The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-10-11
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u.rsohsI v. johnson on Reconstruction.

The Hon. Herschel " Johnson, OF georgia,
who was the Douglas candidate for Vice-Presi-
dent in 1860, and Unionist thereafter until
he became a secessionist, recently sent us a
rather long expose of the political situation
os viewed from an ex-Confederate standpoint.
We priuted his manifesto yerbdtim, with com
,oorts much shorter than itself. He comes
baolr upon us in letter which fills four full col
umns in close type, and would much more
than cover this page in our editorial type.
We would like to answer it, but Mr.. Johnson
allows MS no ROOM "Some take all, but he
leaves none" We are compelled, therefore,
to rest content with restating few important
facts which he ignores or defes.
l. Mr.. Johnson asserts that Congress de-
layed for two long years to mature and present
any plan of reconstruction. He is mistaken.
Congress presented plan near the close of its
very first session after Lees and Johnson's sur
render; and the next Republican State Con-
vention of this State publicly pledged our sup
port to the admission Of each and every State
which should accept it. None Of them except
Tennessee did accept it, or has yet done so; so
another plan had to be devised and proposed.
Was that the fault of Congressl Suppose the
present plan is in like manner rejected; must
the Republicans bear the blame
ii. Mr.. Johnson asserts that the class for
which he speaks are ready to treat the blacks
Justly, and even kindly. We will admit that
he thinks so. But he thought they did the
same when they held those blacks in slavery;
and refused to take the oath of Christian
Bishop, if black, against the most worthless
reprobate, if white They say hell is paved
with good intentions. But Governor Pease
says at least one hundred negroes have been
feloniously killed by whites in Texas alone
under the sway of the Johnsonian State autho-
r "a, j..
has been punished by the ThrockmortOn rule.
We have for years been printing corresponding
accounts from all the unrepresented States.
Herschel V. Johnson will not deny that some
negroes have been killed by whites in the
South since April, 1865. How many of the
murderers have been brought to justice by the
State authorities This is a matter of simple
fact. And we assert that not one white man
in every twenty who have killed negroes in
the South since Lees surrender has been
brought to justice by those to whom Mr..
Johnson thinks it very hard that those States
and their blacks should not be surrendered by
Congress.
III. Mr.. Johnson says there are eight mil
lions of whites and but four millions of blacks
IN the South. Both figures are about right.
OF the whites, there may be one hundred
thousand-not mOre-disfranchised by Con-
gress as prominent Rebels. Say that these
represent half million of people-call it a
million, if you will-leaving but seven mil
lions OF enfranchised whites to four millions of
blacks. The whites own nearly all the land
and other property; more than half of them
are educated, while the adult blacks are gene
rally ignorant; the whites are certainly not
inferior in intellect, while far superior in
social position. Now, says Mr. Johnson,
to intrust political power to these seven
millions of enfranchised whites and four
millions of blacks is to hand the
m o. al III
the white race endanger property, order,
everything Surely, a man who knows
whether four is or is not more than seven
much more one who has run for Vice-PreS-
dent-ought to know better than to put forth
such glaring absurdity as this The immigra-
ton to the South is heavy and almost exclu-
sively white, there are no negro lawyers,
negro doctors, and few negro merchants;
almost every element of power is in the hands
of the whites. To affect to fear black domina-
ton under such circumstances is either hypo-
critical or puslllanimous-we mean, 1t looks
like that. We shall next hear that the dogs
of the South have held meeting and resolved
to ask protection against the bloody sheep,
who threaten to eat them up. Yet Mr.. John
sons letter rings the changes on this mon
strous assumption.
". Mr. Johnson urges that the blacks are
generally ignorant. That, we presume, is so.
But blacks did not make the laws which pun
1shed as felony the teaching OF one OF their
number to read; and, since they have been
allowed to learn, they have evinced general
aptitude and eagerness to do so. Let us en-
courage and help them to grow in knowledge
and wisdom; bearing, meantime, with their
constantly decreasing ignorance.
V. We most emphetoally deny that there
is any quarrel between the 'two sections" or
their people. There is a faction at the South
which still mourns ''the Lost Cause" and
refuses to be comforted. 1t has very large
body of sympathizers at the North. There Is
not in all regions over which Mr. Jefferson
Davis once presided single county wherein
so large portion of the inhabitants are in po-
itical accord with Mr.. H. V. Johnson and his
teachings as in this very city of New York.
Do let us discard misleading phrases, and
talk to the point. There is but one living po-
litical question:-"Shall the blacks, or shall
they not, be henceforth regarded as human
beings, with rights and feelings which whites
re bound to respect Y' Whoever answers,
Yes, they shall, belongs to our party,
neither he live in Boston or Shreveport;
whoever answers, "No," belongs to the other
party. We long since said:-"Let all vote ~
The Republicans will be ready to say it quite
as soon as the Democrats, North or South, will.
Let us scorn all disguises and talk right to the
point. Mr.. Johnson might have spared his
words, if he had not needed them to conceal
his ideas.
vi. AS to the right and wrong of secession
aud cOerciOn-what we said in lS60--What
Congress resolved in lS6l-what were Mr..
Calhoun's theories of overnment-andwhethe
Mr.. Johnson, being Unionist, was justified in