Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1867-10-11
From the London Times, Sept. II.

From the London Times Sept. II.
The Position of the South-The South
without Protection for Property or Re-
dress for Grievances-Their Position I'M
der a Tyranny-The People at Bay.
The position of the excluded States du-
ring this discussion will be memorable IN
all future history. They know nothing OF
the constitution, or of federal law IN any
form. THEY hare no protection Of properly
and no means for reIresSing injuries or
grievances. They. are being taxed and
governed, and their State laws are cancelled
and new laws made for them, at the uncon-
trolled will of majority Of twenty SIX
States 1t is said by Northern writer's that
the tyranny Of subordinate officers OF the
military government-bureau agents, tax
assessors, and collect0rs-ls oppressive ana
irritating TO the last degree. 50 With very
| few EXCEPTIONS" writes a correspondent OF
Republican journal from Georgia, the
| lesser officials are bitterly hostile to the
| residents. and speak to them and OF them
I in the harshest manner. Since these OIL
Gals must know that any excess of author
| ity upon which they may venture Will De
REGARDED as a certain Indication Of loyalty III
| the North, ard shat clemency would expose
them to suspicion and appropriately, their
ALLEGED line of conduct is very natural
The Southern pee pie still eXasperate their
rulers by refusing to extend to them the
commonest Iospitalities or clTilltles, and
| Congress has not yet attempted 10 pass
laws compelling the Southern citizens to
give Federal soldiers welcome to their
households.
The legislature is, indeed. supreme, but
| there are some things it cannot do, and
one Of them is to eradicate the hatred of
the conquered towards the conqueror.-
| General Wade HAMPTON, while advising the
lDe0DIe of S3outh Carolina to encourage the
exercise of the franchise by the blacks, ur
ges them to abstain from taking any part
in the government. 50 1t is, he tells them,
envy honest and firm belief that the vol
untary acceptance of these measures by
our people would surely lrlng, not only to
the South but to the who.e country, evils
far greater than any we have yet suffered. J"
It may possibly be recognized hereafter,
even by the most strenuous advocates OF
total Cisfranchisement, that nothing was
to be gained by asserting the principle
that State government Is a system which
exists only so long as the majority Of the
hour chooses to permit 1t. The whole
Southern population, if We may trust the
accounts in Northern journals, has been
driven to bay, and States which assisted to
make the constitution are demolished at
the fiat of Congress in which the MAORI
ty of a section have obtained the exclusive
representation. In this anomalous state
the Government of the United States must
! remain until the people consent to listen
again to the interpreters of a written law
which was supposed to be incorruptible.-
With an introversion of the protecting
power which might be amusing to the cy-
mic we find negro candidate for Congress,
in the State of Georgia, promising, if cleo
ted, to edo all he can to ameliorate the
condition of the whites" Could we find q
more striking commentary upon the work
of reconstruction done by Congress, or up
on the condition of the South, than that
which this single sentence presents ?