The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-08-10
SPIRIT OF THE PRESS.
EDITORIAL OPINIONS oP THE LEADING JOURNALS
uPoN CURRENT ToPTos--CoMPILED EVERY
DAY FOB THE EVENING TELEGRAPH.
southern Politics.

PSo,t the Nation.
Tennessee has Just given decisive evidence
sf the comparative unanimity with which the
nowIv enfranchised voters at the South sup
mort the Republican party, and has eifectually
assipated whatever hopes might have been
entertained by politicians of the Democratic
T,rtv of a division and naturalization of the
oolored vote. There were grounds for such
division in Tennessee that did not exist IN any
other State. There is a large loyal white popu-
lation, many, if not most of whom have, until
a very recent period, entertained strong DIS
like for the negro and have been unwilling to
render him the simplest justice. 30 long as
thew believed themselves able to keep down
tbo Rebel element without the help of oOlOred
men. they secuted the idea of universal suf-
frage. And when they were compelled to
choose between this and political extinction,
thew delayed their decision until the oppOr-
tunity for choice was nearly lost. These re-
marks do not fully apply to Governor Brown
low and few others, who, on this point, were
in advance of their constituents, but they are
perfectly true of the great majority of white
loyalists, in or out of Office. 1t could not be
expected that such course would OF itself
command the confidence of the colored people
when finally enfranchised but although the
''conservatives'' strove hard to impress the
new voters with the insincerity of the radicals,
it appears that at least nine -tenths of the CO.
lored vote has been given for the radical ticket.
We have no desire to underrate the official
ties of the Tennesseean Unionists but we sub
NIT for the consideration of all calm and intel
igent men whether it is possible to protraot
very much longer the regime which is now
established in Tennessee, and of which Gov
ernor Brownlow is unfortunately the repre-
I Al r-II.
extent the value of what the Unionists have
done; but the main object and the only good
excuse for their exclusive dominatiOn-the
establishment of law and order throughout the
State-they have not yet attained. Society
there has, during the whole term of Governor
Brownlow's administration, been in a condi-
ton bordering on anarchy. The militia he
has called out have, from the necessity of the
case, been themselves fierce partisans, and
have therefore wanted the first essen
tials of a good polce-impartialit and
discipline. Therefore it is fair to say,
that the radicals have not fairly discharged
the duties which every party that takes
to itself the exclusive control Of the
government of State assumes by implca-
tion. 1t undertakes to maintain order and
protect life and property, by the mere fact of
its excluding its opponents from the polls; and
in case of failure to meet these responsibilities
~ 10 hO dubW6I W dllcbo buo WLChouu0oo duu
turbulence of the malcontents. This wicked
ness and turbulence were part of the problem
with which those who took charge of the gov
ernment engaged to DEAL and, in fact, fur
nished the main reason for confning the gov
eminent to portion of the population. When
Governor Brownlow says the State is torn by
strife and disorder because the Rebels are SC
bad, he talks like general who excuses his
defeat on the ground that the enemy fought
too hard.
We do not seek to oensure the radicals too
severely for their shortcomings. 1t would
have been absurd to expect men who had gone
through what they have gone through to si
down the minute the war was over, forgive
their enemies, and administer the Government
on philosophical principles. Men will be men
and we confess that, for our part we think
half the moral value of such struggle as the
country has passed through would be lost i
people were to set about forgiving and forget
ting as soon as the last shot was fired. M
society could either last very long, or be wortl
the trouble of saving, in which rascals anC
traitors and murderers ceased to be detestet
as soon as they lost their powers of mischief
and in which men had learned to bear tn,
most atrocious wrongs without feeling an,
resentment against those who wrongedSthem
The adoption of any such rule in politics
would end in giving the scoundrels the con
troll of the world. Therefore, when Brownlov
and his loyalists devoted themselves two year
to cursing, abusing, and running off, tn
Tennesseean Rebels, we could not great,
blame them. Now, however, they have
majority of voters on their side they hav
proved their ability to keep order at the polls
and we submit that the country is fairly er
titled to expect something from them in tn
way of pacifcation and Cancellation. Whethe
Governor Brownlow is capable of any sue
work we greatly doubt, but if he be, hi
friends are bound to urge it upon him b,
every means in their power
In the other reconstructing States the fe
white lOyalists have been so long in harmon
with the colored people that none of thes
difficulties stand in the way. The Unio
Leagues are spreading with great rapidit
ever the entire South; and it is probable thu
by this time a majority of the electors al
enrolled in these or kindred political organic;
tions, and have pledged themselves to SUI
port the Republican party. We see that
South Carolina the only colored man VIII
ever publicly limited doubt as to the cours
which his race should take, has fallen int
line with the rest. Everywhere the colore
people are at least as unanimous upon on
side as the Irishmen of New York are upon I'll
other.
II is eminently creditable to the newl
anfranchised race that every element of troub
in their political affairs has its origin anon
white men. We do not know of single III
reasonable demand made by any body
coIored politicians of their own motion; an
thew have had good sense enough to reje
some temptations put in their way by bad
foolish white men. One man in the Sou
Carolina Convention was silly enough to pr
nose a demand for colored Vice-Preside
e 4 Il. II