Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1867-08-16

Tile Mission az EIc Republican Party IL,
the South.


We cannot share the tone OF exultation
IN winch many OF our contemporaries dis
cuss the result of the Tennessee election. -
In its overwhelming vote for Brownlow and
his candidates they profess to have dis
covered signs Of thorough reconstruction.
! And in the unanimity Of the negroes they
see an assurance of the manner in which
| the newt y-enfranchised race THROUGHOUT
the South will hereafter exert their power
If the mission of the Republican party
were to invest the future OF the South with
danger and difficulty, this rejoicing would
be ineligible and just If the aim were to
build up a black party in the Southern
States as the only proper ally Of the North
| ern RepublicanS-tO ALLEVIATE the great ma
jorty of resident whites and force them
into a position of permanent hostility
nothing could be more satisfactory than
the verdict Of Tennessee. Or if incurable
rebellion were assumed to be the lot of
four-ffths of the whites, and prescription
and insult the only treatment they are en-
titled to, we could understand the wisdom
OF holding up Tennessee tactics for imita-
ton IN the ten excluded States. From
these points Of view, the Tennessee cleo
ton would justify all the rejoicing which
it has elected. 1t would warrant the ex-
clamatlon, Tennessee redeemed !" with
which more than one enthusiastic journal
lst introduced the news. And it would en-
able us to comprehend the calculation by
which the same writer's prove the certain
and lasting success Of their party as q con-
sequence Of reconstruction.
But we have not so learned the Drinci-
pies and aims of the Republican party, nor
so interpreted the object and tendency of
It's reconstruction policy. On the contrary,
we have believed the mission of the party
to be beneficent as well as patriotic. To its
own future it cannot be Indifferent, but
that is dependent less upon ordinary nar-
tisan appliances than upon the good feel
ing and sound judgment with which it
pursues it's work, and the success which
crowns its labors. Party advantages are to
be Incidental to success--not the end oil
all efforts. The speedy reorganization oil
the South on healthy basis-the earliest
possible reconstruction of local govern
ments and the re-eStablishment of local.
authority the only legitimate
purpose Of recent legislation. In this sense
1t is understood and supported by the coun-
try. 1t is moreover policy Of concilia-
ton, OF forbearance, of amity and peace. |
Prescription nowhere enters into the plan |
through which it operates. It guarantees
to the blacks perfect civil and political lib |
erty, but without imposing exclusion upon
the whites. The disabilities provided for
prominent rebels and the Acknowledgement
of the office-holding class are exceptions
too limited to diminish the force of the
rule, the obvious design of which is to OBJ
llterate distinctions of race, and to make
the whole community in the smooth and
successful workings of the reconstructed
governments. The law, too, runs evenly,
with no risk of caprice OF passion on the
part of the administrators. It's whole
scope and principle is directed to the main
tenance of equality, the organization of
republican liberty, secured by the forms
adapted to transition time, but affordingl
no room for the diabolical vindictiveness
and cunning of the measures by which
Brownlow has fortified himself in office.
Nor is our version of the law or our rem