The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-03-01
The South and the Reconstruction Bill
From the Times.

Ihe SOuLh anu tne hlIAs
From the Times.
The suddenness with which the Reconstruc-
ton bill has come upon the South seems for
the moment to battle it's calculations. The
people have not yet recovered from the sur
prise Occasioned by the passage of the measure
through Congress, and are evidently at loss
in regard to the full scope of its provisions.
They have not had time to think over the mat
ter fully, and their newspapers have hardly
begun to realize the altered aspect of affairs.
We must wait awhile for the means of forming
a positive judgment as to the disposition of
those affected by the measure. In the mean
time, however, it will be interesting to watch
the temper and tactics of their local press.
Among the remnant of the fire-eating party
the prevailing feeling is a mixture of incredu-
lity and defiance. 'Hoping against hope"
they cling to the idea that the President may
save them from the operation of the law; or,
if not the President, at any rate the Supreme
Court" Before its provisions can be enforced,
declares the Lynchburg (Va.) NecS, ''the
President will have to be depOsed, and the
Supreme Court remodelled or abolished
There is an underlined faith, too, in the
Northern people, the majority of whom, it is
blindly supposed, are adverse to the action of
Congress. With acomplacency that would be
amusing II 1t We're not suicidal, the MOntgO-
merry (Ala.) Mail assures its readers, ''If we
stand firm, the people will come to our
rescue" The Richmond Enquirer appeals to
its Northern friends to plunge into the breach,
and in some way prevent the cOnsummation
of the Congressional work. The views we
reproduced on Wednesday from the leading
Democratic newspapers should convince the
Eaqlrrer of the folly of its appeal. Indeed,
another Richmond journal, the Times, does
not conceal the disgust excited by recent De-
mocratic movements, whether as typifed by
Mr.. Reverdy Johnson or by the House mi
| nority:-
"In the House of Representatives, when the
| radical party were rent in twain by dlssen-
| sions, the so-called Democratic minority CO.
operated with Thaddeus Stevens, and were the
| cause of the adoption OF that, amendment,
which imposes negro suffrage upon us whether
| we adopt or reject the Constitutional amend
ment. The whole course of this minority, we
are panied to say demonstrated that except as
gamblers dice,' our rights and liberties are no
more regarded by the minority than by the
| majority In Congress, and we feel IL our duty
| 70 aomonish the people of the south that In no
| step wnlcn the fearful exigencies OF the hour
| may require them to take, should they place
| Inc slightest confidence in assistance from the
,eii Den9eraIic S minority which lately athliated
How, then, shall the issue be met The
columbus (Ua') Sun, although satisfied that
TINS phi Is the very best" that may be ex-
Pecied, ana preierrng to ''stand by the portion
dealt out 70 us, Eatner than to "trust to the
tender mercles OF the inconnino Congress y
finds nothing better to reco99,nen5 thar
passive submission. It's philosonbv 10 limited
TO the fact that after the How of the tide come,
the ebb; forgetting that the ebb win bring n,