The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-05-02
senntor MiIson,s successful -Four.

Senator WILSON'S SucCeBStul lOuEs
SENATOR WILSON appears to be making graft
fying progress in his Southern tour Although
the accounts we get of him by telegraph are
from unfriendly and prejudiced sources, it is
plainly to be seen that he is addressing large
crowds wherever he goes; that he is civilly
received even by those who are opposed to
him in sentiment; and that his speeches are
producing a marked effect upon the tone OF
the South. If he shall accomplish no more
than to show that free speech has become
reality in the South under the Reconstruction
law, he will have done good work The
precedent needs to be established in the minds
of the late oligarchy of the South, that citi-
zens from any portion of the republic have
perfect right to visit that section of the coun-
try, and to advocate their views upon all sub
jects with the utmost freedom, and without re-
ference to whether such views are locally popu-
lar or not. This is right which, under the
stUnion as it was," was never enjoyed. 1t
must now be asserted and established upon an
immovable foundation.
But aside from their practical vindcation of
free speech, Mr.. Wilson's addresses are calcu-
lated to do good. They are temperate, con-
oiliatory, well-argued exhibitions of the politi-
cal situation, and Of the causes which have
brought it about They will not suit those
who still believe in slavery, or in the right of
secession; but they are well calculated to
unite all those who, in good faith, are deter
mined to accept the great revolution that has
passed over the country, in all its consequences,
and adapt themselves to the new order OF
things. He does not seek to build up white
party or a black party, but simply Republi-
can party, based upon the great principles of
that organization at the North. And wherever
he goes, there is a white element which well
comes his coming-an element sufficiently
numerous to form the nucleus of great party.
There seems to be no good reason to doubt
that the effort that is being made to organize
the Republican party in the South will prove
successful. There is more or less of an
original Union element among the whites in
every Southern State. Of course these men
will welcome an organization with which they
can act. There is, moreover, large class of
men at the South who have concluded to
accept the situation in good faith. They have
abandoned their old pro-slavery and secession
notions, and believe in giving free principles
a fair trial. These men will inevitably drift
into the Republican ranks. They have nowhere
else to go. They will be denounced and
abused by the Democrats, and they will go
where they can find sympathy and support.
If these two classes of whites-the original
Unionists snd the men who accept the situa-
tiOn-shall unite heartily and in good faith
with the colored citizens, as we believe they
will, the Republican party will not only be
organized, but it will become dominant in
most of the Southern States. 1t is the fear of
this very result that leads to the conservative
denunciations of Mr.. Wilson and his speeches,
and of the efforts now being made by Republi-
cans generally to organize the party through
out the South.