Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1867-07-05
From the New York Herald.

From the New York Herald.
Party Disorganization i'm the South.
The Union league councils in the South
ern States, which for some time past had
been forced into existence, like exotics, IN
the radical dollhouse, appear to be OWN
| ding away. We notice by some Georgia
papers that the leagues in that State are
| dissolving themselves by almost unanimous
/ votes of the members, who assert that
| sthey were deceived in regard to the end
| and aim of the organization, and will not
| consent to DO what is required OF them.
| Now the question is, what was required of
them What was the object held out to
| them as an inducement to Joln or form
| these clubs What were the conditions
demanded of them IF it WAS represented
by the politicians that the easiest way to
| reconstruction was through the channel OF
| the Union league organization, many hon
! est Union men might have been led into 1t
who have since learned that it meant party
| aggrandzenent rather than the good OF
the South. Many Union leagues also may
have discovered that the organization was
getting to be too much under the control
| of federal O1ficehOlders, a class OF men III
the South who are playing fast and loose
with Congressional intrigue and Pres1den-
| Iial patronage, who are radicals of the first
men to those who expect to find South
ern Moses in Andrew Johnson. Almost
every one Of the two classes cOmprisln 6
the offeeholders and the Radical leaders
| not in office is an asplrant either for Il seat
| in Congress, which he hopes to obtain when
the South is reconstructed, OF for some
prcferment in the line Of federal patronage
| such DIS registrar of election, assessor or
| collector of internal revenue, or commits
siuner under the bankrupt law.
| The Union leagues i'll the Southern CT
ties, being composed mainly of these
classes, cannot be expected TO become
very popular with those who really desire
to accept the situation and to see their sec
ton restored to It's original political status
! Thus it appears that the radicals have hit
| upon the wrong kind Of machinery, and 1T
will not work. There are other reasons,
perhaps, for the failure of the Union
leages South, and they are to be found III
the inevitable discord between the races,
which is manilesting itself by the unwil-
| llngnesS, III most instances of the white
agitators to admit the blacks into their
councils, and the counteracting efforts Of
! the negro agitators, many of whom are men
of great intelligence and acumen, to form
| exclusive black organizations, of aaseCret,
| and it is alleged all oath bound character,
in which the right to held Office, sit Oh ju-
| ries, and exercise other newly acquired
privileges, are not only vigorously asserted
but made the SINE qua of negro support
of the radical platform although the re-
cent action Of the colOred people in Mo
bile, in declining to accept office, would
seem to show more sensible spirit i'll that
class i'll this particular locality.
/ To this mixed condition Of political So
ciety in tie South may be attributed the
Iva of ln
which seem to be gathering pretty thick
about that party, and may leave them, af-
ter ALL with an indispensable elephant up
on their hands, in the shape Of negro SUI
frage.
Gerritt Smith jefferson Davis.
After a long season of refiec ion, Genitt
Smith has furnished the public with min
ute and elaborate justification of his con-
duct in signing the bail bond of Jefferson
=, Davis He acknowledges the right of the
public to question him, but he anticipates
any subsequent interrogation by a most
ex naustive defence. He believed Mr.. Davis
entitled to either trial or liberty, and thinks
there could hardly have been sufficient rea-
son for delay Of two years. Lawyers hav-
ing decided that Mr.. Davis was bailable,
Mr.. Smith says he did not trouble himself
about that part OF the affair, but believed
himself under moral obligation to sign
the bond. He claims that lie acting IN
r perfect consistency with his previous pro
LESSONS since the South laid down its arms
He totally disclaims the right to assume, as
so many do, that Davis was guilty OF other
crimes than that of treason, such as assas-
sination and the starving of prisoners.
As for the crime Of treason, Mr.. Smith be
lieves both North and South understood
7 that they were fighting under the law OF
war, and that the North made a bargain
with the South to that effect. Therefore
: we are not justified in holding Davis amen
able to constitutional law.
Mr.. Smith is opposed to Furnishing the
South, because he holds the North equally
} guilty and responsible in regard to the
l chief cause of the war, and even more so.
He believes the South has suffered enough
, already. The work of the conquering
North should now be to heal and comfort,
and win back the South. State govern
ments, he believes should be left to supply
their own systems of education, as their
black and white people call for it. He says
l the black man does not need either confs-
cation or the Acknowledgement Of any class
of the whites, and it will be his own fault
now If he does not possess himself of q
? home and a share of the comforts of life
J MIR. Smith objects to One-sided benevO-
| ICuCt, dLtl dISO ~ SCltlIS the hldckE
against the whites. Another reason why he
signed the bond was, thao believed the
people OF the South would hail the liberia
ton Of Davis us an omen of good feeling on
the part Of the North. He lamentS that
the Southern press has lent itself 10 the
bad work of ncutralizing the good that be
had hoped for. MI. Smith is OF opinion
that the road to sure and perfect peace is
q very plain one. All We should demand
of the South he says, is acquiescenee in the
abolition OF slavery and i'll negro suffrage.
\ new spirit would soon rule those who
were formerly the enemies of freedom.
As for the losses Of loyal men, he would
like to see them paid out of the national
treasury and not by contscation, for the
North is very rich and the South very poor.
He believes, further, that it would be a
wise and just policy for the government to
> appropriate ten or twenty millions to re-
' lieve the suflerings of the South, and also
for the present to e1onerate that desoiate
country from the buuden of taxation. The
J, greater the cost, the greater, he says, the
| proof of orr love and goodwill and the