The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-04-15
Shall Agitation be ProIonged9


In a mere partisan point of view we should
have no cause to regret the action of the Su-
preme Court, should it decide to grant the
application of Messrs. Sharkey and Walker
for an injunction restraining the execution of
the Reconstruction law lately passed by Con-
gress. Such a decision would merely remand
the whole question once more to the arena of
popular discussion, would make it the pro-
minent issue in the Presidential election Of
1853, and would prevent the Rebel States
from participating in that election. 1t would
render Republican triumph in 1868 moral
certainty, and would probably result in the
end in a reconstruction of the South upon
the basis not only of impartial suffrage, but
also of universal education, and such a mea-
sure of corfscation as would pay good part
of the expenses of our late war out of the
enormous landed estates of the late Rebels.
But for the sake of the South itself, and of
the immediate business interests of the whole
country, it is far preferable that the Re-
construction act should be honestly and tho
roughly carried out. There is no Disgusting
the fact that there is on the part of the South
ern people generally greater disposition to
fall in with the present plan of reconstruc-
ton than they have heretofore manifested
towards any similar measure proposed by
Congress. They acknowledge that they re-
gard some of its measures as harsh, but they
prefer to at once settle the matter rather than
to any longer wrangle over terms. Under
this law the States will soon be restored
to the Union. Their status will then be
fixed. Moreover, this law does tend to har-
mOnize Southern society. By putting all the
people upon plane of political equality, it is
made the mutual interest of all to cultivate
harmony and respect for each others rights
1t is impossible to read such speeches as those
recently made by Wade Hampton and Gov
ernOr Orr, without the conviction of the essen
tally conservative, harmonizing, and peaceful
tendencies of the Congressional plan of recon
struotion. 1t is measure of peace and not of
war. 1t is blessing and not a curse.
If the Reconstruction law is faithfully car
ried out, the great work of restoration will
soon be fully completed. The States will all
be back in the Union. Harmony and order
will prevail at the South. No ugly ouestions
growing out of unjust distinctions based unon
race and color, will be left to crop ont into
future dissensions, agitatons, and possible
rebellions. Confidence will be restored ond
capital will send its fertilzing streams All ovor
the South to fructify and gladden. its now vast
and desolate places. More than all this tbo
great political struggle over the fundamentol al
principles of free government, which has aoi
tated and divided the whole country for tbo
last thirty years, will at last have come To Az
end, and we can all turn our attention to les.
exciting themes. Questions of trade api
finance of commerce and internal improve
ment of education and social morality, vii
then become the domain of our politics. Sec
tiOnal divisions will cease, and even the memor,
of our past arrangements will speedily pas
away.
These, it seems to us, are practical cons
deratiOns which must force themselves upo
the minds of thinking men of all parties.
anything to be gained by prolonging this bi
ter and exasperating contest ? Let tE
Supreme Court ponder this question we
before giving its decision.