The tri-weekly standard., 1867-09-05

4 q set ut halfway men, WHO nao no'o, o"uS
the spirit of the revolution, ana VINO nae
neitber the courage to fight nor the patrio
| tism TO Weld. The public mind was lasheo
into tempest of rage and fury. Instead O
arguments, the elegant epithets OF "dlrt-eat
er," NEGRO worshipper," negro-soclallst,
SC, were the weapons used. This poltlca
warfare finally produced its legitimate effect
| North. A reaction took place. The radicals
and republicans lost all faith in the control
ling minds South. This drove them into a
policy of repression, and after waiting two
wears for the war-like Solomons, to retrace
their steps. the blow came. At one tell
swoop we got universal suffrage, Il large dis
reimbursement of the whites, unlimited mil
itary rule, the destruction of civil law and
government, and threatened confscation.-
After all this, in the face of all history, and
in defiance of the severest and saddest eXpe-
ricnce ever written in human blood, good
men amongst us still cry resistance. resist
ance.. Fossil statesmen grave!y propose to
stop the wheel of revolution by bill in
equity md sorrowing philosophers utter
their doleful notes" On the wonderful vir
tues of mastery Inactivity" Meantime
the voung, the ignorant and the rash cling
to hopes never to be realized. They catch
at every straw that floats upon the troubled
waters of the political ocean. The treacher-
Gus uttcrances OF the copperhead press,
which has ever fed and fattened on the fol-
lies OF the South, and which has ever led us
to death and destruction, are again gathered
up. People forget 1861 when, at the first
shock of arms, the - mudsills' were to rise ;
1862, when Mcclellan, in his rage and des
pair, was to seize the Government; 1868,
when the northwest was to resist; 1864,
when the peace democracy was to triumph
1865, when Mr.. Johnson would certainly
crush radicalism: and finally, 1866, when
the Philadelphia convention was to sweep
the country. Behold the result OF all these
prophesies And yet, when Southern
man dares to rise above the passions of the
hour, and tell the people the unvarnished
race and his section.
Iwould not willingly enter the political
arena, but think l know something of the
spirit and temper of the North, and If re-
construction is defeated, or if the policy of
resistance is long maintained, our troubles
and difficulties must increase. 1t is idle for
the South longer to isolate herself from the
outside world, or seek to repress the aspira-
tions of the age. Governments, everywhere,
are soon to rest on the broad basis of univer-
sal suffrage Thus far, the experiment has
met with full success, wherever tried; and
the vital forces of II people are found to be
proportioned to their freedom of thought and
of action. l have never doubted but that |
the colored vote OF the South would prove
highly conservative. Ultimately this vote |
will unite with that of the Southern whites |
in the protection of common principles and |
interests. But this will not take place, so |
long as sectional jealousies and animosities |
prevail, and so long as the Southern whites |
continue to cherish hostility to the rights and |
privileges of the colored man, as free citi- !
zen, and denounce him as unworthy of suf- !
frage. Nor does it do any good to indulge |
in an everlasting cry against Yankee emisa !
ries, Union Leagues, and Radical speakers. |
Let the mass of the white voters agree to |
unite with the colored citizens on terms of
political equality-give the latter proper as
surances to maintain their rights and privil |
eyes: and cease declaiming against the Gov !
ernment and people that made them free |
and the day ct Yankee emissaries, Union |
Leagues and Radical orators is gone. This |
may be hard to do, and to all Confederates,
who are not thoroughly whipped, the hu-
initiation will be very great. For myself l |
have long since resolved to accept the in
evitable," and while mourn the trials and /
troubles so heavily pressing us,I can heartily
rejoice they are no worse. Fierce and savage
as the conflict was. while it lasted, (such are
all civil wars) thus far We have had no ex-
ecutions for treason, no edicts of banishment
no confscations When before did a great
war and revolution thus terminate For
one, have not despaired of the country, and
have not lost all faith in free institutions. |
hope ere long to see our people restored to
all their rights and privileges-all fear of
confscation removed, and, with the incom-
ing tide of immigration and enterprise,
new era drawn upon our desolated land
Respectfully,
RUFUS BARRINGER.