaeers
acne No man who loves his country and his Eel
Jow-men and who regards those States as part OF
the country, and the people as part Of lis coun-
trvmen can witness the condition OF that section
qriHoat hdui,g has heart sQttenGd and stirred ar@h-
IN han. For myself, while l spoke to them pam
words 7 desired to speak to them III klnunCsS;
and in thjrty-twO speeches made IN that section
of the country to various kinds OF AUDIENCES,
never received a hiss, or whisper, or Hnknd Word.
= For myself want no more pumshments
than have already been inflicted on these men.
They have suffered, and have been disappointed
more than any body of nen IN the history OF the
world
He made use of the same wish contained
in the closing sentences OF the above eX-
tract in each of the g thirty-two speeches, "
and promised, that so far as he was con-
cerned. and he thought he spoke for his
party in Congress, that the then recon
strnction measures should be finality if
tbe South SO willed. After the hedrt-S0f1en-
ina and stirring process through which the
Senator passed, he returned to his seat IN
the Senate and violated his solemn promise
to those people who erere defeated, their
po,rerS gone, and by his vote made new
conditions, more stringent, as the terms OF
their reconstruction, and was only refrained
from destroying even the shadow of civil
government yet left us by his more honora-
BILE cotemporaries in that body.
: Notwithstanding the feeling and appa-
rently honest sympathy for the Southern
people, expressed by the distinguished Sen
ator, and the confession that his fastidi-
ous1y loyal appetite for the punishment OF
rebels had been appeased in that they had
already suffered and have been disappoint-
ed more than any body of men i'll the his
tory of the world, there has been no ma
lignant device brought forward in Con
gress to increase our suffering and add to
our disappointment which has not found
o ready abettor and alder in the Alassachu-
sets Senator.
Can it be that Mr. Wilson'S experience
atSaratoga, where are collected leading men
from all portions of the North, teaches
him that there is a returning love for the
country in that section, and regarding the
Southern States as part of the country,
and the citizens thereof as at least 'ferring'
fellow-men and not outlaWed rebels, that
their hearts are softened and stirred with
in them at the outrages which have been
committed against these people under the
sanction of law and the Constitution We
have never doubted that when the hearts
of the people softened, those of the poll
ticians would melt, and if the prescribed
terms of reconstruction are condemned at
the ballot-box, we are prepared to hear
that Mr. WILSON thinks that "these men,
have been punished too much already.
The present Congress may be composed of
very od-thirsty men, but let the people
in the fall elections disapprove their acts,
and they will "roar as gently as any suck
ing dove To see such old and shrewd
politicians getting nervous, is certain evil
dence of approaching disaster. When men,
who have watched the political skies for
thirty years, begin to seek cover, you may
well calculate upon tho certain approach of
the storm.
Sources OF Trouble and Mischief.
We regret to see that too frequently in
the chaotic condition of governments and
society in the South, VIGOROUSLY bad men
acquire official positions of sufficient i'm
portance to enable them to exert most
mischievous influence upon the Ignorant
people, who have been so recently and sud-
denly endowed with all the rights and priv
iIeges of citizens. The present condition
of the South would bemostdeplorable, even
if our political and sectional opponents were
all honorable and honest. But added to
our other troubles and losses, we have tc
withstand the efforts of bad men, who are
imposing upon the credulous ignorance OF
the negroes, to hasten their destruction in
order to complete the ruin of the South.
It could hardly be expected that political
buzzards would. fail to discover the rich
prey which the carcass of Southern pros
perity afforded.
We believe such persons are now doing
all the mischief in their power. They must
be frowned down by the respectable por-
tons of their own party and the more in
telligent and considerate of the colored peo-
pie taught to know that they are the
black mans worst enemies We hone our