Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1867-06-17
Reconsideration.

We have been anxiously watching the
growth and cultivation OF the perceptive
faculties of the Radical party.
Bigoted, beyond redemption, exacting to
the last degree, cruel to theextent of in
humanity, it was hardly supposable that
the Radical leaders would ever partake OF
that liberal, civilized and Christian char
acter so necessary to enable man to oforgive,
those that transgress, as he expects TO De
forgiven by One who is the God OF the
Rebel as well as of the Radical. .al. ,..-t
In q, recent number of the, Ne,c York
Duly Times (Radical), however, we lind
this remarkable admission: s'" -ii' pug
Sand yet the law cannot reach more
than the form and technicalities of recon
struction. 1t may insure regularity and IN
a manner completeness; it may provide
the stipulated guarantees for future peace
and loyalty, and may thus do all that was
Contemplated by legislation to make recon
struction just, safe and effectual. After all;
however, the essence of true unity and
safety must be sought in other directions
and must be promoted by other agencies.
THE letter killeth, the spirit giveth life, Be
hind the law, and beyond the sphere OF It's
Influence lies the feeling of the, people
which alone will afford the measure OF sue
cess or the evidence of failure Of the Con
gressional plan. For all the genuine pur-
poses of the Union, it is essential that the
great majority of the Southern. people be
converted and in spirit conciliated, with a
view to the re-establishment OF sectional
harmony, y, and the cultivation ofthose friend
ly relations which imply a community OF
sentiment and interest. Otherwise, recon-
struction will bring back elements of dis
cord and renewal of contests which every
sUnionist desires to render impossible
Is this not really remarkable! A Radi-
cal has been compelled to admit that ''the
low cannot reach more than the form ana
technicdlities of reconstruction" ,.1 15s -.
Il. But what more has that party ever reach
ed in the way of civil government
During the entire administration of the
Republican, Abolition and Radical parties
we have had, the mere form and technicali-
ties of Union. -
We have had the realities of war, mill
tary commissions and military despotisms
The ''unity" and safety" sought" for now
is sought through the military despots
forced upon an unwilling people. These
petty tyrants know no law but the mill
tary forms, and sseeth not" 'beyond the
sphere of its influence" 1.-THE feeling OF
the people, which alone will afford the
measure of success" is regarded as an evil
dence of disloyalty so far as to effectually
destroy every legally chosen agent that
possesses the confidence of those people.
g The re- establishment of sectional har-
mony" proposed by this Radical party i:
promulgated through the agency of mill
tary commanders, and any opposition
thereto is sufficient pretext to warrant
the visitation of summary vengeance upon
the unwilling victim of military power
The Times adds:
1t is from this point of view that the
criminal folly of those who are inventing
new demands and forging fresh fetters fol
the South becomes apparent.
"Fresh fettersl" Indeedl If these are
fresh letters that are being forged, it is then
true that the Radical party, long ago,
forged the old fetters with which the people
of the South are and have been borne
down, and crushed by the power of q
Despotism. Not only is the forging o.
these "fresh fetters" criminal folly, bu
the forging of the old ones, also was
equally criminal, and the dayi is not fal
distant when retributive justice will par
alyze the arm of every despot who as
sisted to forge those fetters and mete out unto
them that lawful punishment that will
cause them to realize the enormity Of
the crimes of which they have been guilty
~ Whilst Radical leadears are loud in theil
the South is yielding to the Imposed ne
cessities' in order to effect reconstruction
yet not an election occurs where the people
are allowed the least semblance of liberty
at the polls, but these same Radicals affirm
that the people are as disloyal to-day as a
any previous period. Their conduct after
the recent election in Kentucky is illus.
trative of this fact.
The simple truth is, this party of fetter.
is wholly incapable of reconstructing tn,
Government. ..D +. g-aIt
1t is just as incapable of reconstructins
the Government as it is of restoring to life
the hundreds of thousands of victims sac
rificed during the recent war. D.
Its Union is a Union of fetters. tt
power is the military. Its law is the will
of the subordinate approved by the supe-
rior. zr.-.a fslI ...o. .-e-rr-
d Its finances are bonds for the rich and
taxes for the poor. '.i.1
Its equality is for the negro, its disfran-
chisemeDt for the whites. '.
Its fetters are forged by the politician and
rivited by the military. H..
1t is making history" and when the last
page shall have been written, the "crimiL.
al folly" of that party will be at an end
ald peace and good will be restored to &
heretofore tax-ridden, fettered and out
ragged people. .Ha.s ~ -.H -s.r'
Shall johnson Renegades Rule tilt
Republican Party:
Such is the startling head the Cleveland
Leader has to the article we copy below, il